I descend from a prominent Mexican politician who was one of the people who wrote the Mexican Constitution. He now has an airport named after him: Ponciano Arriaga. I live in Britain so my children are Brits of Basque origin!
My ancestor reportedly came from the town of Gastelu (alt Gaztelu) in Larrabezua, Vizcaya. The M allegedly was added to Latinize it. Thank you for your terrific videos.
I'm trying to hunt down an ancestor with the name Gastelum. Middle name (or probably other last name) is Lizarraga, which I found is Basque. He lived in Pitiquito, Sonora, Mexico, but there's not much our family knows about him. But thanks Anne-Marie for this video! 😁👍
@@HellaBasque Do you know why people with basque origen has a febrile instinct to know about their basque origen, by the way my las name is Chavarria. Take care please.
Ooo I’m so happy I found this channel! From my understanding, my family are Basques that came to Chile from the Basque Country, and the proportion of people of Basque descent in Chile is ridiculously high, if not the highest in terms of percentage divided by overall population. The street names there and almost all the famous people and super wealthy families that have wine vineyards, and politicians in Chile all have Basque names and last names. Also something really interesting I read is that due the insanely high population of Basques in Chile, Basque people are super hard working and great entrepreneurs which is why Chile has the highest HDI score in Latin America. So I searched Wikipedia (I know not always the most reliable source) but I discovered a bunch of things that were interesting, in fact Vergara comes from a place called “Bergara” and then I was able to find records from my family when I asked them about it and it turns out we really are from there which is really cool. I’m very fascinated by my ancestry and what draws me the most is the enigma that seems exist. And there are so many interesting connections I’ve been digging into and love that you are promoting this, because if I had never confronted my family after researching from curiosity I had, I might have never known I am Basque. But it has been very hard to connect and learn since it seems like there is a lot of mystery still.
Hey Maria, thanks for your comment! You have a super interesting family history, and what a journey you've been on to uncover it! Your family is lucky to have you for being so interested in this topic. Thank you for your kind words about the channel. I hope it helps you learn more about the Basques
mariaaaa im a chilean boy living in a southern city 400km away from santiago and heard some of this basque stuff. IM SO FREAKIN PROUD of entering in a comments section of a random youtube channel finding a comment so similar to my thoughts! OMG this is awesome 🙈👏🏻
I do believe it. Lived in England for 4 years but never met any Basque Brits. Did go to a London Basque Society event one time though. Pretty interesting stuff!
Kaixo! Famous Mexican women of basque heritage: Maria Asunción Aramburuzavala, Tatiana Bilbao, Andrea Legarreta, Susana Zabaleta. Also, I am surprised you did not mention Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu! :) cool video!
Thank you for the list! Will look into these names. And yes, Iñárritu is a favorite of many -- we love it when people in the Basque diaspora get famous and win awards haha
Hella Basque for architecture, also look at the works of Ricardo Legorreta. In music, I recommend León Larregui & the band he leads, Zoé. Thanks for your reply! I appreciate your love of the basque culture! Agur!
The region of México I have my roots in (Chihuahua) during colonial times used to be called Nueva Vizcaya. A lot of the conquistadors/settlers were of Basque heritage. Spain expelled a lot of Jewish people and good majority of them ended up in northern Mexico area. Most of them were crypto Jews/conversos. The inquisition followed them to Mexico where even some conquistadors met there fate for apparently practicing Judaism. You’re channel is super interesting. I didn’t know about my basque heritage until I saw all the last names that were of non Castilian origin in my family tree. Given some were imposed on my ancestors as well as I also have Native American heritage. But nonetheless Euskara culture is super interesting! The influence it has had on the Spanish language is crazy now that I have taken a deeper look at it. Glad to know I got indigenous roots on both continents.
Really, I’m intrigued. My father is also from Chihuahua, near Valle de Zaragoza. Our surname is definitely Basque. I had an ancestryDNA kit done for my dad, brother, and I. I noticed my dad had some jewish DNA and now it makes complete sense.
