the word Baroja is compounded from the Celtic _bar_, meaning
mountain, and the Basque _otza, ocha_ meaning cold. In short, a
cold mountain.

The district of Penacerrada, which includes Baroja, is an austere land,
covered with intricate mountain ranges which are clad with trees and
scrub live oaks.

Hawks abound. In his treatise on falconry, Zuniga mentions the Bahari
falcon, propagated principally among the mountains of Penacerrada.

My ancestors originally called themselves Martinez de Baroja. One Martin
had a son who was known as Martinez. This Martinez (son of Martin)
doubtless left the village, and as there were others of the name
Martinez (sons of Martin), they dubbed him the Martinez of Baroja, or
Martinez de Baroja.

The Martinez de Barojas lived in that country for many years; they were
hidalgos, Christians of old stock. And there is still a family of the
name in Penacerrada.

One Martinez de Baroja, by name Juan, who lived in the village of
Samiano, upon becoming outraged because of an attempt to force him to
pay tribute to the Count of Salinas--in those days a very natural source
of offence--took an appeal in the year 1616 from a ruling of the
Prosecuting Attorney of His Majesty and the Alcaldes and Regidors of the
Earldom of Trevino, and he was sustained by the Chamber of Hidalgos at
Valladolid, which decided in his favour in a decree dated the eighth day
of the month of August, 1619.