Portuguese American Surnames

Main contributor: Thomas MacEntee

Portuguese American genealogy spans multiple waves of immigration and unique naming conventions. From 19th-century whalers and Azorean farmers to 20th-century mainland Portuguese migrants, tracing these ancestors requires understanding surname variations, record types, and resources across two continents. This guide provides strategies and resources for researching Portuguese surnames in a U.S. context, covering all major immigration periods (Azorean, Madeiran, Continental, and post-20th century), key records, online/offline repositories, search tips, surname origins, and common challenges.

Historical Waves of Portuguese Immigration to the U.S.Historical Waves of Portuguese Immigration to the U.S.

Portuguese immigration to the United States occurred in distinct phases, each impacting family research:

Early Arrivals (19th Century): Small numbers of Portuguese sailors and whalers settled in New England as early as the 1840s. By the late 19th century, larger groups arrived, establishing communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Many of these immigrants hailed from the Azores and Madeira (Atlantic islands of Portugal) seeking work in whaling, textile mills, and farms. In Hawaii (not yet a U.S. state), over 15,000 Madeiran and Azorean laborers arrived between 1878–1911 to work on sugar plantations, with entire families emigrating for better opportunities.
Early 20th Century: Portuguese immigration continued into the early 1900s, including both islanders and people from mainland Portugal. Communities grew in New England (especially New Bedford, Fall River, Providence) and California (San Francisco Bay Area and Central Valley) where Portuguese—often Azoreans—worked in agriculture and dairies. These immigrants typically maintained strong Catholic traditions and tight-knit communities.
Mid-20th Century & Later: After World War II, new waves included refugees from natural disasters (e.g. the 1957 Azorean volcanic eruption on Faial) and post-colonial migrants. The U.S. Immigration Act of 1965 ended quotas, prompting a surge of Portuguese arrivals, including many from mainland Portugal and from African colonies (Angola, Mozambique) who had Portuguese citizenship. Late 20th-century and 21st-century Portuguese immigrants continued to arrive, though in smaller numbers, often pursuing professional opportunities. Today, Portuguese American descendants are found nationwide, with concentrations in states like Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California, New Jersey, and Hawaii.

Surname Variations and Naming CustomsSurname Variations and Naming Customs

Portuguese surnames present special considerations for genealogists due to naming customs and Anglicization:

Traditionally, children receive multiple surnames – usually the last names of both parents – preserving maternal and paternal lines. For example, a child might carry two surnames such as Garcia da Rosa (Garcia from one parent, Rosa from the other). In records, sometimes only one part was used, or the order might vary. Be aware that prepositions like da, de, do, dos (meaning "of the") are part of Portuguese surnames (e.g. da Silva, dos Santos). In American records these may be dropped or merged (e.g. Jose da Silva might appear as Jose Silva or Joseph DaSilva). Always search with and without these particles.
Spelling variations and Anglicization are common. Many Portuguese immigrants adjusted their names to English equivalents or phonetic spellings to assimilate or aid pronunciation. For instance, João often became John, and José became Joseph. Surnames underwent changes too: genealogists have found Machado changed to Marshall and Pereira to Perry in America. An immigrant named Oliveira might be recorded as Oliver, and Rodrigues could appear as Rodriguez (the Spanish spelling) in U.S. documents. Some cases were simple translations – e.g., Barros (Portuguese for “clay”) was changed to Clay. Keep an eye out for these equivalents when searching.
Clerical and Census errors: Due to language barriers and accents, officials often misspelled Portuguese names. Enumerators or clerks wrote names as they sounded, leading to unexpected variants. For example, one family’s surname Machado was misheard and listed as "Marsh" in a 1920 U.S. census, even misidentifying the Portuguese family as Irish. Such errors mean researchers should use wildcards and flexible search strategies (e.g., soundex or starting letters) to capture alternate spellings.
Surname origins: Understanding the meaning of a surname can provide context. Many Portuguese surnames are toponyms or descriptive terms. For example, Silva – one of the most common surnames – means “forest” or “woodland” in Latin. Pereira means “pear tree,” indicating a family living near pear trees. Patronymic surnames are also prevalent, often ending in -es/-ez meaning “son of” (e.g., Fernandes = son of Fernando, akin to Spanish Fernández). Recognizing these origins can help differentiate surnames and guide searches for name variants (e.g., a Pereira might also be recorded as Perry).