Maxima Zorreguieta, daughter of Jorge Zorreguieta and Maria Cerruti from Argentina, born in Buenos Aires May 17, 1971 is clearly of Basque descent and married Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. Now she is Queen Maxima still married to now King Willem-Alexander
I think the first record of a Basque family bearing my last name coming to the Americas was in 1585. Also, I was born in Miami, FL. There is a city in Miami called Viscaya. And also in South Florida the Basque sport Jai-alai is very popular. There are a few arenas in different counties in the state. So there’s a lot of basque cultural influence here in America thanks to the Basque migration, and proud of that too.
The name Zelaya is in my Basque family tree…Primo or cousin but I think to my Grandparents that came to America in 1906 1908. They came to Idaho but had a falling out with relatives there and eventually settled in Colorado. My family came from the Viscaya region. Grandfather from Markina ….when we traveled there the family is Markina took us to the house of the Zelaya family. We did not go in to meet the people.
im euskal mexikar my dad's family came from Araba to Mexico.in 1912 fled to California to escape pancho villa. and now I'm trying to reconnect by learning euskara. and teaching my daughter Aloña.oh I believe Maria Felix is of Basque descent. she was an actress in Mexico back in the day.
I was born in Victoria de Durango, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva España (México) A region named by conquistador Francisco de Ibarra after his hometown in the Basque Country
My grandfather was basque-mexican (born in Mexico), but I never really was around him much or knew much about the family history until more recently. He was born in1940. His father and mother were Basques from the Basque country, and as a kid I'd always wonder every now and then how they ended up in Mexico. After googling, I found out more about the massive Basque to Mexico immigration due to the Spanish civil war. Wild!!! I'm American as a lot of the family immigrated to the US in the 1980s, but will be visiting BIlbo in Spain in a few weeks. It'll be interesting to see my grandparent's home country.
Thank you for bringing our culture up ! My father was born in San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa - and my grandparents were part of the “Diaspora” who settled in Uruguay. We are many, now in TX
Agustin De Iturbide, a Mexican Army general, Consummator of Mexican Independence, and Emperor of the First Mexican Empire (1822-1823); Basque descendant as well.
My last name is Guevara from Puerto Rico. My brother went to a town in basque named Gebara. in my research I found in 1482 an ancestor born in Vizcaya thru the maternal of my great great grandmother. On the paternal side of my great great grandfather couldn’t go any further than 1780 Juan ladron de Guevara. He son Agustin was born in Puerto Rico in 1810.
Hello my distant Cousin, I'm from Australia and my maiden name is Deguara. I'm from the Deguara in Malta. Who decend from Bartomelo Di Guevera . And was able to trace back to the de Guevara from Guevara in Basque. I'm so proud of all my ancestors in different parts of the world in different parts of time. We are very very important and trusted and influential
This is a very illuminating discourse and there are many threads we can weave with it. I'd like to spin at least one thread, regarding your discussion at about: 2:15 in the clip, and the numbers of Basques in Latin America. We can see clues of this state of affairs in James Michener's Texas. Analogous to the Basques, elsewhere the Spanish indeed had a preference for "pure-blood" Iberians to run the new lands, as administrators and other legal office holders. And Michener's fictionalized account gives voice to the reasoning - many of these families were of common lineage in their own countries, but by settling in these new lands, they could earn nobility and property. Michener's narrative of the Canarios is confirmed by several Texas historical records, including The Canary Islanders - Journal of San Antonio, "any persons ... who may undertake to found settlement ...we hereby make them land-holding nobles, hijos dalgo [with] all the honors and prerogatives ...according to the laws and privileges of Spain." It would be reasonable to expect that the same arrangements and offers would be made to the Basques, who during the age of exploration, were probably on the same social level as the Canary Islanders, as described in the Texas accounts - not of the highest caliber of Spanish nobility, but an acceptable substitute to the monarchy. To your observation that the Spanish "didn't want a bunch of former Jews and Muslims colonizing the Americas", I would add that while it's probably true that the Crown would not have wanted Jews or Moors to be the face of a Spanish governmental entity, it probably accepted that many of these were useful as merchants and tradesmen. Texas, Arizona and New Mexico archives have more recent proof of Iberians of Jewish and Moorish backgrounds having joined these voyages of exploration and settlement, and keeping their religious pasts covert. Even today, in countries in the Middle East, non-Arabs and non-muslim workers are accepted as a necessity to man governmental projects and even run businesses, provided they have a local "sponsor" who signs a contract, but who ultimately is the owner of the business. That's probably why the Basques have been the face and name of many of the settlement projects, but who ultimately remained as a privileged minority.
