Zárate
/saˈɾate/noun
A Spanish and Basque-derived surname and place name, especially associated with locations and families in Spain and Latin America.
Did you know?Zárate is primarily a toponymic surname, meaning it originally identified someone connected with a place called Zárate rather than describing a personal trait.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Roman period
Basque
zara
“Forest, wooded area, or thicket; the precise nuance varies by dialect and place-name analysis.”
Pre-Roman period
Basque
ate
“Door, opening, entrance, or mountain pass.”
Medieval period
Basque
Zárate
“A place name interpreted as referring to an entrance or pass by a wooded area.”
Medieval Spain
Basque/Spanish
de Zárate
““Of Zárate,” a locational designation identifying a person from that place.”
Early modern period
Spanish
Zárate
“Hereditary surname used by families bearing the name.”
Modern English
English
Zarate
“A proper name used for people, places, businesses, and cultural references; the accent is often omitted in English-language contexts.”