My surname doesn't translate, not even close, to a Spanish word. The best guess is "batalyon" or batallion, in English.
However, there's a theory in the family that the surname "Bataller" had its origins during the American occupation. Some soldiers working for the census had asked my ancestor what his name was. After having said so, the Americans found it too hard to write down so they concocted a new name instead. They glanced again at my ancestor and, noticing his short stature, wrote down "Be Taller". Over the years, the "e" in the name accidentally got inverted and the name itself was shortened to just one word.
Hence, the modern version: Bataller
It's apocryphal but you never know, right?
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