Also, just in my state there are many towns with basque names: Iturbide, Aramberri, Zuazua, Abasolo, Apodaca, Mier y Noriega, Mina, etc. I hope to visit one day the basque community in Boise !!
Amazing! Next year in July Boise's Basque community is hosting the largest Basque festival in the United States, Jaialdi. Would recommend you come visit for it, as they only have it every 5 years!
I can't believe there's even a whole classification of Basque-Colombians. How did I not know about thisssssssssss. DNA results are mind blowing, man. This was a surprise
Hey!! Just stumbled across your channel as we get ready to visit the mother land, Euskadi. It's great to see your enthusiasm and research efforts educate us all about the Basque culture. We're not a mega famous band, with top 40 hits under our belt, although we have other accomplishments :) But both myself (Aixa-drummer) and my sister (Nicolette-singer) are women of Basque descent via Argentina where our first Basque ancestors arrived 100 years ago. We now live in the States. We can trace our family back to the 15th century from the small village Saint-Jean Pied-de-Port. Keep up the good work!
Hey, thanks for your comment! Nice to e-meet you :) I checked out your channel, your music is really good! I'm fascinated by the Basque diaspora in Argentina--there are so many of you!! Did you guys grow up involved in an euskal etxea? When and for how long are you going to the Basque Country? Hope you have a great trip!
Hella Basque Nice to e-meet you as well! Thanks for checking out our music. True, there are many more Basques in Argentina compared to the States. We didn't grow up euskal etxea, but my mom told me she learned Basque words from her grandmother who spoke Basque as her first language. And my dad remembers his grandparents speaking French. I became more intrigued about learning about my Basque heritage after becoming a big fan of the PBS show "Finding My Roots" several years ago. It got me curious about learning about my ancestors journey to America. The best part is that I have learned a lot and discovered more than I ever imagined while researching them. I discovered a couple websites that trace several of my Basque families hundreds of years back. We're super excited to visit Euskadi for the first time next week! We'll be staying 3 days and meeting family who will be showing us around. We'll let you know how it goes!
Really cool to hear more about your family. I haven't seen "Finding my Roots" yet but I know it's super popular. I've just become more interested in learning my family history when I hear about people like you who know their family tree. That's really great. And that's so special you'll be able to meet family when you go to the Basque Country! Hope it's a great experience for you guys.
Thank you for this!! I have been combing the internet (spiratically lol) for years, looking for any updated Basque information that may pop up! My paternal grandparents were Basque (my Dad's last name is Arvizu, originally Arbizu) and migrated north to the United States from Mexico. Since they both passed away years ago, I don't have much knowledge of the Basque people. My Dad lives near Boise, Idaho which, apparently, has a comparatively large Basque population. Again, THANK YOU for these videos and for the community posts!! 🙏🏼
Anne Marie, my ancestors from Pasaia Donibane were employed by an import/export business with an interest in Caracas, Venezuela, until about 1820 when they left Caracas for San Sebastian, Puerto Rico where a large Basque population settled in PR., and also in Lares a more mountainous area known for coffee production.
Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay, Paraguay and finally Brazil. They went there from 16th Century to the present day. Los Vascos went there and developed shipping, fisheries, mining and agriculture. As for the Civil War migrants, a large number were Middle and Upper Middle Class Basques from Bilbao. As for women, Evita Peron Ibarguren and plenty more.
Le nom du pere de Eva Peron, est Duarte. Pour tant le nom de naisance de Eva est Duarte/Aranguren. Mais Duarte avez une famille deja oficiel; et une autre famille avec Mme Aranguren.
Kaixo! Zer Moduz! Anne Marie, I absolutely love your channel. This particular video touches on all of the history of my ancestor's migration to Mexico from Spain and orginally from Iparralde. I have been told the first ancestor(s) were minors who came with Hernan Cortez. I have found a very old document of a Nungaray descendant as far back as 1600 but have not been able to trace it to the exact ancestor that came from Europe (his father or grandfather). I still have Basque DNA (ethnicity) and even before I knew that was always been fascinated by all things Basque. You even mentioned Columbus who is my 14th great grandfather on my mother's side. Ene Jainkoa, so much good stuff in one video! You are a God-send. You have inspired me to learn Euskara and if CoVid takes a break, will be attending my first Basque festival in Idaho summer 2021. Eskerrik Asko. Please keep the videos coming.
Woww i came because i got my Ancestry DNA results and showed i was 17% Basque. I was born In Mexico City. My Father was born in GuanaJuato Mexico and Mother right in the Heart of Mexico city and all my familys comes from there. We were the only that chose to migrate to North Carolina USA. Your video was super enlightening thank you! It was like ROOTS! 😁
My last name.. Necoechea.. is a town in Argentina and I've found many Necoechea's in Mexico City on Facebook. Thank you for your research and Basque forum. 😍
My grand father told is about the Basque origins of our family. Ancesters settled in the warmth zone a village named Villa de la Palma in San Luis Potosí, México. They were several families who worked the land and had cattle. So our last name is ARICEAGA, and in recent years some members of different families organices annual meetings in different cities of México. That has helped to find out about the origins of our ancestors. Ariceaga was a common name in the Basque country, also there are some varieties of the name, and there is more women than men in our families, so the name get's lost because of That reason. The family tree is realy huge and keeps growing. Glad to hear from you, greetings from México
4th 5th generation here in 🇺🇸 Last name is of basque origin I’m told my great grandparents came to Mexico - Durango/chihuahua and southwest California- New Mexico-Texas
I love the basque sense of identity and cultural preservation. I am not of basque descent but of Asturian but would like to visit the Basque Country one day
You asked for comments. From what I have read the Basque were allied with the Spanish (of Castile and Aragon) in the Reconquista. As a result they had, as a people, certain rights to the ownership of property that many non-aristocratic Spanish did not have. These rights (something equivalent to nobility at birth) were granted under the famous oak tree in Guernica. This, in turn, gave them a stronger social position in the New World and led to the growth of a population of Basque criollos in many Latin American Spanish colonies. Basques also had extensive native experience in the maritime industries (whaling and the cod fisheries) and mining that led to a leading role in Zacatecas and Potosi.(silver mines) and global exploration (Elkano, Uribe, etc.).
You sir, got your history correct. I myself am mostly descended from Spanish/ (Nuevo Leon area) and Indigenous Americans(from Zacatecas) with both my maternal and patrilineal lineages giving me 6% Basque and Ashkenazi Jew. I'm all the races I guess. Its all so very fascinating.
Nice video! Yes - “pureblood” was a thing. A creepy thing...but one that allowed certain benefits if you can prove “limpieza de sangre”. I can count at least 4 ancestors (direct or indirect) of mine that may have gone through the process. There was something that allowed all Basques to be considered nobles - universal nobility - albeit the lowest form of nobility. But it needed to be proven, which cost money to send investigators to interview witnesses who could attest to the lineage. My ancestors went on to become “escribanos” (legal scribes/notaries) or political office holders in Vizcaya...we’re talking 17th thru 19th centuries here. One ancestor joined the military (the youngest son) and the nobility allowed him to attain higher ranks. He actually arrived in California in the early 1800’s and then was sent to Baja and became an acting governor there for a short time. I would have found all my ancestors rather presumptuous. 😂
Amazing that you know your family history so far back! And yes this concept of universal nobility is really interesting. Need to look into it more. That didn’t exist in Iparralde and I’m only beginning to learn more about the history of Hegoalde. Thank you for helping to explain!
