Top 110 Portuguese Last Names or Surnames

Surnames stand for the legacy that an individual carries. Today, we bring our readers a list of common Portuguese last names with their meanings.

110 Popular Portuguese Surnames or Family Names with Meanings

Last names signify the origin and family background quite effectively. Therefore, each name and surname have its importance and historical reference. Here is a list of the most popular Portuguese last names:

1. Abreu

Abreau is known to be a short name of Abraham the Hebrew. Abreu was also a place in the province Minho.

2. Acosta

Acosta is a surname that has a historical reference. Back in the old days, Acosta was referred to as a person who sued to live in the coastal areas.

3. Afonso

This surname originated from Adelfonus and is an amalgamation of two words with a different meaning in Portuguese. Adal refers to noble and funs refers to ready.

4. Agre

This is a probable surname that was given an American twist to the German-surname Egger. Apart from that, Agre means bitter in Portuguese.

5. Almada

It is a name used to refer to people who used to live in a place called Alamada, located in Portugal. The literal meaning of the world is an ore mine.

6. Almeida

Almeida is a place in Portugal. The literal meaning of the word in Portuguese is a plateau or a tabletop.

7. Alto

The literal meaning of the word in Portuguese is tall, and it is a surname that was used in ancient times to refer to people or a group of people who appeared tall.

8. Antunes

This is a Portuguese style of the surname Antonio or Anthony. The 1940s saw lots of men with Antunes surnames as a laborer.

9. Avila

Avila is one of the most widely used surnames, which means towns or villages in the Portuguese language.

10. Barbas

It was taken from the Latin word Barba which means beard.

11. Barboza

Barboza is a surname that signifies a place with a lot of greens and is rich in plants.

12. Barcellos

Barcellos is one of the major toponymical surnames which was used to refer to people who belonged to Barcelos.

13. Baros

Baros is one of the major toponymical surnames which was used to refer to people who belonged to Barros. Baros means clay or a loamy area.

14. Barreto

It is a name that has an occupational reference, referring to cap makers. The westers Indians also used this surname to refer to Portuguese colonists.

15. Basto

This is a name that was used to refer to the inhabitants from anywhere within Portugal or Glacia.

16. Belo

The literal meaning of the surname Belo is beautiful, loving, or handsome.

17. Bento

This is a Portuguese reinvention of surnames like benedict and is one of the most used surnames.

18. Bomba

The literal meaning of this word is Bomb in Portuguese, and it can also have an occupational reference to the fireworks and explosive makers.

19. Borges

This surname was used for someone who is from Bourges in France. Burge in English is also referred to as a free-spirited person.

20. Braga

This surname is also used for people who were from Braga in Northern Portugal, a prominent city in the Roman Empire.

21. Brito

With a geographical reference, this surname is also used for people who were from Brito Portugal

22. Broas

This surname was used for corn farmers.

23. Cabral

This surname is used for people who were goat farmers. The name was derived from the Latin word Capra which means goat.

24. Cardoso

The surname has been derived from the Portuguese word cardo, which means cardoon plant.

25. Castro

The surname might have derived from the Latin word Castro which means Castle or fortification.

26. Coelho

The word means Rabbits and bunnies in Portuguese, and hence, it might refer to people who were engaged in hunting or selling rabbits as their occupation.

27. Coval

The literal meaning of Cova is a pit. This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Coval in Portugal.

28. Cotta

A surname for people who used to make or use armors

29. Couto

Couto means wooden boats.

30. Cuba

The literal meaning of Cuba is a barrel. This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Cuba in Portugal.

31. Curro

The literal meaning of this surname is a fold. But it is used to refer to people belonging from Portugal and Glacia.

32. Cunho

Cunho is a kitchen in Portuguese.

33. D’souza

People heading from the souse river are given this surname.

34. Da Costa

Costa refers to people who live nearby the coastal area. It can also refer to people living near seashore or river banks.

35. Da Cruz

The meaning of Cruz in Portuguese is cross and is used with da- which refers to “the.”

36. Da Cunha

Cunha means kitchen. People with kitchen work as their occupation were given this name

37. DA Luz

Da Luz means the lady of light.

38. Da Roscha

Roscha means rock, and this surname is used for people coming from rocky places.

39. Da Rosa

Da means “the,” and Rosa is Rose in Portuguese.

40. Delgada

This is a surname given to a person or a group of people who appeared to be thin.

41. Dos Santos

This is a surname that was used for the people who became saints or were baptized. The Santos stand for saints in the Portuguese language.

42. Diniz

This is a surname that was given to the people who were of Greek origin and were the followers of Zeus.

43. Espindola

This surname was used for immigrants from Genoa, Italy.  This surname is derived from Facundus, of Latin origin, meaning talkative or fluent people.

44. Faria

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Faria in Portugal.

45. Farinha

This word is of Portuguese origin, which means flour. Hence, I might have an occupational reference for people who were flour merchants.

46. Fernandes

This surname is an amalgamation of two Greek words, fardi which refers to journey, which means brave.

47. Ferra

This surname is derived from the Portuguese word Ferrar which means shooing horse.

