My great-great-grandfather Bernard Etcheverry came to California around 1852, I believe he was around 15 years old. He left Cambo les Bains, France in the Basque region Labourd, which I believe is in the foothills. His wife, Louisa Earle was also from France, but I'm not sure if she was basque or not. Her name certainly sounds english to me! But I haven't dug deeper into the tree to explore her family lines. Bernard's parents were Jean Etcheverry and Marie Ellissetche. I'd love to know more about them and the generations before them, but that may mean a trip to Europe is in order!
It's my understanding that the translation of the name Etcheverry means "new house." I have heard it (and the variants of it) are a very common french basque name. Without more factual knowledge to back up my theory, I assume it is common because it was given to the families that would move to a new town and settle somewhere new. I think I even read once that the houses, which get passed down in the family generation after generation are named by the family name. (I'd be interested to know if there is a tradition of passing the house to an oldest/youngest daughter/son.) So, instead of addresses with street name and numbers, they orient around the town by family name-must be an interesting job training for the post delivery people!
All the living descendants of Bernard and Louisa, that I am aware of, still live in California.