And you consider that creepy because...?? What's wrong with racial purity? Look at the knowledge of self and of family that it gives you, look how distinguished it makes you! Basques being pure is more than a virtue, it's the greatest reason behind their continued existence. If you mix and debase your identity, your nation will fade away! Just own it!
Anne Marie, I'm speaking for the Basque & Jewish descendants from the area of modern day Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado. The town's of: Santa Fe, Taos and upward to Durango, Trinidad, Del Norte to Cortez was a geographical area for Spanish and French settlers during the late 1600 to the 1800's. Santa Fe was original known as New Spain / Nueva Espana. As you can probably recognize Durango is a town in Navarra. The geographical area was settled by Basque's therefor the pattern of towns are placed in or close to the same placement as in Navarra. The unknown element is that Ashkenazi Jews cast from Spain for refusing to accept and convert to Catholicism were allowed to go to the New World. Many settled in the very areas in New Mexico and Colorado mixing with the settlers from Europe. My ancestor Jean L'Archeveque was Iparralde from Baiona. I have many other pure Basque names in my ancestry and I am also 13% Jewish. I have been a member of the Basque Club of Utah for most of my adult life. My children were raised in the Basque community in Utah. We have visited Euskadi multiple times. We are so very thankful that the Basque community welcomed us into their fold. As a result I have served as President of the club, Vice President and Delegate. When I was in my 20's I was a part of the Triskalariak dancers. My children were Triskalariak their entire childhood. I speak Batua thanks to the Basque government and NABO promoting our culture. I wish our Basque Americans to know that there are many of us Basque descendants from this area that are finding our roots and celebrating our culture and history. Thank you for all you are doing, agur.
Hi Filbert, thanks for sharing the Basque & Jewish history of this part of the U.S. Really interesting to hear how it's connected to your own family history. Glad to hear you're so involved in the promotion of Basque culture here in the U.S. I think I know your son (or nephew?)... I met a Phil Archibeque from the Utah'ko Triskalariak dancers many years ago-- I think at the Euzko Etxea of New York's centennial celebration.
@@HellaBasque thank you for the reply. Yes you likely know my son Sean from music camp (the original name). I am connected to your hella Basque profile on FB. Can we continue this discussion there? or do you prefer this venue?
From what I have gathered as far as movement into the Southwest of these families of Basque decent, they migrated from Durango through Santa Barbara, Chihuahua into New Mexico and then further north.
Argentine Basque (with both Spanish Basque and French Basque blood). We've had a ..... well, quite a few people. I had to check it out on Wikipedia (there are 2 pages of just lists of Argentine people of Basque Descent.) Most popular names or ones I instantly knew (either from history, street names and family friends) Echeverria, Uriburu, Burruchaga, Goycochea, Elizalde, Alsogaray etc
Oh yes mexico and argentina are the two countries in latinoamerica which has more basque immigrants. In peru it used to be an euskaletxea also bur I don’t if it’s still there…
Hola, como van?, Los mejores y más cordiales Saludos desde puente piedra, lima, Perú, ojalá que puedan venir en algún momento a mi país y que disfruten de la solidaridad, amabilidad, y fraternidad para con la gente que no gusta de la guerra y sus consecuencias, aqui podrán difrutar mucho de todo por aquí, con la familia y los amigos, felicidades por sus vídeos y que ustedes y los suyos esten bien, sean bienvenidos siempre...
