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

Esquivel, 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 Esquivel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Esquivel in America

Esquivel is the 925th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Esquivel surname appeared 37,578 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname Esquivel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Esquivel 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 Esquivel

The surname Esquivel has its origins in Spain, emerging during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Basque word "ezki," meaning beech tree, combined with the Spanish suffix "-bel," signifying a location or place. This suggests the name may have initially referred to a person residing near a beech grove or forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Esquivel can be traced back to the 13th century, when it appeared in various documents from the region of Navarre, located in northern Spain and the Basque Country. The name was often associated with noble families and landowners in this area during the Middle Ages.

In the 14th century, the Esquivel surname gained prominence with the rise of Juan Martínez de Esquivel, a renowned military commander who served under King Alfonso XI of Castile. Juan Martínez de Esquivel played a pivotal role in the decisive Battle of Río Salado in 1340, which marked a significant victory for the Christian forces against the Moorish invaders.

During the 15th century, the name Esquivel spread beyond the Basque regions as the Spanish Empire expanded across the Iberian Peninsula and the Americas. Notably, Pedro de Esquivel, born in 1489, was among the early Spanish explorers and conquistadors who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico in the 16th century.

Another notable figure bearing the Esquivel surname was Juan de Esquivel, a Spanish poet and musician who lived during the 16th century. He was renowned for his contributions to the development of Renaissance music and his poetic works, which were highly acclaimed in his time.

In the 17th century, Sebastián de Esquivel y Navarrete, born in 1605, was a prominent Spanish military engineer and architect. He played a significant role in the construction of fortifications and defensive structures throughout the Spanish Empire, particularly in the Caribbean and Central America.

As the Esquivel surname spread across the Spanish-speaking world, it also took on various spelling variations, such as Esquibel, Esquibele, and Esquebell, reflecting regional linguistic influences and adaptations.

While the Esquivel name has its deepest roots in Spain and the Basque regions, it has since become widely dispersed across Latin America, particularly in countries like Mexico, Argentina, and Chile, where descendants of Spanish settlers and immigrants have carried on the legacy of this historical surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Esquivel

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

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

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

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