"Bizkaia, its capital is Bilbao (Bilbo), is a Basque country between Spain and France. The language is Euskera.  Put aside, and even persecuted, over a long period of time, this language is at present recognized as one of two official languages of the Autonomous Community (Euskadi).  Euskera bears no established relation to any other language, its origin lost in the darkness of time.

"The House Orbeta is located in a village named Gorliz, in the Basque province of Bizkaia (Northeast), very close to the town Plentzia. The House Orbeta of Gorliz is located in the quarter or neighborhood Ibarra. In Plentzia, there were three houses with the name Orbeta but as Plentzia is a town, the name of the houses only indicate the surname of the owners. One was located in Barrenkale Street and two in Artekale Street.
The Orbeta farm house at Orbeta Bidea (Orbeta path) 13, in Gorliz, is now vacated by Its owner, the Arriaga family who had been living there for 70 years.

"The Coat of Arms of the Orbeta Family of Gipuzkoa. - In a golden field, a blackberry tree painted on its natural colour, fruited in gold. I am not sure if I translated the name of the tree correctly, its scientific name is Morus Nigra.

"The meaning of Orbeta is not clear. To some historians, the Basque language adopted it from the Latin word Urba or Orbis. Other historians thought that is Orb which means in Basque, Manor Place. So the translation can be (the house in the) Manor Place. Well, most of the Basque houses were manor houses, because all the Basques were noble by law.

"Orbeta and Orueta are the same word.  In the Census of 1704, there is no Orbeta, the house appears as Orueta, the owner was Pedro Orueta. So I think the surname was Orueta and in the middle of the 17th century, it was changed to Orbeta.

"In the Census of 1745, the house appears as Orbeta, the owner was Maria Ibarra Saratxaga.  In the Census of 1796, the house appears as Orbeta, the owner was Maria Iartua.  In the Census of 1796 of Gorliz, there were some Orbetas - Josefa Orbeta, Francisca Orbeta, Tomasa Orbeta, Juan Antonio Orbeta, and Manuel Orbeta. They were all owners .

"Census of Plencia:
In 1704 there is no Orbeta. In 1745 there is Juan Orbeta and Francisco Orbeta.
In 1796 census of Houses and owner:
Orbeta House (new) in Barrenkalle street, owner - Juan Antonio Orbeta.
Orbeta House (new) in Artekalle street, owner - Miguel Orbeta.
Another Orbeta House (new) in Artekalle street, owner - Miguel Orbeta.

I remember the Orbeta surname because my grandmother's sister was married to a man named Bonifacio Orbeta.. In Bilbao, there is a Orueta street, named after Obispo Orueta. "

E-MailBlas Pedro Uberuaga .