Amezcua
A Spanish surname most likely tied to a place name in the Basque-speaking north of Spain.
The #4,889 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,846 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Amezcua is generally understood as a habitational surname, originally identifying someone from a place called Amezcua or Amescoa. The name is usually linked to a Basque toponym in Navarre, with the ending -ua/-coa reflecting older place-name forms in the region. Because the place name itself is ancient and its deepest meaning is not certain, the surname is best explained as “from Amezcua/Amescoa” rather than as a transparent modern word.
History
The surname is associated especially with Spain and the Spanish-speaking world, and it spread to the Americas through migration from the Iberian Peninsula. In modern usage, Amezcua is found notably in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Variant spellings reflect the old place-name tradition and the fact that Spanish surnames often preserved local spellings in slightly different forms.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Amezcua is one of several Spanish surnames that preserve the memory of a very old regional place name rather than a personal nickname or occupation.