With more than three centuries of Portuguese colonization, many common surnames in the country originated in Portuguese lands
Surnames are an essential part of each person’s identity.
In Brazil, this becomes even richer due to the cultural diversity that formed the population over the centuries.
With more than three centuries of Portuguese colonization, many common surnames in the country have Lusitanian origin.
If you have any of these surnames, know that your roots can be Portuguese
For millennia, people have felt the need to differentiate each other beyond proper names.
Thus, surnames emerged as an effective form of identification.
This custom is believed to have started in China, about five thousand years ago.
In Portugal, the use of surnames has gained strength over the centuries.
When the Portuguese arrived in Brazil in 1500, they brought with them this tradition, which was incorporated into Brazilian culture and perpetuated to the present day.
How are Portuguese surnames classified?
Portuguese surnames have different origins and can be classified into four main categories:
- Toponymic: related to a place of origin, such as cities, towns or specific regions (example: Camargo, which refers to a Portuguese region).
- Religious: inspired by figures or religious elements (such as Baptist, related to Christian baptism).
- Patronymic: Derive from the names of the father or a male ancestor, usually with the addition of “s” or “ES” at the end (such as Rodrigues, which means “son of Rodrigo”).
- Occupational: Based on the family’s patriarch profession (as a ram, which may be linked to pastors or cattle breeders).
11 Surnames with Portuguese roots
Now that you know a little about the history and classification of surnames, check out some common examples of Portuguese surnames in Brazil:
1. Costa
Costa can have two origins: it can refer to human ribs, a symbol present in coats of arms of Portuguese families, or to be a toponymic attached to coastal regions.
2. Abreu
Abreu may have a toponymic origin, related to the Torre de Abreu, in Valença do Minho, or religious, derived from Abraham.
3. Oliveira
Also of toponymic origin, Oliveira refers to the tree from which olive oil is extracted. It is a surname linked to regions where these trees were cultivated.
4. Fernandes
Like Alves, Fernandes is a patronymic that indicates “son of Fernando”.
5. Cunha
This toponymic surname refers to a isolated rock in wedge shape.
6. Sousa
One of the most popular surnames in Brazil, Sousa is a toponymic attached to a river of Portugal.
Its meaning is related to pebbles or stones.
7. Lopes
Lopes comes from the Latin “Lupus”, which means wolf.
Widely used by Sephardic Jews, this surname escapes the most common formation patterns.
8. Ferreira
Ferreira can be both an occupational surname, associated with blacks and toponymic, linked to places rich in ore.
9. Silva
Another very common surname, Silva has toponymic origin and is associated with families living in forest or forest regions.
10. Alves
Alves is a patronymic derived from “Álvares”, which means “son of Álvaro”.
11. Santos
With religious origin, Santos comes from the Latin “Sanctorum” and was attributed to children born on all saints.
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