Find out how popular the last name Espinoza is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Espinoza.

Espinoza, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Espinoza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Espinoza in America

Espinoza is the 271st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Espinoza surname appeared 112,154 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 38 people would have the surname Espinoza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Espinoza to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Espinoza

The surname ESPINOZA has its origins in Spain, tracing back to the 15th century. It is derived from the Spanish words "espina," meaning thorn or spike, and "oza," a diminutive suffix, suggesting a connection to a thorny or prickly place.

The earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in historical documents from the regions of Castile and Andalusia in southern Spain. It is believed that the name initially referred to individuals who lived near or were associated with areas characterized by thorny vegetation or bushes.

During the era of Spanish exploration and colonization in the 16th and 17th centuries, the ESPINOZA surname spread across the Americas, particularly in Mexico and various regions of Central and South America. This dissemination was likely facilitated by Spanish conquistadors, settlers, and immigrants who carried the name to these new territories.

One notable historical figure bearing the ESPINOZA surname was Gaspar de Espinoza, a Spanish conquistador and explorer born in the late 15th century. He participated in the conquest of Mexico under Hernán Cortés and was granted encomiendas (land grants) in the region of Puebla.

Another prominent individual was Jerónimo de Espinoza, a Spanish military officer and navigator who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous circumnavigation voyage in the early 16th century. He played a crucial role in the expedition after Magellan's death and helped navigate the remaining ships back to Spain.

In the realm of literature, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, the renowned author of "Don Quixote," included a character named Pedro Espinoza in his novel "La Gitanilla" (The Little Gypsy Girl), published in 1613.

During the colonial era in Latin America, the ESPINOZA surname was associated with several notable figures, such as Juan Espinoza de los Monteros, a Spanish-born landowner and encomendero who settled in Peru in the 16th century and held significant influence in the region.

Another individual of note was Sebastián Espinoza, a Chilean military officer and patriot who fought in the Chilean War of Independence against Spanish rule in the early 19th century. He played a pivotal role in several battles and is celebrated as a national hero in Chile.

Throughout its history, the ESPINOZA surname has been subject to various spellings and variations, such as Espinosa, Espinoza, Espinosa, and Espinoza, reflecting regional linguistic influences and adaptations over time. However, the core meaning and origin of the name have remained consistent, rooted in the thorny or prickly vegetation of its Spanish birthplace.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Espinoza

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Espinoza.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Espinoza was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Espinoza has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Espinoza was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Espinoza, please contact us.

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