70+ Popular & Unique Portuguese Surnames

Learn about Portuguese naming traditions

Co-authored by Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: December 11, 2025 Fact Checked

Common

|

Rare

|

Patronymic

|

Occupational

|

Naming Traditions

|

Tips

Portugal is a country full of rich history and culture, and a lot of that culture can be seen in Portuguese last names. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of common and rare Portuguese names and their meanings, and we’ll also explain some common naming traditions, like why Portuguese people often have multiple last names. Keep reading to learn all about Portuguese surnames.

Popular Last Names in Portugal

Carvalho (meaning “oak”)
Cruz (meaning “from the cross”)
De Sousa (meaning “from Sousa”)
Martins (meaning “of Mars”)
Silva (meaning “forest or woodland”)

Section 1 of 5:

Common Portuguese Last Names

Portuguese surnames have a rich history. They often reflect a person’s family history, culture, and identity, as well as the country’s history of exploration and geography. Here are some of the most common Portuguese names:^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Afonso (meaning “noble and ready”)
- Barbosa (meaning “a place full of green plants”)
- Borges (meaning “a person from Bourges, France”)
- Carvalho (meaning “oak”)^{[2]
  X
  Research source}
- Castro (meaning “castle or fortification”)
- Costa (meaning “from the coast”)
- Cruz (meaning “from the cross”)
- De Sousa (meaning “a person from Sousa”)
- Dos Santos (meaning “a person who has been baptized”)
- Gomes (meaning “man”)
- Martins (meaning “of Mars”)^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- Oliveira (meaning “of the olive tree”)^{[4]
  X
  Research source}
- Pedro (meaning “the rock”)
- Pinto (meaning “dark complexion”)
- Ramos (meaning “ram, lusty man”)
- Ribeiro (meaning “small creek”)
- Rios (meaning “river”)
- Silva (meaning “forest or woodland”)
- Souza (meaning “a person from Sousa”)
- Tomas (meaning “twin”)

Section 2 of 5:

Rare & Unique Portuguese Last Names

Some Portuguese last names are commonly used in other countries, like the United States or Brazil. Others, however, may be unfamiliar to those outside of Portugal. Here are some unique surnames you may not have heard of:
- Albuquerque (meaning “white oak”)
- Almeida (meaning “the city”)
- Calvo (meaning “bald”)
- Camacho (meaning “crooked, twisted”)
- Cardoso (meaning “thorny”)
- Crespo (meaning “curly”)
- Cunha (meaning “wedge”)
- Delgado (meaning “thin”)
- Espindola (meaning “a person from Genoa, Italy”)
- Fonseca (meaning “dried well”)
- Freitas (meaning “broken”)
- Gama (meaning “fallow deer doe”)
- Guerra (meaning “war”)
- Lobo (meaning “wolf”)
- Mata (meaning “woods”)
- Pacheco (meaning “noble one”)
- Pereira (meaning “pear tree”)^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
- Rocha (meaning “rock or boulder”)
- Teixeira (meaning “a person who lives near yew trees”)
- Vara (meaning “thin as a stick”)
- Curious if you have a rare last name? Try our “Family Name Analyzer” to find out!

Section 3 of 5:

Patronymic Portuguese Last Names

Patronymic names are names derived from the given name of an ancestor, often a father. These last names signify lineage and familial connection and are common in Portugal and Portuguese-speaking countries. Here are some examples:
- Alves (meaning “son of Alvaro”)
- Antunes (meaning “son of Antonio”)
- Dias (meaning “son of Diogo”)^{[6]
  X
  Research source}
- Esteves (meaning “son of Steve”)
- Fernandez (meaning “son of Fernando”)
- Gonçalves (meaning “son of Gonçalo”)
- Henriques (meaning “son of Henrique”)
- Lopes (meaning “son of Lopo”)^{[7]
  X
  Research source}
- Marques (meaning “son of Marcos”)
- Martins (meaning “son of Martim”)
- Mendes (meaning “son of Meno”)
- Pires (meaning “son of Pedro”)
- Ramires (meaning “son of Ramiro”)
- Rodrigues (meaning “son of Rodrigo”)
- Simões (meaning “son of Simão”)
- Soares (meaning “son of Suero”)

Section 4 of 5:

Portuguese Last Names Inspired by Occupation

Centuries ago, when last names first came into use, they were often inspired by a person’s occupation as an easy way to differentiate between people. Even if a certain occupation no longer exists, these names were passed down and now hint at a person’s ancestry. Here are some examples:
- Barreto (meaning “hatmaker”)
- Barros (meaning “clay, mud;” likely a name for a builder)
- Cabral (meaning “goat farmer”)
- Carreira (meaning “carter”)
- Coelho (meaning “rabbits or bunnies;” possibly the name used for a hunter)
- Correia (meaning “leather strap, belt;” a name for a leatherworker)
- Da Luz (meaning “lady of the night”)
- Farinha (meaning “miller, flour merchant”)
- Ferreira (meaning “ironmonger or blacksmith”)^{[8]
  X
  Research source}
- Gale (meaning “shipwright, mariner”)
- Judice (meaning “judge”)
- Machado (meaning “hatchet,” a name for someone who made hatchets)
- Madeira (meaning “carpenter”)
- Pao (meaning “bread, baker”)
- Sala (meaning “worker at a manor house”)
- Santos (meaning “saint, holy”)

Section 5 of 5:

Portuguese Naming Traditions

Many Portuguese people have two or more last names. By law, a Portuguese person can have a total of 6 names: 2 first names and 4 last names. This is because last names are taken from both sides of the family. Women commonly keep their maiden name when they get married and add their spouse’s last name to the end. Here are some other interesting facts about Portuguese names:^{[9]
X
Research source}
- While America uses a 3-name system (first, middle, and last), the Portuguese categorize names only into first and last.
- In Portugal, baby names are regulated by law and must be chosen from an approved list of names. Parents are not allowed to give their baby a name from the opposite gender.
- Portuguese surnames come from various languages and have a strong Spanish influence. They’re commonly found in the United States, Brazil, and other parts of Europe and South America.
- When a child has a compound surname, their father’s is usually the first, and their mother’s is usually the second.

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Interested in learning about the origins of other surnames? Check out our articles on Italian, Cuban, Filipino, and Dutch last names!

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0