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It actually comes from Spain originally, is Galician in origin. Refers to the area of the namesake. It also translates from old spanish meaning yew tree. There is some thought that those who have this surname may have some Jewish lineage as many of the Jewish people living in Spain and Portugal during the time of the inquisition would have changed their last names to avoid persecution. This particular name has been associated with that period in time, and many of the names chosen by Jewish people upon conversion to Catholocism and in an attempt to avoid persecution were names chosen from things existing in nature.

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15y ago

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