Basque Last Names

Press for five Basque surnames, each split into the Basque words it is built from and what they mean.

Basque Last Names

Zubiatezubi (bridge) + ate (gorge, ravine).
Ezpeletaezpel (box tree) + -eta (abundance of). Also spelled Espeleta.
Oiartzabaloihan (forest) + zabal (wide). Also spelled Oiarzabal, Oyarzábal. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Goikoetxeagoiko (upper) + etxe (house) + -a (the): high lying house. Also spelled Goicoechea. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
AlzagaFrom the Basque place name Altzaga: haltz (alder) + -aga (place of).

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How it works

59 of these Basque last names are split into their Basque words, as Etxeberria is etxe (house) and berri (new). The rest are well-known Basque surnames, with the Spanish spelling where it differs.

Read the full guide

What Basque surnames are built on

The page opens on the 59 names with their words. Under More filters, Built on keeps the 16 built on a house or building (etxe, eliza, ola), the 12 on a mountain, rock or ground (mendi, harri), the 13 on water, a bridge or a valley (zubi, ibar, iturri) or the 11 on a tree or plant (zumar, ezpel).

The well-known names

In the dropdown, Well-known names shows the 124 surnames from Wikipedia's list of Basque surnames known around the world, such as Agirre, Mendoza, Elizondo and Ochoa, with the Spanish spelling where it differs. All names shows the whole list of 159.

Tips

The Spanish form often writes ch for tx and c for k: Echeverría for Etxeberria, Apodaca for Apodaka.
The ending -aga means place of and -eta abundance of: Zubieta is the place of bridges.

Questions and answers

What are famous Basque last names?

Wikipedia's list of Basque surnames known around the world includes Agirre (Aguirre), Bolibar (Bolívar), Etxeberria (Echeverría), Ibarra, Loiola (Loyola), Mendoza, Ochoa, Uribe and Zabala. 124 names of that list are here.

What do Basque last names mean?

Most that are not built on a first name describe the family house or name its first owner. Etxeberria is new house, Mendoza cold mountain, Zubieta place of bridges, Elizondo near the church and Iturralde the place around the spring.

How can you tell a last name is Basque?

Look for common Basque elements: etxe (house), mendi (mountain), zubi (bridge), berri (new), zabal (wide) and the endings -aga (place of) and -eta (abundance of). Wikipedia's article on Basque surnames lists them with their older spellings.

Are Mendoza and Ochoa Basque last names?

By origin, yes. A dictionary says Mendoza is usually derived from the Basque words mendi (mountain) and hotz (cold), and derives Ochoa from otsoa, wolf. Both are on Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.

