Last Updated on December 5, 2021
One amazing thing about the Basque people is their location. They can be located between bordering areas of France and Spain. They can also be found in bordering areas of the Bay of Biscay and around the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains.
In the late 20ths, about 850,000 Basque people lived in Spain, 130,000 in France, and over 170,000 Basque lived in emigrant communities in South America and the United States. Basque is said to be an Autonomous Community and an Isolated Language because it is surrounded by Spain and France, yet it has no direct origin from these parts.
They were predominantly sheep readers, farmers but also contributed to modern architecture and we’re traditional Seafarers. Another unique characteristic of the Basque people is their names and their distinctive pronunciation and meanings, and their language.
Over time, basque names have become popular and have in-depth meanings, and it’s crucial to pick the right name for your child or children, as these names stay with them through their lifespan. Below are male, female and Basque last names and how they are created or formed, and the difference between the two variants in naming from the culture.
Male Basque Names
- Argider
- Benat
- Bingen
- Bittor
- Gentza
- Inaki
- Ixaka
- Jakome
- Mikolaus
- Mikel
- Gaizka
- Elazar
- Enrique
- Duenoro
- Danel
- Edur
- Palben
- Edorta
- Bingen
- Yuli
- Gotzon
- Gurutz
- Ximun
- Uftzi
- Basajaun
- Zorion
- Eneko
- Ganiz
- Bolivar
- Xavier
- Abarra
- Zuzen
- Andone
- Ilari
- Benat
- Itzal
- Markel
Female Basque Names
- Amaya
- Elixane
- Alanze
- Amaia
- Arrate
- Barkanne
- Balere
- Aurkene
- Garaitze
- Kepa
- Deine
- Danele
- Kontxesi
- Naiara
- Usoa
- Mirai
- Yera
- Yanami
- Neria
- Osane
- Lore
- Catalin
- Bixenta
- Igone
- Aram
- Arantxa
- Izaro
- Joska
- Lourdes
- Gechina
- Uxue
- Urraca
- Naiara
- June
- Leire
- Itzair
- Erduzta
- Arrosa
- Ainhoa
Basque Last Names
These names are patronymic, which implies that it’s predominantly a male name of an ancestor or either gotten from the location of a family house. Most of these names have crests.
- Amenabar
- Arauz
- Arteaga
- Aramburu
- Gonzalez
- Hernandez
- Ayala
- Gueverra
- Montoya
- Mendoza
- Vazquez
- Zuloaga
- Urdaneta
- Ugarte
- Legazpi
- Obercoz
- Garcez
- Baroja
- Duhalde
- Azkarraga
- Galarza
- Sagasti
- Otiz
Non-patronymic Basque Last names
- Aroztegi
- Bolibar
- Elkano
- Extandi
- Garay
- Ibaiguren
- Zabala
- Mendoza
- Loiola
- Lekubarri
- Ibarra
- Zubiondo
- Etxeberri
- Bidarte
- Urberoaga
How To Create A Basque Last Name
Basque last names are classified into two, namely; Patronymic are mostly derived from an affiliation of the father (names passed down by ancestry and family, but predominantly male) and non-patronymic, mostly toponymic. They are easy to understand and trace their origin. They are made up of names gotten due to events that occurred around a certain time. These differences are factors that contribute primarily to how a name is formed and given to a child.
Patronymic names are the most popular or common of Basque names till this present day.
For example, Etxeberri is a non-patronymic name and means New house. While Hernandez is patronymic and means Son of Hernan, Fernando, or Hernando.
These names all hold deep meanings and are rooted in the culture and tradition of the Basque people.