Origin of Navarro

Recorded in the spellings of Navarro, Navaro, Navarijo, Najara, Najera, and de Najera, this is a locational surname. It is esentially Spanish but may also be French, and is also occasionally British in the surname as Nabarro. However spelt it describes a former resident of the ancient kingdom of Navarre, now divided between France and Spain. The name means 'the treeless country' or perhaps 'the country above the trees', the precise meaning being subject to controversy. Locational surnames of this type were given as easy identification when the person concerned moved to another country, and still apply in the 20th century.

Early examples of the surname recording include Juan de Najera, at Villapalacio, San Sebastian, Spain, on January 27th 1573, Lesaca Najurieta, at Murillo, Navarra, Spain, on Fbruary 26th 1690, Maria Josepha Navarijo at San Gabriel Arcangel, Mexico, on May 12th 1774, and Jose Marcos Navarra, a witness at San Sebastian on September 19th 1796. Peres Narariso was christened at Santa Cruz Solebad, Mexico, on October 11th 1797, but even earlier in California, then part of the Spanish Empire, Soto Navarro was christened at Santa Clara, on October 23rd 1791. The coat of arms has the blazon of a blue field charged with a white horse trippant. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Francisco Navarro, which was dated January 1st 1510, christened at Madrid Cathedral, Madrid, Spain, during the reign of King Ferdinand V of Spain, Emperor of Mexico, 1510 - 1516. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Surname of probable Spanish origins. It derives from nicknames linked to the name of the Basque region Navarra (from the pre-Latin term nava or "rocky basin").

Traces of these surnames can be found in Paternò (Catania) in 1500: "...Jo Andrea Navarro, locotenente de capitanio and Vincenzo de Vellia, locotenente de receptore...".

The surname Navarra is widespread in Sicily especially in the Trapani area, in Campania in the Neapolitan and Salerno areas, in Lazio and in the Bari area.

Navarretta, extremely rare, has some presence in Campania.

Navarro, very rare, is Neapolitan.

Most authors agree that it is an Aragonese surname from the town of Egea de los Caballeros, (Zaragoza). This town was founded by the Romans and known by the name of Egara, from which, undoubtedly, Egea was formed. In the year 1108, King Alfonso I, of Aragon, conquered it, seizing it from the Moors and calling it Egea at that time, he added the name "of the Knights", for having populated it with the main knights of his army. It is here, in the reference made to "principal gentlemen", where the origin of the surname Navarro can be found, since according to some authors, said origin came from a nickname, or nickname. Among the knights mentioned were several natives of Navarre, for which they were known as "los navarros".

The oldest news of the Navarros who went to Valencia are provided by Mossen Jaime Febrer in his Trovas: "The gentleman Juan Navarro who came from the city of Huesca, where to better serve King Jaime I in the conquest of this kingdom, left the pregnancies of children and a wife. While in Valencia, he performed wonders, instilling great fear in the Moors in the sight of King Jaime. He gloried in being a relative of the King of Navarre Iñigo de Arista".

Febrer also cites: "Don Fermín Navarro came from Tafalla at his own expense. He assisted in the sieges of Pego and Planes, against the mob that the Moor Alzarac had, forcing them to abandon all the castles they had occupied".

He proved his nobility in the Orders of Santiago (1635, 1649, 1667, 1669, 1676, 1682, 1709, 1747, 1763, 1783 and 1796), Calatrava (1600 and 1675), Montesa (1649), Carlos III ( 1783, 1794, 1801 and 1814) and Saint John of Jerusalem (1682); in the Royal Company of Marine Guards (1783 and 1800), and numerous times in the Royal Chancery of Valladolid.

Don Ignacio Navarro, a resident of Pamplona, ​​proved his nobility in the Royal Chancellery of Pamplona on December 22, 1779. In 1695, the Justice Mayor of Aragon signed the possessory signature of infancy and nobility in favor of the Navarros of Egea de los Caballeros for being descendants of Don Miguel Navarro, married to Doña María de Gurrea. Don Ignacio Navarro, already mentioned, belonged to this family. Don Manuel Rafael Navarro, a resident of Uncastillo, appears registered as a noble infanzón in 1783, 1785, 1786 and 1787.

Don Ignacio and Don Javier Navarro Marco proved their nobility in 1943 to join the Royal Brotherhood of Nuestra Señora del Portillo de Zaragoza. Don Juan José Navarro was created Marqués de la Victoria on May 7, 1944.