2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Espudo
A Spanish occupational surname derived from the term "espada" meaning sword or swordmaker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Espudo. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Espudo 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Espudo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Espudo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.2%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Espudo
The surname ESPUDO is believed to have originated in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Spain and Portugal, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Latin word "spudus," which means "muddy" or "dirty," indicating a possible connection to a place name or occupation related to mud or soil.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the ESPUDO surname can be found in the Libro de la Montería, a 14th-century manuscript detailing hunting expeditions and territories belonging to various noble families in Spain. This document mentions an individual named Rodrigo ESPUDO, who was likely a landowner or hunter associated with a specific territory or region.
Another notable historical reference is the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a collection of medieval documents from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain. This cartulary, dating back to the 10th century, contains records of land transactions and donations, some of which involve individuals bearing the ESPUDO surname or its variations, such as "Espudo" or "Espudos."
In the 16th century, there are records of an influential Portuguese family named ESPUDO, whose members held prominent positions in the royal court and the Catholic Church. One of the most notable figures was João ESPUDO (1520-1587), a cleric and diplomat who served as the Bishop of Portalegre and played a significant role in the negotiations between Portugal and the Holy See.
During the colonial era, several individuals with the ESPUDO surname migrated to the Americas, particularly to regions under Spanish and Portuguese rule. One such individual was Diego ESPUDO (1645-1712), a Spanish explorer and navigator who participated in expeditions to the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, and is credited with charting several islands and coastal regions.
Another notable figure was Francisca ESPUDO (1725-1795), a Brazilian landowner and philanthropist who donated a significant portion of her estate to establish schools and hospitals in the city of Salvador, Bahia. Her contributions were recognized by the local authorities, and a street in the city was named after her.
It is important to note that the ESPUDO surname may have undergone various spelling variations over time, influenced by regional dialects, scribal errors, or personal preferences. Some of these variations include Espudo, Espudos, Espudos, and Espudos, among others.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Espudo
Among Census respondents with the surname Espudo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.2%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Espudo 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 Espudo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino87.2% · 95
- White5.5% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.8% · 3
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Espudo
Espudo 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
+14 bearers (+12.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,427 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-21 bearers (-16.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,595 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+12.1%) | Up 3,427 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -21 bearers (-16.2%) | Down 19,595 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 Espudo 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 | #130,610 | #150,205 | -15.0% |
| Count | 130 | 109 | -16.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Espudo bearers went from 130 to 109 (-16.2% change). The surname moved down 19,595 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #150,205.
FAQ
Espudo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Espudo?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Espudo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Espudo?
Espudo ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Espudo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Espudo.
Has Espudo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Espudo went from 130 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 21 (-16.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Espudo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Espudo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.2%. The next largest groups are White (5.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.8%). 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 Espudo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.2% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Espudo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (87.2%), White (5.5%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2.8%). 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 Espudo (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 Espudo mean?
A Spanish occupational surname derived from the term "espada" meaning sword or swordmaker. 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 Espudo (0.04 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 Espudo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.