Last names serve as a vital connection to our ancestral roots. Brazil, with its vast cultural mosaic, boasts a rich and intricate family history. The predominant Brazilian surnames often trace back to Portuguese origins, reflecting Portugal’s extensive colonial influence in the region. Other names may show Spanish heritage, while a notable portion of Brazilians also carry Italian and German surnames. Here’s a curated list of common Brazilian last names, their meanings, and their linguistic origins. Check if your name is among them!
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Silva
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Woodland or forest. -
Mota
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: A person living near a fortified area. -
Lima
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: One who resides by a river. -
Ferreira
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: A blacksmith. -
Batista
Origin: Spanish/Portuguese
Meaning: Baptist. -
Gomes
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Man. -
Rocha
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Rock or boulder. -
Alves
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Son of Alvaro. -
Macedo
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Apple orchard. -
Schmidt
Origin: German
Meaning: Blacksmith. -
Correia
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Leather belt maker. -
Ramos
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: One who lives near a thicket. -
Morais
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Blackberry. -
Azevedo
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Holly. -
Cavalcante
Origin: Italian
Meaning: Derived from the Latin for ‘to ride,’ likely assigned to equestrians. -
Moreira
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Mulberry tree. -
Santos
Origin: Spanish/Portuguese
Meaning: Holy. -
Melo
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: A person hailing from Melo, Portugal. -
Neves
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Snow. -
Teixeira
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Yew tree. -
Campos
Origin: Portuguese/Spanish
Meaning: Countryside. -
Sousa
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Stones; named after the Sousa river in Portugal. -
Oliveira
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Of the olive tree. -
Pereira
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Pear tree. -
Carvalho
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Oak. -
Almeida
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Named after the city of Almeida in Portugal. -
Costa
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Rib. -
Ribeiro
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Small river or creek. -
Fernandes
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Patronymic form of Fernando. -
Montes
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Hills. -
Noronha
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: From Noreña. -
Lopes
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Wolf. -
Esteves
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Son of Stephen. -
Carreira
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Carter. -
Barreto
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Hat maker. -
Moniz
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Son of Munio. -
Luz
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Light. -
Marques
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Son of Marcus. -
Cavaco
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Log. -
Rodrigues
Origin: Portuguese/Spanish
Meaning: Son of Rodrigo. -
Martins
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Of Mars or warlike. -
Araujo
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: From the autonomous Galicia region. -
Barbosa
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: A southwestern Galician surname. -
Cardoso/Cardozo
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: A Sephardi Jewish surname. -
Maia
Origin: Spanish/Basque
Meaning: High plateau. -
Madruga
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: To rise early. -
Tupinambás
Origin: Indigenous Brazilian
Meaning: Named after the Native American tribe along Brazil’s coast. -
Bocaiúva
Origin: Indigenous Brazilian
Meaning: Named for the tribe in Minas Gerais. -
Cuoto
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Toponymic name indicating ‘enclosed pasture.’ -
Braga
Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Named after a city in northern Portugal.
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In summary, last names in Brazil reveal deep connections to a diverse heritage, primarily linked to Portuguese roots, with influences from Spanish, Italian, and German cultures. Understanding these names enriches our appreciation of Brazilian culture.