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

Espy, 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 Espy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Espy in America

Espy is the 15748th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Espy surname appeared 1,851 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Espy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Espy 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 Espy

The surname Espy is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region of Normandy. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "espier," which means "to watch" or "to spy." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to a watchman or someone who was tasked with keeping a lookout.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Espy can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book lists an individual named Osbert Lespiey, which is believed to be an early variation of the name Espy.

During the Middle Ages, the name Espy appeared in various documents and records across Europe. In England, there are records of individuals with the surname Espy in the 13th and 14th centuries, such as John Espy, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296.

As the name spread across different regions, it underwent various spelling variations, including Espie, Espey, and Espye. These variations were likely influenced by local dialects and pronunciation differences.

One notable individual with the surname Espy was William Espy, a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who lived in the late 18th century (1736-1805). He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and was a fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Another prominent figure was David Espy, an American meteorologist and philosopher who lived in the 19th century (1785-1860). He is known for his contributions to the study of atmospheric phenomena and his development of the "theory of storms," which helped advance the understanding of weather patterns.

In the literary world, there was James Pollard Espy, an American writer and journalist who lived from 1833 to 1917. He was a notable figure in the field of journalism and served as an editor for several publications.

The name Espy can also be found in military records throughout history. One example is Major General Roger Joseph Espy, an American military officer who served in World War II and the Korean War (1896-1975).

Additionally, there was John Espy, an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania in the late 18th century (1768-1825).

While the surname Espy has its roots in France, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and other English-speaking countries, as well as various regions in Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Espy

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

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

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

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