2000
#3,138
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,534
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.90
Uncommon Last name
Espinal
A toponymic surname derived from a place name in Spain, likely referring to a place with thorn bushes.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 20,573 Americans carry the last name Espinal. That puts it at #1,964 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 6.00 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 16,660 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Espinal surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
21K
1 in 16,660
Census rank
#1,964
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
6.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
18K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 17,941 bearers of the surname Espinal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 6.00 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1964th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Espinal, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Black (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Espinal
The surname Espinal has its roots in Spain, originating from the region of Castile in the 15th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "espina," meaning "thorn" or "spine," possibly referring to a person who lived near a thorny bush or a place name associated with such vegetation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Espinal surname can be found in the archives of the city of Valladolid, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed that the name may have been associated with a specific location or estate in the region, as was common during that time period.
In the 16th century, the Espinal family played a significant role in the conquest and colonization of the Americas. Juan de Espinal, born in 1510 in Seville, Spain, was a renowned explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. He later settled in the region of Guatemala and was instrumental in establishing Spanish rule there.
Another notable figure with the Espinal surname was María de Espinal, a Spanish noblewoman born in 1575 in Granada. She was renowned for her philanthropic efforts and her support of various religious orders, including the Carmelites and the Franciscans.
In the 18th century, the Espinal family gained prominence in the field of literature and arts. Francisco de Espinal, born in 1712 in Madrid, was a celebrated poet and playwright whose works were widely acclaimed during the Spanish Golden Age.
During the 19th century, the Espinal surname spread throughout Latin America, particularly in countries like Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia. One notable figure was José María Espinal, a Colombian politician and military leader born in 1812, who played a pivotal role in the country's struggle for independence from Spain.
As the centuries progressed, the Espinal surname continued to be carried by individuals of various professions and backgrounds, contributing to the rich tapestry of history and culture in both Spain and the Americas.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Espinal
Among Census respondents with the surname Espinal, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Black (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Espinal bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Espinal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino96.0% · 17,223
- White2.8% · 497
- Black or African American0.7% · 127
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 49
- Two or more races0.2% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 18
Timeline
Historical Census data for Espinal
Espinal appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,289
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,924
+5,390 bearers (+51.2%)
Per 100,000 5.40
Rank movement Up 849 places
2020
#1,964
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,941
+2,017 bearers (+12.7%)
Per 100,000 6.00
Rank movement Up 325 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,138 | 10,534 | 3.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,289 | 15,924 | 5.40 | +5,390 bearers (+51.2%) | Up 849 places |
| 2020 | #1,964 | 17,941 | 6.00 | +2,017 bearers (+12.7%) | Up 325 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Espinal surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,289 | #1,964 | 14.2% |
| Count | 15,924 | 17,941 | 12.7% |
| Per 100K | 5.40 | 6.00 | 11.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Espinal bearers went from 15,924 to 17,941 (+12.7% change). The surname moved up 325 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,289 to #1,964.
FAQ
Espinal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Espinal?
Name Census estimates that about 20,573 living Americans carry the surname Espinal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 16,660 residents.
How common is Espinal?
Espinal ranks #1,964 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 6.00 per 100,000 residents, which is about 6 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 17,941 people with the surname Espinal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (20,573), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 6.00 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 6 of them to have the surname Espinal.
Has Espinal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Espinal went from 15,924 recorded bearers to 17,941. That is an increase of 2,017 (+12.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #2,289 to #1,964.
What does the Census say about the background of Espinal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Espinal, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 96.0%. The next largest groups are White (2.8%) and Black (0.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Espinal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.0% (17,223 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Espinal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (96.0%), White (2.8%), Black (0.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Espinal (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Espinal mean?
A toponymic surname derived from a place name in Spain, likely referring to a place with thorn bushes. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Espinal (6.00 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Espinal?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.