48. Ferreira

This surname has a Latin reference derived from the Latin word Forum which means iron mines. It can also have a geographical reference for people who are from an area of iron mines.

49. Fonseca

Fons in Latin means spring or can even refer to dry areas. And it also was used for people coming from dry areas.

50. Freitas

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Freitas in Portugal. It also refers to a broken road or broken stones.

51. Gaia

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Gaia in Portugal.

52. Gale

This surname is a Portuguese word that means warship, and it might have an occupational reference for mariner people.

53. Galioto

It refers to pirates in Portuguese.

54. Gama

Gama means deer in Portuguese, and this might also refer to people who were in the occupation of hunting deers.

55. Gandara

This surname had a geographical reference as it was used for someone who is from Gandra in Portugal. Gandra also means barren or dry land.

56. Graca

This is a surname that means merciful in Portuguese ad is used for religious people.

57. Guerreiro

This is a Portuguese word that means soldiers. It was also used for aggressive people.

58. Henriques

This surname is used for the sons of ruler Henry. This patriotic surname is used to refer to people from the royal family

59. Janota

The word means sleek or voguish in Portuguese.

60. Jeronimo

This is a surname which means refers to a sacred name.

61. Joaquim

Joaquim is a surname that means granted by The almighty.

62. Judice

This is another word that has an occupational reference and is used for people who walked as judges.

63. Junior

The meaning of this word is the younger one.

64. Lacerda

The Portuguese word means long hair or beautiful locks. This is a surname that was used for hairy people or people who have thick and long hair.

65. Lage

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from many places in Lage in Portugal. Lage refers to a flat slab of rock.

66. Lapa

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Lapa in Portugal.

67. Leite

The literal meaning of this world is milk, but this surname was used for people with a pale complexion.

68. Lessa

Lessa is also a toponymical surname that refers to people coming from a different place in Portugal.

69. Lima

It is a toponymic surname for those who inhabited a region along the banks of river Lima in Portugal.

70. Lomba

Lomba refers to the ridges and mountains. Hence, this is a surname that is used for people who come from hilly areas.

71. Lopes

Lope is a word that has been derived from the Latin word lupus, which means wolf.

72. Loureiro

This is a Portuguese word that means Laurel trees.

73. Louro

This surname was used for people with blonde or chestnut color hairs.

74. Lucio

This surname is originated from a Latin word that means light.

75. Machade

This word is of Portuguese origin, which means ax, and is an occupational reference used for labor.

76. Madeira

This word is of Portuguese origin, which means wood, and refers to people with carpentry as their occupation.

77. Magalhaes

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Maghales in Portugal

78. Magro

This is a surname which is used for thin people

79. Mata

This is a Portuguese word for woods and was used for people who live in woody areas or forests.

80. Medeiros

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Medeiros in Portugal.

81. Naves

This surname has also got a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Naves in Portugal.

82. Nazario

People from Nazareth in Israel are given this surname.

83. Nora

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Nora in Portugal.

84. Noronha

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Gandra in Spain.

85. Novo

This word means new in Portuguese.

86. Oliveira

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Oliveria in Portugal.

87. Orta

Horta is the original word from which this surname is derived, a small kitchen vegetable garden.

88. Pao

Pao is an occupational surname which is referred to people who are in the baking occupation.

89. Paredes

Parede is the original word from which this surname is derived and is used for people who live by wood.

90. Paula

Paul is the original Latin word from which this surname is derived. It means small and beautiful.

91. Pereira

This is a Portuguese word that means pear tree and is used for merchants of pear fruit or are engaged in pear farming.

92. Pestana

This word is of Portuguese origin, which refers to eyelashes and is used for thick lashes.

93. Pimenta

It is a Portuguese word that refers to peeper and is used for people engaged in selling or farming peppers.

94. Pinheiro

This Portuguese word means pine tree, and the surname is used for people who live by the forest of pine trees.

95. Pinto

Pinto stands for dark complexion in Portuguese. This surname might have historical importance in referring to a group of people with a dark complexion.

96. Ribeiro

This Portuguese word stands for brook and is used for people from a place near a brook.

97. Rios

Rios means river and is used for people living on river banks.

98. Rocha

Rocha means rock and is used for people who come from a rocky place.

99. Santa

This is a Portuguese word that means Maidens or female saint

100. Sarmento

This Portuguese word means Vine trees and is used for people who look physically tall and thin.

101. Sequeira

This is a surname with geographical importance and refers to arid land.

102. Sereno

This Portuguese word refers to calmness or serenity.

103. Sousa

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Sousa River in Portugal

104. Souto

This surname is used for people how lived by the grooves.

105. Texeira

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from a place rich in yew trees.

106. Trindade

This surname is used for people who are baptized during the trinity fest

107. Troia

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Triora in Portugal

108. Vala

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Vala in Portugal

109. Vara

This word means thin stick and is used for thin people as a nickname.

110. Vela

This surname had a geographical reference. It was used for someone who is from Vela in Portugal.

This list comprises the most commonly used surnames that are of Portuguese origin. Here is hoping that you found one that you like.