Key Record Types for Portuguese-American AncestryKey Record Types for Portuguese-American Ancestry

Researching Portuguese American families involves standard U.S. genealogical records, with attention to details that point back to Portugal. Key record types include:

Passenger Immigration Lists: Ship manifests are a cornerstone for immigrants’ arrival details. Starting in 1820, U.S. customs passenger lists (1820–1890s) and later immigration manifests (1891–1950s) recorded names, ages, origins and destinations. Portuguese immigrants appear in major port records – e.g. New York (Castle Garden 1855–1891, Ellis Island 1892–1924), Boston, Providence, San Francisco, Honolulu, etc. These lists often note the origin country (usually “Portugal” or sometimes the specific island, like “Azores”) and after 1907 included the name/address of a relative in the homeland. Example: a 1910 manifest shows Manuel Garcia da Rosa’s family from Pico, Azores, listing his father in Candelária, Pico and destination in Brooklyn. Search online databases like the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild and one-step tools for Ellis Island (Stephen Morse’s website). Additionally, specialized databases focus on Portuguese voyages: for instance, Portugueseancestry.com and the Portuguese Passenger Ship Master List compiled by Doug da Rocha Holmes index many Azorean/Madeiran immigrants.
Naturalization Records: Many Portuguese became U.S. citizens, and their naturalization papers are rich sources. Declarations of Intention and Petitions (especially after 1906 when records standardized) list birthdate, birthplace (often the exact town in Azores/Madeira/Portugal), and original name. If your ancestor Americanized their name, the naturalization certificate or petition may note the original name and the new adopted name. These records can be found at the National Archives (NARA) regional facilities or via USCIS. If a Portuguese immigrant was alive in 1940 and not yet a citizen, also consider Alien Registration Forms (AR-2) from 1940–1944. Under the Alien Registration Act, non-citizens registered and these forms (obtainable through USCIS Genealogy Program) include arrival details, birth place, and even naturalization attempts. They can confirm an immigrant’s Portuguese origins and U.S. residence when other records are missing.
Census Records: U.S. federal censuses (every 10 years) are key to tracking Portuguese families over time. Census entries typically state each person’s place of birth (e.g. “Portugal” or sometimes specific like “Azores” or “Madeira”), immigration year, and if naturalized. In 1910, 1920, 1930 censuses, look at the immigration year and mother tongue or parentage columns – some enumerators wrote “Port[uguese]” or the island name. Due to surname spelling issues, search creatively: a family might be indexed under an unexpected spelling (as noted, Silva could be under “Sylva” or Sousa as “Souza”). City directories and state censuses (where available) also help locate Portuguese households; for example, Lowell, MA directories showed no Silva in 1884 but dozens by 1910 due to the influx.
Vital Records (Birth, Marriage, Death): Once Portuguese ancestors settled in the U.S., they generated local vital records. Birth and death certificates in the U.S. (especially 20th century) often list parental names and birthplaces. A Massachusetts death record might say an ancestor was born in “São Miguel, Azores,” providing a crucial clue. Marriage records are especially valuable: church marriage registers in ethnic Portuguese parishes or civil marriage licenses may list the exact town of birth of bride and groom, parents’ names, and sometimes in the original Portuguese. For earlier immigrants (19th century) before state-wide vital registration, church records are vital: many Portuguese were Catholic, so seek out marriage, baptism, and burial entries in Catholic parish registers in areas with Portuguese communities. These might be recorded in Latin or English; in some cases, Portuguese-language notes appear if the priest or community was Portuguese.
Catholic Church Records (U.S. & Portugal): Because civil registration in Portugal only became mandatory in 1911, church records are key for events in the home country. In the U.S., identify if your ancestors attended a Portuguese national parish (for example, parishes founded specifically for Portuguese immigrants in New England, California, or Hawaii). Those parish archives might contain records in Portuguese and information like the immigrant’s original parish. Overseas, to trace further back, you’ll use baptism, marriage, and burial registers from Portugal (including Azores/Madeira). Many of these are now digitized or microfilmed – for instance, the FamilySearch Library has microfilmed numerous Azorean and Madeiran parish books. Records in Portuguese can be challenging, but genealogical word lists and translation guides are available. A key tip: know the exact hometown (freguesia/town and concelho/council) of your ancestor before diving into Portuguese archives.
Military and Draft Records: If your Portuguese American ancestor served or registered for the U.S. military, those records can be informative. World War I Draft Registration Cards (1917-1918) recorded every male age 18–45, including many Portuguese aliens. These cards list date of birth, citizenship status, and often the place of birth (e.g. “Horta, Azores” or just “Portugal”). Similarly, World War II draft registrations (including the 1942 “Old Man’s Draft” for men 45-64) can list birthplace and a contact person (often a relative). If the ancestor served in the military, service records or pension files could note birthplace and immigration details. Don’t overlook state militia records or earlier conflicts – a few Portuguese immigrants served in the U.S. Civil War or Spanish-American War. Military records, accessible via NARA or state archives, can corroborate naturalization status (since citizenship was sometimes required for enlistment in earlier eras) and give personal details.
Fraternal and Community Records: Portuguese immigrants often formed mutual aid societies and clubs. In states like California and Massachusetts, organizations such as the União Portuguesa do Estado da California (UPEC) or Portuguese Holy Ghost Irmandades (I.D.E.S./I.D.E.S.) kept membership ledgers and death benefit records. These fraternal society records list members’ names, dates of admission, hometown (often the village or island of origin), and in death claims, the date and proof of death. If your ancestor joined a Portuguese benevolent society, those archives (sometimes held by the society or local libraries) can be genealogical gold. Similarly, Portuguese-language newspapers published in American cities (e.g. Jornal Português in California or Diário de Notícias in New England) carried community news, marriage notices, and obituaries that might mention an immigrant’s exact hometown.

