Surnames determine the cultural evolution of a country or a region, showing the roots of its inhabitants, as well as their jobs or the place where they lived and which have now become part of their own identity.
In this sense, one of the countries with the most traditional and characteristic surnames is Portugal, thanks to its cultural firmness and originality. In the following lines you will find a list of the most frequent surnames among the Portuguese
The most frequent surnames in Portugal
This is a compilation with the 110 most common surnames in Portugal, which reflect the cultural particularities of the Portuguese nation.
1. Silva
It is one of the most popular surnames in Portugal, it is a toponymic surname, derived from the Latin ‘silva’ which means ‘jungle’.
2. Nunes
It is a patronymic surname, it originates from the Latin ‘Nonius’ which means ‘the ninth son’.
3. Afonso
It is the variant of Alfonso in Portugal, it comes from the Germanic ‘Adelfonsus’ which means ‘clever nobleman’.
4. Pinheiro
It is a toponymic surname for people who lived near pine trees.
5. Saints
It is a hypocoristic surname, given to people who were born on All Saints’ Day.
6. Rodrigues
Patronymic surname, being the Portuguese variant of Rodrigo, meaning ‘son of Rodrigo’.
7. Coutinho
Its meaning is ‘Coto’ and it is believed to be a surname of the nobility.
8. Sarmiento
It means ‘branch’ and could have been a nickname for tall and thin people.
9. Ferreira
It is derived from the Latin ‘ferrum’ meaning ‘iron’, making it an occupational surname for blacksmiths.
10. Almada
It is derived from the Arabic word ‘almadena’ which means ‘the mineral that is mine’.
11. Aguilar
This surname comes from the Latin ‘aquilare’ which refers to the place where eagles live.
12. Teles
Patronymic surname that derives from the proper name ‘Telo’, which refers to ‘son of Telo’.
13. Pereira
It is both an ornamental and occupational surname, it means ‘pear tree’.
14. Lousada
It is a geographical surname that was used for those who came from Casa Lousada in Galicia.
15. Golden
It is the Portuguese form of gold, a possible nickname for people with blonde hair or things painted gold.
16. Macias
It comes from the Hebrew name ‘Mattityah’ which means ‘the gift of Yahweh’.
17. Coast
It is a toponymic surname for people who lived near sea coasts.
18. Diniz
It is the Portuguese variant of the name ‘Denis’, a Greek masculine given name meaning ‘the follower of Zeus’.
19. Fonseca
It is derived from two Latin words: ‘fons’ which means ‘spring’ and ‘siccus’ which means ‘dry’. It is a toponymic surname for those who lived near a dry spring.
20. Gaia
It is a geographical surname for people who came from Vila Nova de Gaia, in Portugal.
21. Oliveira
It is a toponymic surname for those who lived or worked in the olive fields.
22. Alvares
Patronymic surname that means ‘son of Alvar or Alvaro’.
23. Andrade
It comes from the Germanic ‘Hardrade’ which refers to a person with beautiful hair.
24. Vaz
It is a Portuguese variant of Vásquez, making it a patronymic surname meaning ‘son of Vasco’.
25. Martins
It derives from the Latin ‘Martinus’ which means ‘consecrated to the god Mars’.
26. Preto
In Portuguese it means ‘black’, so it could have been a nickname for people with black hair.
27. Baros
It comes from the word ‘barros’ which means ‘clay’.
28. Azevedo
It is a toponymic surname that refers to holly forests.
29. Sousa
Another of the most popular surnames, it is derived from the Latin word ‘saxa’ which means ‘rock’. It is also a toponymic surname for those who came from the Sousa River in Portugal.
30. Vala
It is a geographical surname for people who are from Vala in Portugal.
31. Furtado
It is a variant of ‘Stolen’, so its meaning is ‘stolen’.
32. People
It comes from the Latin ‘person’ which can have the same meaning, but also means ‘mask’.
33. Fernandes
It has a Germanic origin, from the male name ‘Fridnand’ which means ‘son of Fernando’.
