100 Cool Brazilian Last Names

Brazilian surnames and family names carry a wealth of history and cultural influence that reflect Brazil’s hybrid ancestry- indigenous, European, and African.

As a rule, these surnames are passed down through generations, which reflect Brazilian society’s diverse social and familial structures.

VolaExcept this, from the Portuguese roots of many common surnames to those derived from native tribes or Afro-Brazilian traditions, each name carries a narrative all its own.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of Brazilian last names, looking at their meanings, interpretations, and the ways they impact identity in one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world.

Brazilian last names

Silva – Derived from the Latin word “silva,” meaning “forest” or “wood,” common among Portuguese-speaking populations.

Souza – A variation of “Sousa,” which originates from the name of a river in Portugal.

Oliveira – Derived from “olive tree,” symbolizing peace and prosperity.

Costa – From “costa,” meaning “coast” in Portuguese, likely referring to people who lived near the coast.

Pereira – Meaning “pear tree” in Portuguese, a surname common in rural areas.

Lima – Likely derived from a location name in Portugal, meaning “lime tree.”

Rodrigues – A patronymic surname meaning “son of Rodrigo,” a common Spanish and Portuguese name.

Gomes – Derived from “gomes,” which can mean “man” or “man of war” in old Portuguese.

Martins – Derived from “Martin,” meaning “son of Martin,” a common name from Latin, meaning “warrior.”

Almeida – Likely derived from a place name, meaning “from the oak grove.”

Nunes – Derived from “nuno,” a personal name that means “noble.”

Barbosa – From a place name or referring to a type of thorny shrub or plant.

Dias – Derived from the Latin “dies,” meaning “day,” often indicating a person born during the day.

Castro – Refers to a fortified settlement or castle, originating from the Latin “castrum.”

Araujo – Likely of Galician origin, meaning “place of the oak trees.”

Carvalho – Means “oak,” symbolizing strength and endurance.

Mendes – A patronymic surname meaning “son of Mendo” or “son of the noble man.”

Figueira – Derived from “fig tree,” often associated with peace and wisdom.

Ribeiro – Refers to someone who lived by a river, derived from the Portuguese word for “stream.”

Teixeira – Meaning “hazel tree,” likely referring to someone who lived near hazel trees.

Bastos – Likely derived from “bast,” meaning a type of plant fiber.

Cavalcanti – Derived from the Italian word for “horseman,” indicating a rider or knight.

Peixoto – Refers to someone who lived by the fish ponds or worked with fish, derived from “peixe” (fish).

Pimentel – Derived from “pimenta,” meaning “pepper,” likely referring to a spice merchant.

Monteiro – Refers to a “woodman” or someone who lived in the mountains or forests.

Faria – Likely derived from “farm” or “estate,” referring to someone who worked on or owned land.

Tavares – A surname of Portuguese origin, meaning “dweller in the oak grove.”

Santos – Meaning “saints,” often indicating religious devotion or a connection to a particular saint.

Lopes – Derived from the Latin “lupus,” meaning “wolf,” indicating someone with strength or courage.

Viana – A geographical surname, referring to the town of Viana in Portugal.

Macedo – Likely derived from a place name, referring to someone from the region of Macedonia.

Cunha – A surname meaning “corner” or “bend,” often referring to someone who lived in a bend or corner of a road.

Magalhães – Derived from a place name, meaning “from the great rock” or “stone.”

Xavier – Of Basque origin, meaning “new house” or “bright.”

Morais – Refers to a place name, likely derived from a grove of mulberry trees.

– Likely derived from the Latin “saltus,” meaning “wooded valley,” referring to a geographical feature.

Gonçalves – Derived from the medieval name “Gonçalo,” meaning “battle” or “war.”

Vieira – Likely referring to a place where shellfish or oysters were abundant.

Frota – Meaning “fleet” or “ship,” likely indicating a family with naval connections.

Dantas – A surname derived from “dante,” meaning “enduring” or “steadfast.”

Borges – A surname of Iberian origin, possibly referring to a person from a region known for its hills or mountains.

Lima – Referring to the “lime tree” or potentially from the town of Lima in Portugal or Galicia.

Monteiro – A surname meaning “hunter,” referring to someone who lived in the mountains or worked as a hunter.

Brandão – Derived from “brando,” meaning “gentle” or “soft,” possibly referring to a peaceful or kind person.

Gonçalves – Meaning “son of Gonçalo,” a name with historical ties to the medieval knight who participated in the Reconquista.

Brito – Refers to a geographical origin, often associated with the region of Brito in Portugal.

Mota – Referring to a “mound” or “hill,” likely indicating a family from a hilly area.

Cunha – Derived from the Portuguese word for “corner,” referring to someone who lived at a corner of a road or town.