Online Genealogy Resources (U.S. and Portugal)Online Genealogy Resources (U.S. and Portugal)

Researching Portuguese American roots is greatly aided by online databases and digitized records:

MyHeritage – A global genealogy platform with robust collections for both the U.S. and Portugal. MyHeritage’s search can handle name variants and even has a dedicated surname search tool. You can find U.S. censuses, passenger lists, naturalizations, and also Portuguese records (civil and church). MyHeritage’s international reach is useful for connecting with distant relatives in Portugal, Brazil, or elsewhere who might be researching the same surnames.
FamilySearch – The free FamilySearch.org has extensive Portuguese records and U.S. immigration records. Its Portugal Genealogy wiki and catalog provide links to digitized parish registers, civil registrations, and passport (passaporte) records from archives. FamilySearch also hosts Azores parish records and Madeira records (some indexed, many browsable) – check the “Portugal, [District] Church Records” collections. The FamilySearch Portuguese Genealogical Word List and letter-writing guide help if you need to request documents from Portugal. For U.S. research, FamilySearch offers passenger list indexes, naturalization indexes, and more, often overlapping with MyHeritage data but free of charge.
U.S. National Archives (NARA) – NARA’s online resources include databases like AAD (for alien registrations and WWII records) and the Catalog where you can find immigration manifests and naturalization documents. Many Portuguese arrivals to New York or Boston are indexed in NARA’s microfilms (which can be accessed via sites like MyHeritage). NARA’s regional archives in Boston, New York, San Francisco, etc., hold original records relevant to local Portuguese communities (e.g., court naturalizations). The USCIS Genealogy Program (online) is essential for 20th-century immigration files, including A-Files and the above-mentioned Alien Registration Forms.
Portuguese Archives Online: Portugal’s archives have embraced digitization. The Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo and district archives have put millions of images of historical records online. For example, the Azores Archives (Cultura Açores) host a portal with Azorean parish registers and emigration documents like passaporte applications. The regional archive of Madeira (Arquivo Regional da Madeira) offers a database of baptisms, marriages, and passports for Madeira – searchable on their website. Many of these sites are in Portuguese; use Google Translate or guides to navigate. The FamilySearch wiki page "Portugal Online Genealogy Records" provides direct links to these resources.
Genealogy Societies & Forums: Tap into the Portuguese genealogy community. The Azores GenWeb and online forums (like Genealogy.com or GenForum’s Portugal board) allow you to post surname queries and find others researching the same families. There are also Facebook groups and mailing lists dedicated to Azorean or Madeiran ancestry. Portuguese genealogical databases created by hobbyists can be useful: for example, Doug da Rocha Holmes’ website offers compiled marriage databases for certain islands (Terceira, Pico) and a master index of Portuguese names. Collaborative family tree sites and DNA matching (through MyHeritage, etc.) can also help connect with cousins who might have information or family records.

Offline and Community ResourcesOffline and Community Resources

Not all records are online, and local resources remain important:

