Odd Spanish Surnames

ClippedWing · #1 10-02-2004, 05:09 PM

Can you all help me with some unusual Spanish surnames?

I'm writing a story and it's important that I have an unusual spanish last name.

Like I got "Apezteguia" from my Cuban boyfriend that's his last name but I dont' know if I like that one.

Do you all know of any? Also are there any spanish names that are Dominican or locale specific? I'm assuming most Dominican, Cuban, Puertorican, etc.. surnames all originate from Spain but I could be wrong.

Smooches...Clip.

Mirador · #2 10-02-2004, 05:50 PM

Not all are Spanish, and in many cases the spelling has changed, for example, my ancestors, by the surname Beltré, were originally Velter, from the island of Corcega, who arrived in La Hispaniola around the middle of the eighteenth century, and were probably buccaneers from Isle Tortue before settling as small farmers in Azua.

Mirador (Beltré)

juancarlos · #3 10-02-2004, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClippedWing

Can you all help me with some unusual Spanish surnames?

I'm writing a story and it's important that I have an unusual spanish last name.

Like I got "Apezteguia" from my Cuban boyfriend that's his last name but I dont' know if I like that one.

Do you all know of any? Also are there any spanish names that are Dominican or locale specific? I'm assuming most Dominican, Cuban, Puertorican, etc.. surnames all originate from Spain but I could be wrong.

Smooches...Clip.

Your boyfriend certaninly has one, if not the most, unusual surname I have ever seen or heard. I guess only he and his family have that surname among Cubans. It seems it is a Basque family name. Most surnames in Hispanic America originated in Spain. Many are Basque and, of those, many are so familiar now that they sound like other Spanish surnames: Echevarria, Ochoa, Aguirre etc. Still, most Basque names sound strange like your boyfriend's. I have noticed that, in some countries, some surnames are more abundant or common than in other countries, for example, among the most common surnames in Puerto Rico you find Rivera and Colon. Fernandez, Perez, Rodriguez are very common in Cuba, while Cabrera is found a lot in the three Spanish speaking Caribbean countries, as well as in Central America. Among Canary Islanders who emigrated to these countries or regions, this surname was very common.

In addition to this, not all surnames which have become common in Latin America came from the Iberian Peninsula. Many French surnames are found in Cuba and other countries, also many of Arabic origin are found everywhere, including DR. Italian, Slavic and German surnames are very common in South America's southern cone. Now, if your are looking for an uncommon Spanish surname, other than your boyfiiend's which I think tops the list, then there's Pimienta, which sounds kind of funny, but it's not very common. There were some in Cuba who carried it, including my grandmother. It came from Spain, but it was also listed there as a jewish surname. Even today, some Jews from Morocco, and other countries in the area, carry that name, however in Latin America, it is a "Christian" name, for the most part. I am sure there are many family names which are more common in the DR than in other countries, but I am not very familiar with those. I know that Beltre is very common among Dominicans, however, it is a French name which either came with the Haitians or was brought over by some French settlers. I hope to have contributed a little to your search. I am sure there are Dominicans or very observing foreing residents of the DR who have compiled a list of names that seem to be more specific to the DR. If they also happen to be unusual, then it will be closer to what you are looking for.

ClippedWing · #4 10-02-2004, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juancarlos

Your boyfriend certaninly has one, if not the most, unusual surname I have ever seen or heard. I guess only he and his family has that surname among Cubans. It seems it is a Basque family name.

thanks Juancarlos... your information was very informative.. I suddenly feel smarter...

But can you explain more of what a Basque family name is? Does Basque just mean Spanish or from Spain?

And also what exactly is the Iberian Peninsula? Was it others than just Spainards that occupied DR, Cuba, etc...?

Mirador · #5 10-02-2004, 06:53 PM

Quote:

I know that Beltre is very common among Dominicans, however, it is a French name which either came with the Haitians or was brought over by some French settlers.

Juancarlos, sorry to take issue on this, but the surname Beltré originated in Azua around the mid 1700s when 'Velter' was phonetically written down as Beltré. There are no Beltré surnames originating in France or Haití.

Mirador

Hillbilly · #6 10-02-2004, 06:58 PM

Those are the nearly unpronouncable names from the three Basque provinces of northeastern Spain. Incháustegui. Olazábal, Urquizá aand so for. Very regional and very sparatist, generally speaking. Biarritz in France is part of the French Basque country.

"Good" Spanish surnames are like those in the NYC phonebook: Martínezx, Sánchez and Fernández. There are lots more like Herrera, Viñas, Oliva that are related to work, like Black, Smith, and Weaver in English.

YOu shouldn't have much trouble finding a few goodones for your book..

HB

juancarlos · #7 10-02-2004, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClippedWing

thanks Juancarlos... your information was very informative.. I suddenly feel smarter...

But can you explain more of what a Basque family name is? Does Basque just mean Spanish or from Spain?

And also what exactly is the Iberian Peninsula? Was it others than just Spainards that occupied DR, Cuba, etc...?

Hi, Clippedwing

Well the Basque Country is a region in northern Spain which also overlaps southern France, where a people known as Basques live. They have their own language, which is unrelated to any other language spoken in Spain or Europe, it is not a Romance language and nobody knows for sure how the language or the people evolved. This region has been part of Spain for many centuries now. Their surnames, of course, are also very different from other surnames found in Spain. Basques also came to the New World as settlers and their surnames were inherited by many in Hispanic America.

The Iberian Peninsula is where Spain and Portugal are located. When you look at a map of Europe and you see Spain with Portugal next to it, it is the Iberian Peninsula you are looking at. Gibraltar, a British territory, is also located there. The Iberian Peninsula is separated from North Africa by the very narrow Strait of Gibraltar.

juancarlos · #8 10-02-2004, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirador

Juancarlos, sorry to take issue on this, but the surname Beltré originated in Azua around the mid 1700s when 'Velter' was phonetically written down as Beltré. There are no Beltré surnames originating in France or Haití.

Mirador

And you may be right. I have indeed noticed this is a "common" name among Dominicans. By this I mean that the only people I know who carry it are from the DR. It does sound French, which is the reason I asumed that it was. After I had posted, I saw your info in which you stated the name was brought by inmigrants from Corcega. As you know, Corcega is an island that belongs to France, althoug the people are ethnic Italians. Napoleon was born on Corcega (Corsica) and his surname, Bonaparte, is actually Italian. Because of this, Beltre may have been "afrancesado". The original name you gave- Velter- sounds more like a Germanic name.

ClippedWing · #9 10-02-2004, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

Those are the nearly unpronouncable names from the three Basque provinces of northeastern Spain. Incháustegui. Olazábal, Urquizá aand so for. Very regional and very sparatist, generally speaking. Biarritz in France is part of the French Basque country.

"Good" Spanish surnames are like those in the NYC phonebook: Martínezx, Sánchez and Fernández. There are lots more like Herrera, Viñas, Oliva that are related to work, like Black, Smith, and Weaver in English.

YOu shouldn't have much trouble finding a few goodones for your book..

HB

Hi, I'm looking for a good surname but an unusual one. Sanchez, Fernandez, etc... are too common. I don't know enough about Spanish names to recognize a good uncommon one. I looked at some of the baseball players... and most had last names like Rodriquez and Perez.. there were some odd ones like Garciaparra, Amazega, Espada, Liriano... but I don't really know how unusual names like that really are.

principe · #10 10-02-2004, 07:40 PM

Clipped,

Amable Amado Bueno Galan, yes its a real name