The Gurmendi Family’s Code of Arms

 

 “In a Field of “Gules” (red background), three golden mountain peeks are surmounted by a silver comet, this has its tail inclined directly on the lower part of the highest peek and accompanied by a silver star with 10 rays, and all are in a red field, as described by Garci Alonso de Torres, Subscriber of the Catholic Kings Don Fernando and Doña Isabel and the Emperor Don Carlos V, in his book of blazons, folio 199, San Sebastián, Spain (Novelty of the  Province of Guipúzcoa in Basque Country).”

 

After visiting, in two occasions, with Ms. Ana María Zabarte Larrañaga (May 10, 1998 and April 13, 1999) at the Local Parish of San Sebastián’s “Herria―Parrokia” and with my good friend Juan (Juanito) Urruty (Basque immigrant) of Grand Junction Colorado in August 15, 1980, I happen to come up with my own ETHIMOLOGY about the meaning of our last name GURMENDI.  Which derives from the Basque name GURMENDIA, GUR means WOOD (leña) and MENDIA means the mountain where you pray or the praying mountain of pines (coniferous of Zarautz, Guipúzcoa), and GURMENDI means the highest mountain peek or the highest pine praying mountain (PARAMOUNT).

 

Our Genealogic Tree (“Arbol Genealógico”) begins in San Sebastián (Guipúzcoa), Spain with Don Simón de Gurmendi, Señor de la Casa Solar de Gurmendi, and Doña María de Zarauz, according to the Testament of January 30, 1564, had 5 sons:

 

Martín, Jorge, Andrés, Joanes, and Felipe de Gurmendi y Zarauz.

 

Don Martín de Gurmendi y Zarauz and Doña Francisca de Caminos of San

Sebastián, first wife, married on April 16, 1587 and had 2 sons: Presbyter Gregorio and Tomás de Gurmendi y Caminos.

 

Don Martín de Gurmendi y Zarauz with his second wife, Doña Gracia de Subizar of Sumbilla, Navarra, had only one son.

 

Capitan Juan de Gurmendi y Subizar and Mariana de Urretavizqui y Macuso

had 2 sons: Presbyter Jacinto de Gurmendi y Urretavizqui, and

 

Maestre Bernardo de Gurmendi y Urretavizqui (10/10/1640 - 08/27/1722).  Knight of the Order of Santiago immigrated to Perú in 1660.  Maestre or Field Marshall of the Real Army, Knight of the Court of His Majesty King Don Felipe IV.  Don Bernardo was Maestre of the Third “Mayorazgo” of the Gurmendi Family (Source: Fernando de Valle—Revista Vascongada, No. 1044, AÑO XXXII, November 15, 1911, Tomo LXV, p. 413-414).  We the Gurmendis of Peru and the United States are descendents of Don Bernardo and Doña María de Ibaeta married in the City of Kings, Lima.