Parish Archives (Portugal): If your research takes you across the Atlantic, consider contacting the local parish church or diocesan archive in your ancestor’s hometown. Older baptism, marriage, and death registers (pre-1900s) might still be held locally if not yet transferred to district archives. Write in Portuguese if possible (using a letter-writing template) and include details like name and exact date. Keep in mind civil registry offices in Portugal hold records from 1911 onward (or 1870s for non-Catholics) – if not available online, a written request to the Conservatória do Registo Civil in the municipality can procure birth, marriage, or death certificates.
Local Civil Records (U.S.): For Portuguese immigrant families in the U.S., check county courthouses and town clerk offices for vital records that may not be online. For example, a city like New Bedford, MA or San Jose, CA might have marriage licenses, probate files, or deeds for Portuguese residents. These can reveal original names and relationships. City archives or state archives (like the Massachusetts Archives or Hawaii State Archives) may have immigration-related records – for instance, Massachusetts kept records of aliens who filed intentions at local courts, and Hawaii archives have passenger lists and plantation contract records of Portuguese laborers.
Historical and Genealogical Societies: There are dedicated groups preserving Portuguese heritage. The American Portuguese Genealogical and Historical Society (APGHS) in New England and the Portuguese Genealogical Society of Hawaii are examples. Such organizations often maintain libraries of genealogies, surname files, and translated records. They may publish newsletters or databases of local Portuguese baptisms and marriages extracted from church registers. Visiting or contacting these societies can provide leads not found elsewhere. Similarly, local historical societies in areas with Portuguese populations sometimes hold oral histories, family papers, or photographs of early settlers.
Ethnic Libraries and Archives: Universities and public libraries in Portuguese-American hubs have special collections. For instance, the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives at UMass Dartmouth and the Portuguese American Digital Archive (PADA) at UMass Lowell curate immigrant letters, newspapers, and documents. These collections can give cultural context and even mention individuals. Public libraries in cities like Newark (NJ) or San Leandro (CA) might have Portuguese newspaper archives or books on community history. Don’t overlook museums like the Portuguese Historical Museum in San Jose, CA or the New Bedford Whaling Museum, which cover Portuguese contributions and might assist with research.
Churches and Cemetery Records: Visit or contact Catholic parishes founded by Portuguese immigrants; they may still have early membership lists or sacramental registers not yet transferred to archives. Cemeteries where Portuguese were buried (often Catholic cemeteries) can provide clues – family plots and gravestone inscriptions sometimes preserve original spellings of names or include Portuguese inscriptions (which can confirm an Azorean accent or island). Tombstone birthplaces are rare but not unheard of. Also, mortuary records or funeral home records in ethnic enclaves might list birthplaces and next of kin.

Search Tips and Common ChallengesSearch Tips and Common Challenges

Researching Portuguese American ancestry can be rewarding but comes with challenges. Keep these tips in mind:

Identify the Hometown: Almost all research pivots on discovering the exact origin in Portugal (mainland or specific island). Use U.S. records (naturalizations, passenger lists, marriage records, obituaries, draft cards) to find a town name. It might be recorded in English (e.g. St. Michael for São Miguel Island, or Funchal, Madeira). Once you have a place, you can directly search Portuguese archives for that locale.
Name Flexibility: As highlighted, be flexible with surname spellings. Search databases using wildcard characters (e.g., “Mart” for Martins/Martinez, or “Sou” for Sousa/Souza). Try both original Portuguese and possible Anglicized versions of names. If an ancestor adopted a different surname (like a translation), you may need to search under that name in later records. Also consider they might have used middle names or nicknames in the U.S. (e.g., Manuel Joaquim Pereira might appear as Joaquim Pereira or Manuel Pereira in different records).
Language and Translation: Many Portuguese records are in Portuguese or Latin. Familiarize yourself with key terms (batismo = baptism, casamento = marriage, óbito = death) and common abbreviations. Use the FamilySearch Portuguese word list. When browsing handwritten records, note that older Portuguese script can be tricky – look for patterns in family names and practice reading a few entries to spot your surnames. If needed, seek help from online forums by sharing a snippet for translation.
Leverage Family and Community Clues: Portuguese immigrants often migrated in groups. If you can’t find information on your direct ancestor, research their siblings, cousins, or neighbors from the same village. They might appear as witnesses in each other’s records or travel together. Pay attention to others listed on ship manifests with the same last name or from the same “freguesia” (parish) – they could be relatives. Within Portuguese communities, marriages often occurred among families from the same island, so community histories can be revealing.
Overcoming Brick Walls: Common challenges include patronymic naming (an ancestor might use one of several surnames at different times), illegibility of old records, and missing documentation due to historical gaps. If church records are missing, look for substitute sources like Portuguese civil “passaporte” registers – these exit passport records (some start in late 19th century) list emigrants’ names, ages, parents, and destination. The Family History Library filmed Madeira’s passport registers and the Azores archives have digitized many of theirs. Such records can be a workaround if passenger lists or parish records don’t survive.
Persistence and Collaboration: Finally, connect with others. Given the relative rarity of Portuguese surnames in America, there’s a good chance that DNA matches or surname study groups can link you to distant cousins who have pieces of the puzzle. Portuguese genealogy can be complex, but by using the full range of resources – from Ellis Island manifests to church baptismal books in the Azores – and being patient with spelling quirks, you can uncover the rich story of your Portuguese American family.

Explore more about Portuguese American surnamesExplore more about Portuguese American surnames

Azores GenWeb
https://www.azoresgenweb.org/
Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives https://lib.umassd.edu/archives/paa/
Portuguese American Digital Archive https://www.uml.edu/research/pada/
Portuguese Historical Museum https://portuguesemuseum.org/

References

Portuguese American Surnames

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