Recognising Basque Surnames
Basque surnames are relatively easy to spot through the high frequency of certain elements and endings used in their formation, bearing in mind the spelling variants. Outside the Basque Country, Basque surnames are often found in Spain and France, the former Spanish colonies in parts of South America and the Philippines and parts of the United States such as Idaho where substantial numbers of Basques emigrated to.
| Modern Spelling | Meaning | Older Spellings |
|---|---|---|
| -aga | place of | |
| agirre | prominence | aguirre |
| -alde | side | alde |
| -arte | between | art |
| aurre(a) | front | |
| barren(a) | inner, lowest. Often in a pair with goien | |
| behe | down | be, ve |
| berri(a) | new | berry, varri, verría, verry |
| bide(a) | way, path | vida, vide |
| buru | head, end | bure |
| garai(a) | high | garay |
| goi | high | goy |
| eliza | church | eliç(e), elic(e), eliss, elex, elej |
| -eta | abundance of | ette |
| etxe(a) | house | ech, eche, etche |
| gorri(a) | red | corri, gourry |
| (h)aritz(a) | oak | áriz, harits |
| (h)arri(a) | stone | harri, harry |
| iturri | source | |
| mendi(a) | mountain | mendy |
| -ola | hut, forge | olha |
| -ondo | nearby | onde |
| sagar(ra) | apple | |
| -tegi | home, workshop | tegui |
| -(t)za | abundance | |
| urru(ti) | far, beyond | |
| zabal(a) | wide, meadow | çabal, zábal, zaval |
| -zahar(ra) | old | zar, zaar |
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“I am I because my little dog knows me but, creatively speaking the little dog knowing that you are you and your recognising that he knows, that is what destroys creation. That is what makes school.”
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