Berriz

Berriz (in Basque and officially, in Spanish: Bérriz) is an elizate, town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country, northern Spain. Berriz is part of the comarca of Durangaldea and has a population of 4.623 inhabitants as of 2019 and according to the Spanish National Statistics Institute.

Berriz
Municipality
Flag
Coat of arms
Berriz
Location of Berriz within the Basque Country
Coordinates: 43°10′33″N 2°34′32″W
CountrySpain
Autonomous communityBasque Country
ProvinceBiscay
ComarcaDurangaldea
Government
 • MayorJose Jabier Azpitarte Ariño
Area
 • Total30.07 km2 (11.61 sq mi)
Elevation
192 m (630 ft)
Population
 (2018)[1]
 • Total4,678
 • Density160/km2 (400/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Berritzarra
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
48240
WebsiteOfficial website

Toponymy

Berriz belongs to a series of Basque toponyms with an -iz ending. Julio Caro Baroja defended that most of these toponyms came from an original Basque toponym plus the Latin suffix -icus. Caro Baroja considered that on toponymy, the suffixes -oz, -ez and -iz used to be combined with the name of the owner of the lands, with its origin being in some place between the Middle Ages and the Roman Empire.

In the case of Berriz, Caro Baroja suggested that the name might come from Verrius, the documented Latin name. Then, to the name Verrius it was added the suffix -icus (indicating that the lands were owned by Verrius) and became Verricus.[2] From then, the name evolved to Verrici and from there to Verriz. The name of the town in Spanish used to be Vérriz.

Another theory about is origin negates the Latin origin and proposes a Basque origin. Berriz might come from Be(h)e ("under") and Oiz in reference to the Oiz mountain, and then "under Oiz" as of "in the or at the bottom of Oiz".

References
  1. Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.
  2. Caro Baroja, Julio (June 1945). Materiales para una historia de la lengua vasca en su relación con la latina. Acta Salmanticensia, tomo I, número 3.



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