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

Esprit, 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 Esprit surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Esprit in America

Esprit is the 77264th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Esprit surname appeared 248 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 Esprit.

We can also compare 2010 data for Esprit 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 Esprit

The surname ESPRIT originated from France, specifically in the region of Picardy. It dates back to the 12th century and is derived from the Old French word "esprit," meaning "spirit" or "mind." This name was likely given as a nickname to someone who was perceived as having a lively or spirited personality.

The earliest recorded instance of the name ESPRIT can be found in the medieval records of Picardy from around the year 1200. In these documents, the name appears in various spellings, including "Esprit," "Espriz," and "Esperit." It's believed that these variations were due to the phonetic transcription of the name during that time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname ESPRIT was Jean Esprit, a merchant from the town of Amiens who lived in the late 13th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the textile trade and played a significant role in the local economy.

In the 14th century, the name ESPRIT appeared in the Hundred Years' War records, where a soldier named Pierre Esprit was mentioned as serving in the French army under King Charles V. This suggests that the name was not only present in the mercantile class but also among the nobility and military.

During the Renaissance period, the ESPRIT surname gained prominence with the birth of the philosopher and mathematician René Descartes (1596-1650), whose full name was René Descartes du Perron Seigneur d'Esprit. While not directly bearing the surname ESPRIT, his association with the name added to its recognition and prestige.

Another notable figure was François Esprit (1686-1755), a French Jesuit priest and philosopher who wrote extensively on theology and metaphysics. His works, such as "Traité des Esprits" (Treatise on Spirits), were widely influential in the 18th century.

In the realm of literature, Antoine-François Esprit (1733-1805) was a French playwright and librettist who wrote several successful operas and plays during the Enlightenment era.

The ESPRIT surname also made its way to other parts of Europe, as evidenced by the Dutch painter Jacob van der Esprit (1621-1662), who was renowned for his still-life paintings and landscapes.

Throughout its history, the surname ESPRIT has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, soldiers, philosophers, writers, and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Esprit

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

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

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

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