Espinosa
What is the origin of the last name Espinosa?
Meaning and origin
The last name Espinosa is of Spanish origin, derived from the word "espinosa," meaning "thorny" or "full of thorns." It is a toponymic surname that originally came from various places named Espinosa in northern Spain, such as Espinosa de los Monteros in the province of Burgos.
The longer story
The name is derived from the word “espino,” meaning "thorn" or "hawthorn" in English. It is classified as a toponymic surname, which means it is derived from a geographical location.
The geographical origin of the Espinosa name can be traced back to the Espinosa de los Monteros municipality in the province of Burgos, Spain. Located in the autonomous community of Castilla y León, this small town served as the ancestral home of many Espinosa families.
Espinosa has historic significance and has existed as a surname for several centuries. The earliest records of the name trace back to the Middle Ages in Spain. Over time, Espinosa families spread beyond their original place of origin and migrated to different regions of the world, including the United States.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#896
Espinosa was the 896th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 38,667 people, about 13 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Where it is found
Countries linked to Espinosa.
Surnames like Espinosa
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Espinosa is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.