34. Belmonte
It is a variant of the old Spanish adjective ‘bellmonte’ which means ‘beautiful mountain’.
35. Carvalho
It is of Portuguese origin and means ‘oak’.
36. Caceres
It comes from the Latin term ‘Castra Caesaria’, a designation used in ancient Rome and means ‘Caesar’s camp’.
37. Lopes
It means ‘son of Lope’ and originates from the Latin ‘lupus’ which means ‘wolf’.
38. Pepper
It is the Portuguese word for chili or red peppers. Possibly a nickname for those who cooked with these ingredients.
39. Gouveia
It is believed to be a geographical surname for those who came from the areas called Gouveia.
40. Osorio
It derives from the Altin ‘ursus’ which means ‘bear’, being a Portuguese variant of the same.
41. Gonçalves
It is a patronymic surname for ‘son of Gonzalo’, it originates from the Germanic ‘gonsalvus’ which means ‘he who is prepared to fight’.
42. Black
It is a descriptive surname for both dark-haired and dark-skinned people.
43. Lima
It is a toponymic surname for people who came from the Lima River located in Portugal.
44. Moucada
It is a variant for the surname Montcada or Moncada, which is a geographical surname that refers to those who come from Moncada, in Valencia.
45. Magalhaes
It is a geographical name for people who come from the Magallanes regions in Portugal.
46. Caetano
It derives from the Latin name ‘Caius’ which means ‘he who is cheerful’.
47. Gale
It is a word in Portuguese that indicates ‘galley’ or ‘galleon’. Referring to warships.
48. Morões
It comes from the Latin term ‘Mons Rubeus’ which means ‘red mountain’.
49. Ribeiro
It means ‘stream’ or ‘stream of water’. So it is a toponymic surname for those who lived near streams.
50. Carneiro
It comes from the Latin ‘carnariu’ which refers to rams.
51. Montesino
It comes from the Spanish adjective that refers to ‘mountain’, that is, people who lived in the mountains.
52. Duarte
It is a patronymic surname that means ‘son of Eduardo’.
53. Santa
It is a geographical surname to refer to people who come from Santa in Portugal.
54. Star
Its origin comes from the Latin ‘stella’ which means ‘star’.
55. Thin
It is a very common surname that refers to the thinness of people.
56. Galioto
It is a variant of ‘Galiote’ whose meaning is ‘privateer’ or ‘pirate’.
57. Almeida
It has its origins in the Arabic word ‘al-ma ida’ which translates as ‘the plateau’.
58. Lombroso
It is a surname of Jewish origin, it means ‘enlightened’, referring to a light of spiritual origin.
59. Gandara
It means ‘barren land’ or ‘land of dry sand’. It is a toponymic surname for those who come from Gandara in Portugal.
60. Medeiros
There are several places with this name in Portugal, so it is a geographical surname. In turn it means, ‘pile of sheaves’.
61. I paint
It is a Portuguese word that means ‘chick or duck’, as a variant of Spanish.
62. Lemos
It is a toponymic surname that comes from Mount Monforte de Lemos, located in the province of Lugo.
63. Brown
It is an originally Spanish surname that derives from the Latin ‘pardus’ a reference to leopards.
64. Mascarenhas
It is a toponymic surname for people who came from the Mascarenhas region.
65. Alves
It is both a first name and a surname. It comes from the Latin ‘albus’ which means ‘white’.
66. Meira
It is believed to be a toponymic surname that refers to the Meira lagoon, the beginning of the Miño River.
67. Abreu
It has two origins, one related to ‘Abraao’ which is the Portuguese variant of Abraham and the other related to the place of Abreu in Portugal.
68. Pepper
It is a variant of the surname Pimenta.
69. Barboza
It is a variant of the name Barbosa, it is a toponymic surname to refer to those who come from a type of native plant.
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70. Days
It is a patronymic surname derived from Diago and Diego. So it means ‘son of Diago’.
71. Coelho
In Portuguese it means ‘rabbit’. It could have been a nickname for those who hunted rabbits.