Paiva – Refers to someone from the Paiva river region, meaning “river” or “stream.”

Siqueira – Likely derived from the Portuguese word for “sword,” referring to a family of warriors.

Abreu – Likely of Portuguese origin, meaning “son of the priest” or “descendant of a priest.”

Cavalheiro – Derived from the word “cavalheiro,” meaning “knight” or “gentleman.”

Pinto – Derived from the Portuguese word for “painted” or “spotted,” possibly referring to someone with a distinctive appearance.

Lima – Referring to the “lime tree” or potentially from the town of Lima in Portugal or Galicia.

Telles – A surname derived from the Latin name “Tullius,” meaning “well-born.”

Reis – Meaning “kings,” typically associated with royal lineage or a connection to royalty.

Pereira – Derived from “pear tree,” symbolizing fertility or abundance.

Fontes – Referring to “springs” or “fountains,” often linked to someone who lived near a water source.

Souto – Derived from the word for “grove” or “forest,” referring to someone who lived near a wooded area.

Cordeiro – Meaning “lamb” in Portuguese, associated with innocence or purity.

Carneiro – Meaning “ram” or “sheep,” indicating a person with connections to livestock or rural life.

Paixão – Derived from the Portuguese word for “passion,” indicating a passionate or emotional character.

Lemos – Likely derived from the region of Lemos in Galicia, Spain.

Mendonça – A surname derived from the region of Mendonça, possibly indicating a family from a hilly area.

Barreto – Referring to a “small bar” or “pillar,” possibly indicating a family connected to construction or architecture.

Vargas – Referring to someone from a meadow or field, originating from the word “varga.”

– Derived from the word “saltus,” meaning “wooded valley,” indicating a family connected to a forested area.

Figueiredo – Derived from the Portuguese word for “fig tree,” symbolizing peace and wisdom.

Rezende – Referring to someone who lived near a “resende” or “spring,” a source of water.

Mello – Derived from the Latin word “mel,” meaning “honey,” often referring to someone with a sweet or pleasant disposition.

Cunha – Referring to a “corner” or “bend,” likely indicating a family from a specific geographical area.

Amorim – Derived from “amor,” meaning “love,” likely referring to a family known for their loving nature.

Zanetti – A surname of Italian origin, meaning “little John,” possibly referring to someone with the Christian name “John.”

Borges – Likely derived from a place name, referring to someone from a mountainous region.

Manso – Meaning “tame” or “gentle,” possibly referring to someone with a calm or mild temperament.

Silveira – Derived from the Latin word “silva,” meaning “forest,” likely referring to someone who lived near a forest.

Duarte – A name of Portuguese origin, meaning “wealthy guardian,” often associated with nobility.

Farias – Likely derived from “far” meaning “estate” or “land,” referring to someone who owned or worked on land.

Bandeira – Derived from “flag” or “banner,” often associated with someone who carried the banner of a particular cause or movement.

Ramos – Derived from “ramus,” meaning “branch,” referring to a family with many descendants or connections.

Matos – Meaning “bush” or “thicket,” likely referring to a family living near dense vegetation.

Pimenta – Derived from “pimento,” meaning “pepper,” associated with spice trading or farming.

Castro – Meaning “fortified settlement,” referring to someone from a castle or stronghold.

Moraes – Referring to a mulberry tree grove, symbolizing fertility or connection to agriculture.

Bastiani – Of Italian origin, meaning “son of Bastiano,” likely referring to a family with the Christian name “Bastian.”

Azevedo – Derived from “azevinho,” meaning “holly tree,” symbolizing protection and strength.

Aragão – Referring to someone from the region of Aragão, Spain.

Lopes – Derived from “lupus,” meaning “wolf,” symbolizing bravery or fierceness.

Lima – Meaning “lime tree,” symbolizing freshness and vitality.

Queiroz – Likely derived from a location name, meaning “oak tree.”

Tavares – Derived from a place name, referring to a person from Tavares in Portugal.

Duarte – Derived from “wealthy guardian” or “prosperous protector,” common in Portuguese nobility.

Sena – A surname possibly derived from “sena,” meaning “swamp,” or from a place name.

Nóbrega – Derived from “nobre,” meaning “noble,” referring to a family of noble lineage.

Veras – A surname meaning “truth” or “verity,” possibly indicating a family known for honesty.

Câmara – Derived from the Portuguese word for “chamber” or “room,” referring to a person with a connection to a noble or official position.

Galvão – Of medieval origin, meaning “battle” or “warrior,” associated with courage and valor.

Duarte – A name of noble origin, meaning “wealthy guardian” or “rich protector.”

Seabra – Refers to someone living by the sea, derived from the Latin word “saber,” meaning “shore.”

Siqueira – Likely derived from “sword,” symbolizing strength or military prowess.

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