Esparza
A Spanish surname most likely tied to a place name or a word for open space, though the older sources here are only incidental mentions.
The #816 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 7,255 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Esparza is usually treated as a Hispanic surname of locational origin, probably from a place-name. Some older writers connect it with Spanish words related to space or separation, but the evidence in the excerpts is not a direct dictionary entry for the surname itself. In practice, surnames of this form in northern Spain are often understood as regional place-based names, possibly influenced by Basque or Navarrese toponymy.
History
The surname is strongly associated with Spain, especially the north and the Basque/Navarre area, and it later spread widely through Spanish-speaking migration. It is now well established in the Americas, including the United States. Because the excerpts provided only list the name among other surnames, they support regional association more than a precise etymology.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Esparza is a fairly common Spanish surname in the United States, ranking in the top 1,000 in the 2010 census.
From the historical record
“so, pasmoso. Esparza. Espacio. Separar lo junto o amontonado. Di vulgar una noticia. Espejo. Plancha de cristal azogada por detras, que refle- ja los objetos. (”
— Diccionario de los apellidos