Taos County, New Mexico
NAME ORIGINS


This page contributed and copyrighted by Karen Mitchell.



MEANING OF SURNAMES:There are three types of
SURNAMES:PERSONAL....Reflecting a Personal Characteristic or Physical Infirmity.
PATRONYMIC..Expressing SON OF with a suffix to any personal surname or given name and
TOPONYMIC....The Exact Same Name Of A Geographical Feature.From the Book "SPANISH SURNAMES In the Southwestern United States:A Dictionary.By:Richard D.Woods and Grace Alvarez-Altman.Published By:G.K.Hall & Co.

Initials in Capital Letters indicate the contributor of the information.
(G.A.)=Alvarez,Grace De Jesus C.
(J.A.)=Atienza,Julio De
(C.M.)=Maduell,Charles L.,Jr.
(T.G.)=Tibon,Gutierre

BARELA..Probably A Variant of Bareta,A Basque Surname from "ARE"--Grazing Land--and the Suffix "ELA"--Wild.

CORDOVA..One who came from the city or province of Cordova in Spain.(E.S.)From the Phoenician "CARTA-TUBA."Later Latinized as "CORDUBA".. "CORDOBA" Is a dialectical Variation of "GORDOA,"A Basque Word that means a pasture of wild oats.(G.A.)

MONDRAGON..The latin "Mons-Dracona" Suggests "Serpant Mountain".A Town in the Basque Province of Northern Spain.It was believed that this name refers to a Dragon that was believed to live in Guiuzcoa in the Basque Provinces.(G.A.)Basque name from Villa of Mondragon,a political subdivision of Vergara (Guipuzcoa).(J.A.) He/She who is like the Mountain/Forest Dragon.Vasco.De La villa de su nombre,partido Judicial de Vergara (Juipuzcoa).ARMAS (Coat of Arms)En Campo de Gules,Un Chevron de Oro,Acompanado De Tres Dragones del mismo metal.Otros Traen:En Campo de Sinople,Tres Castillos bien ordenados,Otros Traen:Escudo Cortado;1 degree,en Campo de Oro,un Castillo de Gules,Y 2 degree,en Campo de Sinople,Un Dragon de Oro,Bordura de Gules..From the Book DICCIONARIO HERALDICO Y NOBILIARIO.By Fernando Gonzalez-Doria.Published By:Editorial Bitacora,S.L.

ROMERO..One who visited a shrine,a pilgram (E.S.) Ancient and Popular SURNAME found principally in Galicia,Aragon,Valencia,Catalonia,Alusia and Castille,Spain...ROMERO is a synonym of Romeo from the Latin Romaeus,Meaning one coming from Rome.This could refer to the Pilgrams who went to Rome.(G.A.).A noble name-Aragonese Name extended throughout the peninsula (J.A.).

One finds Trujillo spelled in various ways,TRUXILLO,TRUGILO,TRUGILLO,TRUGIYO,TRUGUIYO and TRUGILLO.The name means One who came from Trujillo (Citadel of Julian),In Spain.The double Latin "Turro-Julio" Fortress of Julius,Founded by Julius Caesar.Means "Torre de Julio" and finaly "Truxillo" The Tower Of Julius.He/She who lives and/or comes from the area of the tower built by Julis.

The following information is from the book "New Mexico Place names,A geographical Dictionary."Edited by T.M.Pearce.
BLANCO:San Juan County.[means]"White".Settlement 14 mi SE of Aztec.Named for prominent outcropping of rhyolite in adjacent hills.Post Office 1901--.BLANCO San Miguel [County].5 mi E of Rociada at Mora County line.BLANCO CANYON (Curry) [County] 4 mi N of Ranchvale.BLANCO CANYON (San Juan) [County] runs N into Carrizo Creek,8 mi SE of Blanco.BLANCO CREEK (Curry,Quay) [Counties] Rises in Quay and flows E through Curry;named for the canyon through which it flows.


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© Karen Mitchell