Abarca
A Spanish surname likely from a nickname for someone associated with the rough leather shoe called an abarca.
The #3,780 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 32,975 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Abarca is commonly linked to Spanish abarca, the name of a simple shoe or sandal made of untanned leather or hide and tied over the foot with straps. As a surname, it most likely began as a nickname for someone who made, wore, or was otherwise associated with this footwear. In some older historical discussion, it is also treated as a name that could have arisen in Aragonese or nearby regional usage.
History
The name appears in Spanish historical records and is especially associated with the Iberian peninsula, including Aragon. Medieval and early modern writers sometimes connected it with the epithet of a person linked to footwear or rustic dress, though such explanations are not always secure. It is also found in famous medieval contexts such as the Aragonese royal name Sancho Abarca, which helped keep the surname visible in historical tradition.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The everyday Spanish word abarca still survives today for a traditional rustic sandal, especially in regional and historical contexts.
From the historical record
“Abano. Abanico. - Abarca. Calzado que se hace de cuero- de buei, caballo, etc., sin adobar, cubre la planta, los dedos, ¡ algunas ye- ces la mayor parte del pié, i se ata con unas cuerdas o correas sobre el empeine i tobillo; ' Abasto. Provision de lo necesario. :”
— Diccionario de los apellidos