Explore the Family Name Espy
The meaning of Espy
1. Scottish (western Scotland): from a shortened form of Gillespie. 2. French: topographic name for someone living near a prominent thorn bush or in an area characterized by such vegetation, from Old French espine (from Latin spina). Occasionally the name may derive from the same word used in a transferred sense of the crest or ridge of a hill. 3. In some cases also an altered form of German Espey. History: This surname is listed in the register of Huguenot ancestors recognized by the Huguenot Society of America.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Espy in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Espy saw a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 14,715th most common in the United States, but by 2010 it had slipped to 15,748th. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Espy surname remained steady, showing no change at 1,851 during this ten year period. The proportion of individuals named Espy per 100,000 people decreased by 8.7 percent, from 0.69 in 2000 to 0.63 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,715 | #15,748 | -7.02% |
| Count | 1,851 | 1,851 | 0% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.69 | 0.63 | -8.7% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Espy
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts in the distribution of the Espy surname across different ethnic identities between 2000 and 2010. While there were no recorded changes for Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native categories, other ethnic groups showed some movement. The percentage of individuals with the surname Espy identifying as White decreased slightly, from 79.63% in 2000 to 77.15% in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as Black saw a modest increase, going from 15.99% to 16.32% over the same period. A significant rise was observed within the "Two or more races" group, which increased from 1.78% to 2.65%. Additionally, the Hispanic category also saw growth, with the percentage rising from 2.11% to 2.70%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 79.63% | 77.15% | -3.11% |
| Black | 15.99% | 16.32% | 2.06% |
| Hispanic | 2.11% | 2.7% | 27.96% |
| Two or More Races | 1.78% | 2.65% | 48.88% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |