Berriz (in Basque an offeecially, in Spaingie: Bérriz) is a elizate, toun an municipality locatit in the province o Biscay, in the Basque Kintra, northren Spain. Berriz is pairt o the comarca o Durangaldea an haes a population o 4.759 inhabitants as of 2007 an accordin tae the Spaingie Naitional Stateestics Institute.

Bérriz
Banner o Bérriz
Banner
Coat of airms o Bérriz
Coat airms
Bérriz is located in Spain
Bérriz
Bérriz
Location in Spain
Coordinates: 43°10′33″N 2°24′32″W / 43.17583°N 2.40889°W / 43.17583; -2.40889
Kintra Spain
Autonomous commontyBasque Kintra
ProvinceBiscay
ComarcaDurangaldea
Govrenment
 • MayorJose Jabier Azpitarte Ariño
Area
 • Total30.07 km2 (11.61 sq mi)
Elevation
192 m (630 ft)
Population
 (2009)
 • Total4,888
 • Density160/km2 (420/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Berritzarra
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
48240
WebsiteOffeecial wabsteid

Toponymy eedit

Berriz belangs tae a series o Basque toponyms wi a -iz endin. Julio Caro Baroja defendit that maist o these toponyms came frae a oreeginal Basque toponym plus the Laitin suffix -icus. Caro Baroja considered that on toponymy, the suffixes -oz, -ez an -iz uised tae be combined wi the name o the awner o the land, wi its oreegin bein in some place atween the Middle Ages an the Roman Empire.

In the case o Berriz, Caro Baroja suggestit that the name micht come frae Verrius, the documented Laitin name. Then, tae the name Verrius it wis addit the suffix -icus (indicating that the land wur awned bi Verrius) an became Verricus[1] Frae then, the name evolvit tae Verrici an frae thare tae Verriz. The name o the toun in Spaingie uised tae be Vérriz.

Anither theory aboot is oreegin negates the Laitin oreegin an proposes a Basque oreegin. Berriz micht come frae Be(h)e ("unner") an Oiz in reference tae the Oiz muntain, an then "unner Oiz" as o "in the or at the bottom o Oiz".

References eedit

  1. Caro Baroja, Julio (1945). Materiales para una historia de la lengua vasca en su relación con la latina. Acta Salmanticensia, tomo I, número 3.

Freemit airtins eedit