Espinoza
A Spanish surname meaning “thornbush” or “hawthorn place,” often tied to someone who lived near such plants or a spiny landscape.
The #271 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,753 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Espinoza is a Spanish surname built on espino, meaning “thornbush” or “hawthorn,” with the place-name-like ending -osa/-oza suggesting “full of” or “abounding in.” In sense, it likely referred to someone from a place marked by thorn bushes or named for them. The surname is therefore usually understood as habitational or topographic in origin.
History
The name is widespread in Spain and became especially common in Latin America through Spanish colonial settlement and later migration. In many regions, Espinoza and the spelling Espinosa coexist, and both are treated as established Spanish surname forms. The surname is now particularly common in Spanish-speaking communities in the Americas and the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Espinoza and Espinosa are closely related spellings, and both are widely used as surnames across the Spanish-speaking world.