All 159 last names

Basque last names 159

Abadiano Either from the Latin name Abatius or from abade (abbot).
Agirre ageri (prominent). Also spelled Aguirre. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Alkorta Also spelled Alcorta, Algorta. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Altube On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Altzibar Also spelled Alcívar. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Alzaga From the Basque place name Altzaga: haltz (alder) + -aga (place of).
Amenábar On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ametzaga Also spelled Amézaga. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ameztoy Also spelled Amestoy. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Anzoátegui On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Apodaka Also spelled Apodaca. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Aramburu On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Arana On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Arauz On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Aristarain On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Aristizábal On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Armendaritz Also spelled Armendáriz. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Aroztegi (h)arotz (smith/carpenter) + tegi (place): smith's workshop/carpentry. Also spelled Aróstegui. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Arrate On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Arredondo On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Arriaga harri (stone) + -aga (place, abundance): stony place.
Arrieta harri (rock) + -eta (abundance of). On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Arrigorriaga harri (stone) + gorri (red) + -aga (place).
Arteaga On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ayala On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Azkarraga Also spelled Azcárraga. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Baroja On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Basa baso (forest, woods, jungle).
Bedoya On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Bengoetxea Also spelled Bengoechea. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Berazategi Also spelled Berasategui. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Bergara Also spelled Vergara. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Berriotxoa Also spelled Berriochoa. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Bidarte bide (way) + arte (between): between the ways.
Biskarret Also spelled Viscarrat. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Bizkarra Also spelled Vizcarra. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Bolibar bolu (mill) + ibar (valley): mill valley. Also spelled Bolívar. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Boluarte bolu (mill) + arte (space in between). On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Bordaberry On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Cenarruza On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Deredia Also spelled Heredia. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Duhalde On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Elexpuru eliza (church) + buru (head).
Elizabelar On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Elizalde eliza (church) + alde (beside). On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Elizondo eliza (church) + ondo (nearby): near the church. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Elkano elke (vegetable garden) + no (small): small vegetable garden. Also spelled Elcano.
Elorriaga On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Errázuriz On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Eskibel haitz (rock, summit) + gibel (back). Also spelled Esquível. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Estigabirria On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Etxandi etxe (house) + handi (big): big house. Also spelled Echandi. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Etxarte etxe (house) + arte (between): house between.
Etxebarren Also spelled Echebarren. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Etxeberri etxe (house) + berri (new): new house.
Etxeberria etxe (house) + berri (new) + -a (the). Also spelled Echeverría, Echevarría, Echeverry, Echevarri. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Etxebeste etxe (house) + beste (other).
Etxegarai etxe (house) + garai (high). Also spelled Echegaray. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Etxegoien Also spelled Echegoyen. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Etxemendi Also spelled Echemendi. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Etxenike Also spelled Echenique. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ezkurra Also spelled Ezcurra. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ezpeleta ezpel (box tree) + -eta (abundance of). Also spelled Espeleta.
Funes On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Gabiria Also spelled Gaviria. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Galartza Also spelled Galarza. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Gaona On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Garaikoetxea Also spelled Garaicoechea. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Garamendi On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Garay garai (high). Basque spelling: Garai. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Gebara Also spelled Guevara. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Goikoetxea goiko (upper) + etxe (house) + -a (the): high lying house. Also spelled Goicoechea. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Goizueta On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Herraiz erratz (broom shrub) + -itz (place name suffix): broom thicket.
Ibaiguren ibai (river) + guren (edge): river's edge.
Ibarra ibar (valley). Also spelled Ybarra. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ibarreta ibar (valley) + -eta (abundance of).
Ibarruri On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Indurain On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Intxaurrondo Also spelled Inchaurrondo. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Iriarte On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Irigoien Also spelled Irigoyen, Yrigoyen. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Iriondo On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Irulegi Perhaps hiru (three) + hegi (side, slope). Also spelled Irulegui.
Iturbi On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Iturbide On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Iturralde iturri (spring, fountain) + alde (side, area): place around the spring.
Izagirre Also spelled Izaguirre. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Jauregi Also spelled Jáuregui. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Karrantza Also spelled Carranza. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Kortazar Also spelled Cortázar. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Lardizabal lahardi (bramble) + zabal (wide): wide bramble patch. Also spelled Lardizábal. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Larrain On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Larrañaga On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Larrazabal On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Lasarte lats (stream) + arte (between). Also spelled Lazarte.
Laxalt On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Legarda legar (gravel, sand) + -da.
Legazpi On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Lekubarri leku (place) + barri (new): new place. Also spelled Lecubarri, Lecoubarry.
Lezeta leize (cave) + -eta (abundance of).
Lizardi lizardi (ash grove).
Loiola lohi (mud) + ola (place): muddy place. Also spelled Loyola. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Loriaga lore (flower) + -aga (place).
Madariaga madari (pear) + -aga (place of). On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Maeztu Also spelled Maestu. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Mariñelarena Marinela (sailor) + -rena: sailor's (home/son). On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Mendieta On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Mendiluze mendi (mountain) + luze (long): long mountain.
Mendiola mendi (mountain) + ola (hut, cottage).
Mendizábal mendi (mountain) + zabal (wide, ample). On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Mendoza Usually derived from mendi (mountain) + hotz (cold) + -a (the): cold mountain. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Mitxelena Also spelled Michelena. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Montoia Also spelled Montoya. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Muxika Also spelled Mújica. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Nabarro Also spelled Navarre, Navarro. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ochoa otsoa or otxoa (wolf). On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Oiartzabal oihan (forest) + zabal (wide). Also spelled Oiarzabal, Oyarzábal. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Okendo Also spelled Oquendo. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Olano ola (ironworks, hut) + -no.
Ormazabal Also spelled Ormazábal, Hormazábal. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Orozko Also spelled Orozco. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ortiz On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Orzabal On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Sagasta On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Sagasti On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Salaberria sala (room) + berri (new) + -a (the). Also spelled Salaverria.
Salazar On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Telletxea Also spelled Tellechea. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Ugartetxe Also spelled Ugarteche. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Uharte Also spelled Ugarte, Huarte. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Unamuno On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Untzaga Also spelled Unzaga. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Urberoaga ur (water) + bero (hot) + aga (place of): place of the hot water.
Urdaneta On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Uriarte On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Uribe On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Uriburu On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Urkiza Also spelled Urquiza. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Uzain On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Yaben On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zabala zabal (wide): wide one. Also spelled Zavala. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zabaleta Also spelled Zavaleta. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zaldibar zaldi (horse) + ibar (valley): valley of horses. Also spelled Saldívar, Zaldívar. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zárate On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zatarain On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zelaia Also spelled Celaya, Zelaya, Celaá. On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zorreguieta On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zubiaga zubi (bridge) + -aga (place of).
Zubiate zubi (bridge) + ate (gorge, ravine).
Zubieta zubi (bridge) + -eta (abundance of): place of bridges. Also spelled Suhubiette, Suhebiette.
Zubillaga On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zubiondo zubi (bridge) + ondo (nearby): near the bridge.
Zubiri zubi (bridge) + hiri (city, village).
Zubiria On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zuloaga On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.
Zulueta zulo (hole) + -eta (abundance of).
Zumarraga zumar (elm) + -aga (place of). Also spelled Zumárraga.
Zuñiga On Wikipedia's list of well-known Basque surnames.

