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

Esponda, 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 Esponda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Esponda in America

Esponda is the 65782nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Esponda surname appeared 301 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Esponda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Esponda 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 Esponda

The surname Esponda has its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France. It is believed to have derived from the Basque word "espon," which means "slope" or "hillside." This suggests that the name may have originated from someone who lived on or near a slope or hill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Esponda can be traced back to the 15th century in various municipal records and documents from the Basque region. One notable example is Juan de Esponda, a merchant from the town of Bilbao, who was mentioned in a trade register from 1478.

In the 16th century, the name appears in several historical records, including the chronicles of the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Pedro de Esponda, a soldier from the Basque province of Gipuzkoa, was part of the expedition led by Hernán Cortés that conquered Mexico in the 1520s.

The surname Esponda has also been associated with several place names in the Basque Country, such as the village of Espondaburu in the municipality of Oiartzun, Gipuzkoa. This location was mentioned in a land registry document from the 17th century, suggesting that the name may have originated from this area.

One of the most notable individuals with the surname Esponda was José de Esponda y Urdazpal, a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Chile from 1717 to 1720. He played a significant role in the Spanish colonization of the Americas and the governance of the Chilean territory.

Another prominent figure with the Esponda surname was Ignacio de Esponda, a Basque-born priest and linguist who lived in the 18th century. He wrote extensively on the Basque language and its grammar, contributing to the preservation and study of this unique linguistic tradition.

In the 19th century, several individuals with the surname Esponda made their mark in various fields. Juan Bautista Esponda was a renowned Basque poet and writer who published numerous works in the Basque language, helping to promote and preserve the region's literary heritage.

Throughout history, the surname Esponda has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including merchants, soldiers, administrators, clergy, and intellectuals. While its origins can be traced back to the Basque region, the name has since spread to other parts of Spain and beyond, carried by those who migrated or traveled from their ancestral homeland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Esponda

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

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 Esponda 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 Esponda 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 Esponda was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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