I’m from a state in Colombia named Antioquia, this is where Juanes the singer is from, there is more than 60 percent of Basque ancestry is this region, we have a center of Basque studies in the city of Medellin, you should check it out, there a huge number of Basque last names
I from Chile i have many basque ancestors, and i have literally basque blood, i am RH-. Gabriela Mistral, first nobel price from Chile was partial basque, mixed with natives.
Thank you for sharing. My father's last name was Vergara, and he told me that his mother's family left the Basque region and went all over Europe. I was born in Colombia, South America, and when I did my DNA testing, I was surprise that I have 60.5 percent from that region of the world, it is a very small world :).
In Latin American Basque separates themselves from the Spanish. Spanish Usually live cities and the coast and basque Usually live in mountain area like. Sierra.
Basque strong cultural ties reached one of the Royal houses of Europe. Amadeo Zorreguieta-Hernández was Maxima Zorreguieta’s great-grandfather and was president of the Juan de Garay association, a well known Basque cultural institution. Maxima Zorreguieta is now Queen Maxima of the Netherlands.
my basque family arrived in South America via the Marianas and Philippines, a big detour you might think, but they served in the Spanish Royal Navy (like Elcano, Legazpi, Urdaneta, Loaysa, Unamuno, Otxoa, Iturbe, etc)... specially in the 16th/17th ctry the greatest immigrant group to the Americas came from Andalusia, Extremadura and Castilla, (that is why we speak the way we do, like in Al Andalus & the Canary Islands), but there was also a very substantial quantity of basques, in some regions (Chile, Colombia, the River Plate) more than in others
..................... I'd be visitting several cities if I put my clearest family history together in America, in addition to some of Barcelona's. European coming to America, my family's quite a mixture Basque, German, Scandinavian, Mexican, a few Celts, plus Navajos.
Hi Anne, I understand through the study of human migration, through DNA that the early Basque migrated to southern part of what we now call Ireland starting with the ression of the ice age.
As a mixed woman of color who has Latin American ancestry and known and DNA that shows my father's side European Spanish heritage, I was surprised to see that I also have some Basque roots in my DNA. Interesting. There is a Basque Community by the way in Boise Idaho's history.
I have seen LOTS of people saying their DNA test said they're 10% basque and they never even heard of the basque before. Almost all were from Mexico or further south.
The basque phonetics and alphabet was used to write how the Nahuatl words sounded. MEXICO....should be pronounced, MeSHico. Spaniards changed the X to a J because they didn't understand what the X really stood for phonetically..and thus in Spanish it sounds like MeHico as J and X were often interchangeable....like for Xavier...Javier. sadly...in english we say MeCKSico. Go Basques!!
Cuban Basque here (Arcacha). Family had been in Cuba since it’s founding. Most of the initial Spanish colonies in the Carribean were Basque or from Canary Islands. Family now living in Panama after the Communists took over. Supposedly most of the Brigada 2506…. The counter-revolutionary military forces of Cuba who fought the Communists at the Bay of Pigs… were of Cuban Basque decent.
I noticed what you thought was creepy there was given no reference to. Who wrote the article that you are mentioning here? And if it's so creepy why would you even bring it up without any reference?
National Geographic DNA found 9 % Basque DNA from by mother's side. This likely came through Acadia (Nova Scotia) where Spanish Basque whalers traded and mixed with the Metis villagers since the 1500's. National Geographic also said I did not have Portuguese DNA which I doubted as some companies found Japanese, Chinese, and South-East Asia DNA that would rely on Portuguese spice traders and pirates to reach here. Then another company revealed that my native American DNA best matches that from Colombia and Peru. My mitochondrial DNA is most common in Basques and Berbers. Okay, so a Basque trader settles in South America, has a son by a native woman who follows in his father's footsteps taking passage to Nova Scotia aboard a Basque whaler. And that's the simplest explanation. Lol.
Hi. Please let me if you tell me what De Anda means. All I ever find is that it has something to do with a hill. I appreciate anything you can tell me. Thank you very much.
