NameCensus.

UK surname

Espin

A surname potentially derived from the Spanish word "espino" meaning "thorn bush".

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Espin surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 317, ranked #14,198, up from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lincoln St Botolph, Hull Holy Trinity and Garton-on-the-Wolds. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Lindsey, North Lincolnshire and Lincoln.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Espin is 333 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 117.1%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

317

2016, ranked #14,198

Peak year

2011

333 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Espin had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 317 in 2016, ranked #14,198.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 274 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Espin surname distribution map

The map shows where the Espin surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Espin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Espin over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 71 #20,875
1861 historical 89 #22,419
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 219 #13,974
1901 historical 235 #13,662
1911 historical 274 #12,150
1997 modern 314 #13,136
1998 modern 318 #13,362
1999 modern 317 #13,473
2000 modern 324 #13,243
2001 modern 311 #13,423
2002 modern 318 #13,475
2003 modern 315 #13,384
2004 modern 323 #13,230
2005 modern 309 #13,552
2006 modern 307 #13,695
2007 modern 311 #13,703
2008 modern 321 #13,516
2009 modern 326 #13,630
2010 modern 330 #13,786
2011 modern 333 #13,577
2012 modern 318 #13,926
2013 modern 325 #13,924
2014 modern 322 #14,113
2015 modern 314 #14,275
2016 modern 317 #14,198

Geography

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Where Espins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lincoln St Botolph, Hull Holy Trinity, Garton-on-the-Wolds, Barton St Peter and St Mary and Horncastle (incl. Horncastle allotments). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Lindsey, North Lincolnshire, Lincoln and Stockton-on-Tees. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lincoln St Botolph Lincolnshire
2 Hull Holy Trinity Yorkshire, East Riding
3 Garton-on-the-Wolds Yorkshire, East Riding
4 Barton St Peter and St Mary Lincolnshire
5 Horncastle (incl. Horncastle allotments) Lincolnshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Lindsey 003 East Lindsey
2 North Lincolnshire 001 North Lincolnshire
3 Lincoln 001 Lincoln
4 East Lindsey 004 East Lindsey
5 Stockton-on-Tees 009 Stockton-on-Tees

Forenames

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First names often paired with Espin

These lists show first names that appear often with the Espin surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Espin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Espin, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Espin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Espin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Espin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Espin is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Espin falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Espin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Espin, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Espin

The surname Espin is of Spanish origin, derived from the Catalan word 'espí' which means 'bramble' or 'thorn bush'. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near or worked with brambles.

The name can be traced back to the medieval period in Spain, particularly in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia. One of the earliest recorded references to the name is found in a document from the 13th century, where it appears as 'Espino'.

During the 15th century, the name Espin began to appear in various records and manuscripts across Spain. For instance, in 1472, a certain Juan Espin is mentioned in a legal document from the city of Valencia.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Espin throughout history. One such person was Pedro Espin (1542-1624), a Spanish Catholic priest and writer who authored several religious texts during the Golden Age of Spanish literature.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Francisco Espin (1734-1809), a Spanish military officer who fought in the Spanish War of Independence against Napoleonic France. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant General and played a crucial role in several battles.

In the 19th century, Manuel Espin y Martínez (1835-1906) was a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Congress of Deputies, representing the province of Alicante.

The surname Espin also found its way to other parts of the world, particularly Latin America, due to Spanish colonization and migration. One notable bearer of this name was Víctor Manuel Espín (1909-1995), a Cuban revolutionary and politician who served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1965 to 1991.

Another noteworthy individual was María Espin de Gracia (1830-1892), a Mexican poet and writer who was part of the Mexican literary renaissance in the 19th century. Her works explored themes of love, nature, and patriotism.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Espin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Espin surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 94 Espins recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.57x.

County Total Index
Lincolnshire 94 41.57x
Yorkshire 22 1.57x
Lancashire 6 0.36x
Nottinghamshire 6 3.15x
Surrey 6 0.87x
Derbyshire 4 1.81x
Staffordshire 4 0.84x
Cheshire 3 0.96x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Horncastle in Lincolnshire leads with 21 Espins recorded in 1881 and an index of 901.29x.

Place Total Index
Horncastle 21 901.29x
Fiskerton 9 4285.71x
Withcall 9 8181.82x
Barton St Mary 8 707.96x
Holy Trinity 6 17.80x
Skellingthorpe 6 1714.29x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 6 188.68x
Barton St Mary St Peter 5 1190.48x
Corringham 5 1388.89x
Hulme 5 14.27x
Newington 5 9.57x
Somersby 5 25000.00x
Upsall In Thirsk 5 8333.33x
Garton On Wolds 4 1600.00x
Litchurch 4 44.89x
Torworth 4 3636.36x
Alford 3 214.29x
Barlings 3 1304.35x
Horninglow 3 133.33x
Knaith Lea Gate Burton 3 1666.67x
Wallasey 3 283.02x
Amber Hill 2 1052.63x
Hunslet 2 9.15x
Leeds 2 2.53x
Mansfield 2 30.30x
Thirsk 2 123.46x
Ardwick 1 6.61x
Bardney 1 149.25x
Barrow On Humber 1 76.34x
Caterham 1 32.79x
Fillingham 1 666.67x
Gainsborough 1 18.76x
Louth 1 19.31x
Luttons Ambo 1 344.83x
Scrivelsby 1 1666.67x
St Martin Lincoln 1 47.62x
Thornton 1 1111.11x
Uttoxeter 1 40.98x
Welton 1 303.03x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Espin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 15
Ann 6
Alice 5
Eliza 4
Sarah 4
Jane 3
Annie 2
Emily 2
Harriet 2
Harriett 2
Rebecca 2
Sophia 2
Adelina 1
Beatrice 1
Betsey 1
Betsy 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Drinetta 1
Elizabeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellen 1
Eva 1
Florence 1
Georgana 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Henrietta 1
Kate 1
Letica 1
Lillie 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Louisia 1
Lucy 1
Marie 1
Marshall 1
Maud 1
Prissella 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Espin surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 13
George 8
Joseph 6
Thomas 6
William 6
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Wm. 3
Frank 2
Fred 2
James 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Charles 1
Crispin 1
David 1
Harry 1
Mary 1
Robert 1
Slater 1

FAQ

Espin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Espin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Espin surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Espin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 317 in 2016. That gives Espin a modern rank of #14,198.

What does the Espin surname mean?

A surname potentially derived from the Spanish word "espino" meaning "thorn bush".

What does the Espin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Espin bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.