72. Castro
It comes from the Latin ‘castrum’ which refers to castles or fortified buildings.
73. Da Costa
It is a variant of Costa, only with the prefix ‘da’, which refers to someone who comes from a coast.
74. Teixeira
It is a variant of the word ‘Teixeira’, which means ‘yew tree’ in Portuguese.
75. Two Saints
It is the Portuguese translation of ‘of the saints’. Surely a nickname for those born on Saints’ Day.
76. Wind
It is the Portuguese variant for the word ‘wind’.
77. Madeira
It is an occupational surname that refers to carpenters, it means ‘wood’.
78. Correia
It comes from the Spanish ‘correa’, the way to describe belts or braces.
79. Ships
It is a toponymic surname for people who come from Naves, a place in Portugal.
80. Melo
It is a geographical surname, coming from the Melo region located in Sierra de la Estrella.
81. Nazario
It comes from the Latin ‘Nazarius’ which means ‘he who comes from Nazareth’.
82. Mendes
It is the Portuguese variant of the surname Mendez, which comes from Galicia. It means ‘he who amends’.
83. Walls
It is derived from the Portuguese word ‘parede’ which refers to ‘wall’.
84. Net
It is the Portuguese variant of Nero, its meaning is ‘grandfather’s son’.
85. New
It is the Portuguese word for ‘new’.
86. Orta
It is a variant for the Portuguese word ‘Horta’ which refers to orchards.
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87. Xavier
It is a surname that derives from the Basque word ‘Etxeberria’ which means ‘the new house’.
88. Pinho
It is a Portuguese variant of ‘pino’, so it refers to pine trees and wood.
89. Villela
It is derived as a diminutive of ‘vila’ meaning ‘farm’ or ‘property’.
90. Cunha
It is the Portuguese word for ‘wedge’ and is a very popular name in Portugal and is derived from Galician.
91. Coval
It is derived from the Portuguese word ‘cova’ which translates as ‘hollow’.
92. Kill
It is a Portuguese word for forests or bushes.
93. Troia
It is the Portuguese variant to refer to the ancient city of Troy, a Greek name that means ‘she who offends’.
94. Machado
It is a Portuguese term to refer to axes
95. Souto
It is a toponymic surname for people who lived near groves.
96. Ramos
Its origin is from the Latin ‘ramus’ which means ‘branch’ or ‘herbs’.
97. Sequeira
It means ‘arid land’ in Portuguese. It is a toponymic surname for those who come from Sequeira in Portugal.
98. Tavares
It is the Portuguese variant of the Spanish surname ‘Tabarés’ which means ‘he who lives far away’.
99. Tab
It is the Portuguese translation for ‘eyelashes’. A nickname for those who have very noticeable eyelashes.
100. Freitas
It is a word in Portuguese that refers to ‘broken ground’ or ‘broken stones’.
101. Warrior
It is the Portuguese form for ‘warrior’ or ‘soldier’.
102. Simões
It is a patronymic surname, derived from the name ‘Simón’, which means ‘son of Simon’.
103. Serene
It is a reference for serenity and calm. A nickname for people who kept their composure at all times.
104. Cross
It literally refers to crosses, so it is a toponym for people who live near crosses.
105. Joaquim
It is derived from the Hebrew male name ‘Yehoyakin’ which translates as ‘Yahweh will establish’.
106. Lacerda
It translates as ‘locks of hair’ and could be a nickname for those who had long, thick hair.
107. Veiga
It is derived from the word ‘vega’, which refers to lands of great fertility.
108. Lourenco
It is both a surname and a male name. It is derived from the Latin ‘Laurentius’, a demonym for people who came from Laurentum.
109. Baptist
It comes from the Spanish name Bautista, which refers to baptisms and John the Baptist.
110. Borges
It is a toponymic surname of French origin, it may also come from the English ‘burge’ which means ‘one who lives in a fortified city’.
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PsychologyFor. (2024). The 110 Most Common Surnames in Portugal (and Their Meaning). https://psychologyfor.com/the-110-most-common-surnames-in-portugal-and-their-meaning/