How this list was compiled

Built on 3 October 2026 from public pages read that day. One: English Wiktionary's Basque surname entries and its Spanish and French surnames from Basque (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Category:Basque_surnames, CC BY-SA 4.0). Where an entry's etymology splits the surname into Basque words and glosses at least one of them, the card prints those words with the entry's glosses, and a word the entry leaves bare takes the gloss of its own dictionary entry; a Spanish or French spelling whose entry points to a Basque surname listed here is named on that card as 'Also spelled'. Two: English Wikipedia's article 'Basque surnames' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_surnames, CC BY-SA 4.0): its table of surnames that describe where the family house stands gives the words or the whole meaning of 20 names, and its table of common elements gives the meaning printed here for the endings -aga (place of) and -eta (abundance of). 59 cards carry their Basque words. Three: the same article's list 'Significant Basque surnames', which it describes as Basque surnames well known or famous around the world, with the Spanish form where it differs; 124 names of that list are here and their cards say so, with no meaning unless one of the two sources above gives it. One name is one card: Oiartzabal carries the list's Oiarzabal and Oyarzábal, and Ibarra its Ybarra. Left off the list's names: the one it marks 'possibly', the Gartzia or García line with its rival forms, the Semen or Jiménez line, and Araia and Urrutia, which stand on other lists of this site that have no room; where a line gives a second Basque form in brackets, the first is used. From the dictionary, entries whose etymology is marked unverified, entries for names built on a first name, and one nickname for a bodily trait were left out. 'Perhaps', 'usually' and 'either ... or' on a card are the dictionary's own doubt. Alzaga is the Spanish entry; the Basque entry Altzaga is the village. A meaning is what a dictionary or encyclopedia records for the surname in general, not for any family, and no count of how common a name is stands behind this list. 26 of the 159 names (16.4 in 100) also stand on another list of this site, most of them Spanish-language lists (counted on 3 October 2026; the site's cap is 40). Licence: Drawn from English Wiktionary and English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). The selection, the grouping and the wording of the cards are our own work.