Re: Loya History and Origin
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In reply to:
Re: Loya History and Origin
Alex Loya 1/14/05
Hello- After I read more of your posts on this board, I realized you were saying they were Etruscans that settled in the Basque country. So I felt kind of foolish!
I did not know that the Basque and Etruscan languageswere related. That is pretty interesting. I heard that the Basque word for ceiling literally translates to "top of the cave", and the word knife translates "stone that cuts." So some scholars theorize there may be a link between Basques and neanderthals; or neolithic times. Have you heard the same about the Etruscans? Do you know how many other surnames come from Etruscan words?
Leonor Loya was my (six times) great grandmother. She married Franciso De Hirigoyen about 1707/1708 in Chihuahua. Also, I did not realize that Navarre was once French. My great-great grandmother, Josefa Irigoyen, was suppoesd to have spoke French (as well as Basque). I've heard the Irigoyen surname originated in Navarre. I found that interesting, too, that the family kept speaking French long after they had been in Mexico. I sort of equated that with what you said about the Loyas keeping to themselves, not intermarrying much with the natives, and also speaking French. Again, great work, wonderfully detailed research! Thanks!
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Re: Loya History and Origin
Alex Loya 1/19/05