Our Name
The etymology and variations of the surname
Our surname has had many spellings, resulting from evolving phonetics within Catalonia and from the Castilian influences that introduced the “ch” into the surname. We have been known as Boxaca, Botxaca, Bochaca, Butxaca and Buchaca. To summarize the etymology, it would seem that the name was born from a pre-Romance language, probably of Celtic roots and making its way to Basque, and it originally had the meaning of “bag”, probably made of leather and for keeping arrows, deeds, coins, and other things in.
Since pockets such as they are today did not exist in either men’s or women’s clothing it could not occupy the same position, but it could have the same meaning. As a bag which was worn outside clothing, it could be translated more as a “pouch” than as a present day “pocket”. In that sense, it could be compared with the modern bags commonly called “money belts”.
Locations
We descend from workers of the land in Freixe, Catalonia. Today, the family is found throughout the world.
Arrels
‘The Book of a Family’ is the detailed, informative account of our family's past, present and future.