Explore the Family Name Esperanza

The meaning of Esperanza

Spanish: from the female personal name Esperanza, from esperanza ‘hope’, or a habitational name from a place called Esperanza of La Esperanza for its church dedicated to a 2nd-century Christian saint bearing this name. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Abelardo, Armando, Blanco, Carlos, Concepcion, Coronado, Domingo, Ernestina, Esteban, Francisco, Joaquin.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Esperanza in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Esperanza" has significantly increased over a decade. In 2000, it was ranked 24,432 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010, it had climbed up the ranks to 21,811, marking a notable increase of 10.73%. The count of individuals with this surname also saw an uptick from 960 in 2000 to 1,192 in 2010, reflecting a growth rate of 24.17%. Furthermore, the proportion of people named Esperanza per 100,000 increased by 11.11%, from 0.36 to 0.4.

20002010Change
Rank#24,432#21,81110.73%
Count9601,19224.17%
Proportion per 100k0.360.411.11%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Esperanza

Regarding the ethnicity of people with the surname "Esperanza," the Decennial U.S. Census data presents a diverse picture. In both 2000 and 2010, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as Hispanic, making up 61.15% and 62.92% respectively, indicating a slight increase of 2.89%. The second largest group identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, accounting for 26.98% in 2000 and slightly increasing to 27.18% in 2010. Those who reported their ethnic identity as White constituted 6.88% in 2000 and slightly decreased to 6.54% in 2010. Meanwhile, those who identified as two or more races dropped from 2.81% to 1.85% in the same period. It is important to note that the census recorded no individuals identifying as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010, though they made up 1.46% and 0.73% respectively in 2000.

20002010Change
Hispanic61.15%62.92%2.89%
Asian/Pacific Islander26.98%27.18%0.74%
White6.88%6.54%-4.94%
Two or More Races2.81%1.85%-34.16%
Black1.46%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.73%0%0%