Zavaleta or Zabaleta is a surname of Basque origin. The Basques are a people indigenous to areas of northern Spain and southern France, an historical region known as the

Basque Country Basque Country may refer to: * Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map) * French Basque Country o ...

Origin and meaning

Zavaleta (Zabaleta) includes a lexeme ("zabal", 'small square / courtyard' as a noun, according to linguist specialist Koldo Mitxelena) and a suffix ("eta", suffix expressing 'abundance').

Zavaleta vs. Zabaleta

The surname Zabaleta is created in the Basque language by combining the root, Zabal, with the suffix, eta, hence Zabal-eta. The surname Zabaleta was changed in the

Spanish Empire The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...

in the Americas to the Spanish or

Castellano Castellano may refer to: * Castilian (disambiguation) (Spanish: ''castellano'') ** Castile (historical region) * Spanish language, or Castilian (Spanish: ''castellano'') **Castilian Spanish * Castellano (surname), including a list of people with ...

variant, where the "b" is changed to a "v", hence Zavaleta. The two spellings are interchangeable and represent one single family worldwide. Today, Zavaleta families have usually lived in the Americas for generations, while Zabaletas are in Spain (or more recent arrivals in the Americas).

Notable people

* Brian Zabaleta, Argentine footballer *

Cara Zavaleta Cara Zavaleta (born June 15, 1980, in Bowling Green, Ohio) is an American model, actress, and television personality, known for her appearances on the MTV reality series '' Road Rules: South Pacific'', and as the November 2004 Playboy Playmate. ...

, Model and Reality Star * Erika Zavaleta, American ecologist and evolutionary biologist *

Eriq Zavaleta Eriq Anthony Zavaleta (born August 2, 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a center-back for Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy. Born in the United States, he represents the El Salvador national team. Youth and college Zavaleta p ...

, American footballer *

Jorge Zabaleta Jorge Antonio Zabaleta Briceño (born April 18, 1970 in Santiago) is a Chilean actor. He is the son of the musician Antonio Zabaleta and the nephew of Miguel Zabaleta, both members of the duo Red Juniors. Jorge worked in Canal 13 until 20 ...

, Chilean actor * La Zavaleta, Mexican drag queen * Mariano Zabaleta, Argentine tennis player *

Marta Zabaleta Marta Raquel Zabaleta (26 June 1937 – 3 June 2023) was an Argentinian-British economist, social scientist, writer, poet, essayist, academic and cultural promoter. She was an exile from Chile and Argentina and lived in Epping in the UK since 19 ...

, Argentine-British author *

Miguel Zavaleta Miguel Zavaleta (Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 16, 1955) is a musician, singer and composer Argentinian rock. He led the group of new wave and rock, Suéter, call between 1981 and 2007. He is the author of most of the successes of Suéte ...

, Argentinian rock musician *

Nicanor Zabaleta Nicanor Zabaleta (January 7, 1907 – April 1, 1993) was a Spanish harpist. Zabaleta was born in San Sebastián, Spain, on January 7, 1907. In 1914 his father, an amateur musician, bought him a harp in an antique shop. He soon began taking ...

, Spanish harpist * Pablo Zabaleta, Argentine footballer * Ramón Zavaleta, Peruvian cyclist * René Zavaleta Mercado, Bolivian politician, sociologist and philosopher * Susana Zabaleta, Mexican singer and actress * Ruth Zavaleta, Mexican politician

References

{{surname Basque-language surnames