Ochoa surname meaning

Ochoa is a Spanish surname of Basque origin, from Otxoa or Otsoa, a personal name meaning “the wolf.” In medieval Iberian usage that wolf name could itself function as a given name and then produce a hereditary family surname. The Spanish spelling Ochoa reflects transmission across languages; Otxoa and Otsoa preserve Basque forms. Ochó(a) spellings may vary in records, and not every Ochoa line can be connected to one village. This catalog classifies Ochoa as a parent’s-name surname with high confidence because the Basque personal-name route is clearly documented.