Connie Ellefson - A Genealogists Guide to Ethnic Names: A Reference for First Names from Around the World

A Genealogists Guide to Ethnic Given NamesA REFERENCE FOR FIRST NAMES FROM AROUND THE WORLDby Connie Ellefson

Cincinnati, Ohio shopfamilytree.com According to an old French saying about the Basque people of the Pyrenees (northern Spain and southern France), One who speaks Basque speaks Catholic. Indeed so strong is the Catholic influence that Jeanne dAlbert, a Protestant missionary working in the Middle Ages, was said to have converted only eleven people in the Basque region, although he was much more successful in neighboring areas. Today some eighty thousand students are learning Basque. It is typical of the independent nature of the Basques that forty years of repression were quite unable to stamp out their culture in any significant way. A look at the emigration pattern from Spain shows a fascinating fact. from Spain is from the Basque provinces and Catalonia, another Spanish province. from Spain is from the Basque provinces and Catalonia, another Spanish province.

Basque immigrants have been in the New World for hundreds of years. At least four sailors and perhaps a captain in Columbuss entourage were Basque. Basque mercenaries fought with Corts in his conquest of Mexico, then later moved north into what is now New Mexico. They started the first European colony in the Southwest in 1598. When the California Gold Rush occurred in 1849, Basques were there and soon began raising sheep and cattle to feed miners when the supply of gold proved to be less than expected. From California, Basque shepherds gradually spread from the coast to settle eventually in twelve western states.

They became the backbone of the long-flourishing sheep-raising industry. Large numbers of Basques also immigrated during the 1900-1920 period, settling primarily in the Rocky Mountains. So renowned were the Basque shepherds that in the 1950s, special laws were passed to let Basques enter the U.S., despite immigration quotas, when there was a shortage of shepherds. A little over five thousand herders immigrated under this law between 1957 and 1970. However, rising wages in the Basque homeland as well as increased work opportunities in Peru, Mexico and southern Spain appear to have brought the Basque immigration to an end.

Recent travelers to the Basque region say the Catholic influence is still strong.

A girl might be named Mate Jose (Mary Joseph), and a boy might be named Jose Mate (Joseph Mary). A glance at the Basque name list shows numerous references to the Virgin Mary. Each of these are the local versions of Our Lady of __________from the different towns and regions of the Basque area. However, there is definitely a trend there today to give older, purely Basque names to babies. This trend is part of the growing movement toward Basque separatism, which has gained momentum since 1978 when a forty-year-old prohibition against teaching the Basque language and culture was lifted. It had been dictated by President Franco as punishment to the Basque people for siding against him in the Spanish Civil War.

The nature of the Basque language itself is also a tribute to the enduring nature of the culture. Scholars are unable to determine any relation between the Basque language and any other language in the world, concluding it is a very primitive language that has survived thousands of years without being supplanted. Even the Romans were unable to stamp it out and even appear to have given up on invading the region altogether. Basque pronunciation is similar to Spanish, except that each syllable is supposed to be pronounced with the same emphasis, and there are some letter combinations with unexpected pronunciations.

a = ah as in ball e = eh as in late i = ee as in keep o = oh as in hope u = oo as in oops x = sh as in share j = h as in hope or y as in you tx = ch as in church tz = ts as in rats ts = tch as in itch Abarrane (H) feminine for Abraham; father of a multitude; Abarne Agate (Gr) good or kind Agurtzane (Ah-goorts-ah-neh) reference to the Virgin Mary Ainhoa (ah-een-o-ah) reference to the Virgin Mary Aintzane (ah-een-tsah-neh) glorious Aitana (Port.) glory Aitziber (ah-ee-tsee-behr) reference to the Virgin Mary Alazne (ah-las-neh) miracle Alesandese (Gr) feminine for Alexander; defender of mankind Aloa (ah-lo-nyah) reference to the Virgin Mary Amaia end Amalur motherland Amarande (Gr) immortal, flower name Anamari (H) grace; Ana Maria Andere feminine for Andrew Andonie (ahn-do-nee-nyeh) (L) beyond praise; Andone Ane (H) grace Apirka (Gael) pleasant Arama reference to the Virgin Mary Arene (Gr) very holy one Argi light Arrate (ahr-rah-teh) reference to the Virgin Mary Arrosa (L) rose Aurelne (L) gold Aurkene (ah-oor-keh-neh) feast of the Presentation Bakarne solitude Balere (bah-leh-reh) (L) strong Begoa (beh-go-nyah) reference to the Virgin Mary Bibie (bee-bee-nyeh) (L) lively Birkita (Celt) strength Bittore (L) victorious Bixenta (bih-shen-tah) victorious Catalin (Gr) pure Danele (H) God is my judge Deiene (Span) feast of the Annunciation;Deikun, Deina Delbin (Gr) flower name, dolphin Dominica (L) of the Lord Donata (L) gift Dorbeta (dor-beh-tah) reference to the Virgin Mary Dorote (do-ro-teh) (L) gift of God Edurne (eh-door-neh) snow Eguskie (eh-goo-skee-nyeh) sunny Ehunate (eh-oo-nah-teh) reference to the Virgin Mary Elisa (H) consecrated to God Elizabete (H) consecrated to God; Elisa Erdotza (ehr-do-tsah) reference to the Virgin Mary Errita (Gr) from Margarita; Irta Errukine (eh-roo-kee-neh) merciful Eskarne (ehs-kar-neh) (Span) merciful Espe (ehs-peh) (L) hope Estibalitz (ehs-tee-bah-leets) reference to the Virgin Mary Floria (L) flower; Florella, Floris, Florica, Flori, Lore Garabi (L) clear; Garbi, Kalare Garaitz (gar-ah-eets) victorious Garbie (gar-bee-nyeh) (Span) purification Gardotza reference to the Virgin Mary Gechina grace Gildas (Celt) servant of God; Kermeilde Gizane (gee-sah-nee) Incarnation of Christ Godalupe (Span) reference to the Virgin Mary,valley of the wolf Gorane (go-rah-neh) (Span) Holy Cross Gotzone (go-tso-neh) angel, messenger Graciana (L) graceful Idoia (ee-doy-ah) reference to the Virgin Mary Idurre (ee-doo-reh) reference to the Virgin Mary Igone (ee-go-neh) ascension Ikerne (ee-kehr-neh) visitation Irati fern field Iratze (ee-rah-tseh) reference to the Virgin MaryNext page