The Basque diaspora is the name given to describe people of Basque origin living outside their traditional homeland on the borders between Spain and France. Many Basques have left the Basque Country for other parts of the globe for economic and political reasons.

Notable Basque emigrants

• José de Anchieta, Jesuit missionary to Brazil.
• Domingo Martínez de Irala, Spanish conquistador and Governor of Rio de la Plata and of Paraguay.
• St. Francis Xavier, Roman Catholic missionary and co-founder of the Society of Jesus.

Surnames

During the medieval period Basque names were written broadly following the spelling conventions of the official languages of the day, usually Spanish and French.

• Agirre, a topographic name from Basque agirre ("pasture").
  • Spanish: Aguirre
• Antxieta, a topographic name from Basque aintzi ("marsh") + Basque suffix -eta ("place").
  • Spanish: Anchieta
• Belaustegi, a topographic name from Basque belaustegi ("field of grass; abundance of grass").
  • Spanish: Beláustegui
• Bolibar, a habitational name from Basque bolibar ("valley of a mill"), from Basque bolu ("mill") + Basque ibar ("valley").
  • Spanish: Bolívar
• Egiluz, topographic name from Basque egiluz ("long slope"), from Basque (h)egi ("slope") + Basque luze ("long").
  • Spanish: Eguiluz, Aguiluz
• Elkano, topographic name from Basque elge ("cultivated land") + Basque diminutive suffix -no.
  • Spanish: Elcano
• Eleizalde, Elizalde, Elizondo, habitational name for someone from the town of Elizondo, Spain, from Basque eleizalde ("place beside a church"), from Basque eleiza ("church") + Basque suffix -alde ("by").
  • Spanish: Elizalde
  • French: Elissalde, Delissalde
• Espartza, habitational name for someone from the town of Espartza, Spain, from Basque espartza ("esparto grass").
  • Spanish: Esparza
• Etxeberria, Etxeberri, topographic name Basque etxeberria ("the new house"), from Basque etxe ("house") + Basque berri ("new") + Basque definite article -a.
  • Spanish: Echeverría
  • French: Etcheverry, Detcheverry
• Etxepare, topographic name Basque etxepare ("noble house", "castle"), from Basque etxe ("house") + Basque pare ("noble").
  • Spanish: Esquibel, Echepare
  • French: Etchepare, Detchepare
• Ezkibel, topographic name from Basque (h)aizkibel ("behind the cliffs"), from Basque (h)aiz ("hehind") + Basque kibel ("cliffs").
  • Spanish: Esquivel
  • French: Esquibel
• Gebara. Spanish: Guevara
• Ibarra, topographic name from Basque ibarra ("the valley"), from Basque ibar ("valley") + Basque definite article -a.
• Intxausti, topographic name from Basque intxausti ("walnut grove"), from Basque intxaur ("walnut").
  • Spanish: Inchausti
  • French: Ynchausty
• Iraola, Irala, topographic name from Basque iraola ("fern field"), from Basque ira ("fern") + Basque -ola ("place of").
• Irizarri, topographic name from Basque iri ("village") + Basque zar ("old").
  • Spanish: Irizarry
• Iriarte, topographic name for someone who lived between two or more settlements, from Basque iri ("village") + Basque arte ("between").
• Mendoza, topographic name from Basque mendi ("mountain") + Basque otz ("cold") + Basque definite article -a.
• Tellaetxe, topographic name from Basque tella + Basque etxe ("house").
  • Spanish: Tellaeche
• Undurraga, topographic name from Basque ondarr ("cliff; bottom; sandy") + Basque suffix -aga ("abundance of; place of").
• Xarabeitia, topographic name from Basque xara + Basque beheiti ("down").
  • Spanish: Jarabeitia
• Zabala, nickname from Basque zabal ("wide", "broad") + Basque definite article -a.
• Zubiri, topographic name for someone who lived in a village by a bridge, from Basque zubi ("bridge") + Basque iri ("village").
  • Spanish: Zubiri
  • French: Çubiry

Also see

• Notable peoples of diasporic Basque descent

External links

• Wikipedia - Basque diaspora
• http://www.cowboyshowcase.com/basque.htm
• http://www.euskaltzaindia.net/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=4...
• Basque-Inglish Dictionary