170+ Popular Brazilian Last Names or Surnames & Their Meanings/Origin

Brazil is a vibrant melting pot of cultures, and its last names reflect a rich blend of Portuguese, Indigenous, African, German, Italian, and other influences. Whether you’re researching your family history, naming a character in a story, or just curious about Brazilian surnames, this list will guide you through some of the most common and meaningful ones.

Let’s explore these surnames by their origins and meanings; each one tells a story of heritage, occupation, or even a personal trait passed down through generations.

Portuguese-Inspired Surnames

Since Brazil was colonized by Portugal, many last names have Portuguese roots. These often reflect occupations, geographical origins, or personal characteristics.

A. Occupational Surnames

1. Ferreira – Means “blacksmith” (from ferro, meaning “iron”).
2. Carvalho – Means “oak tree,” possibly referring to someone who lived near one or worked with oak wood.
3. Silva – Derived from Latin silva, meaning “forest” or “woods.”
4. Barros – Refers to “clay” or “mud,” possibly linked to pottery or brick-making.
5. Pereira – Means “pear tree,” likely indicating someone who owned or lived near one.
6. Costa – Means “coast,” for families from coastal regions.
7. Ribeiro – Means “small river” or “stream.”
8. Marques – Means “marquis,” a noble title.
9. Gonçalves – Derived from the name Gonçalo, meaning “battle genius.”
10. Martins – Son of Martim (Martin), meaning “warlike.”

B. Patronymic (Based on Father’s Name)

11. Fernandes – Son of Fernando (“brave traveler”).
12. Rodrigues – Son of Rodrigo (“famous ruler”).
13. Lopes – Son of Lopo (derived from Latin lupus, meaning “wolf”).
14. Nunes – Son of Nuno (“ninth child” or “grandfather”).
15. Dias – Son of Diego (from Didacus, meaning “teacher”).
16. Vieira – Means “scallop shell,” associated with the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.
17. Alves – Means “son of Álvaro” (“elf warrior”).
18. Sousa – From the Latin saxa, meaning “stones” or “rocky place.”
19. Teixeira – Means “yew tree,” associated with woodworkers.
20. Mendes – Son of Mendo (short for Hermenegildo, meaning “complete sacrifice”).

Indigenous & Nature-Inspired Surnames

Brazil’s native heritage also influenced surnames, often linked to nature or tribal names.

21. Tupinambá – An Indigenous tribe name.
22. Guarani – Another Indigenous group.
23. Jaci – Means “moon” in Tupi-Guarani.
24. Araújo – Possibly from a place name meaning “fertile land.”
25. Caetano – Derived from caeté, meaning “virgin forest.”
26. Jatobá – A type of Brazilian tree.
27. Pindorama – An old Indigenous name for Brazil, meaning “land of palm trees.”

African-Influenced Surnames

Many Brazilians have surnames tracing back to enslaved Africans or Afro-Brazilian culture.

28. Oliveira – Means “olive tree,” common among Portuguese and Afro-Brazilians.
29. Santos – Means “saints,” often adopted by formerly enslaved people.
30. Nascimento – Means “birth,” sometimes given to children born on Christmas.
31. Barbosa – Means “bearded,” possibly referring to a physical trait.
32. Cardoso – From cardo, meaning “thistle,” possibly a locational name.
33. Machado – Means “axe,” possibly an occupational name.
34. Andrade – Of Galician origin, meaning “from Andrade” (a place name).
35. Xavier – Means “new house” or “bright.”
36. Quaresma – Means “Lent,” possibly given to children born during this period.

Italian & Spanish Influences

With European immigration, many Italian and Spanish surnames became common.

A. Italian Surnames

37. Bianchi – Means “white.”
38. Romano – Means “from Rome.”
39. Ferrari – Means “blacksmith.”
40. Ricci – Means “curly-haired.”
41. Moretti – Means “dark-skinned” or “Moorish.”
42. Santoro – Means “holy gold.”
43. Russo – Means “red-haired” or “Russian.”
44. Lombardi – From Lombardy, a region in Italy.
45. Marino – Means “of the sea.”

B. Spanish Surnames

46. García – Means “bear.”
47. Rodríguez – Son of Rodrigo.
48. López – Son of Lope (“wolf”).
49. Hernández – Son of Hernando (“brave traveler”).
50. González – Son of Gonzalo (“battle genius”).

German & Eastern European Surnames

Brazil received many German, Polish, and Ukrainian immigrants, especially in the south.

51. Schmidt – Means “smith.”
52. Müller – Means “miller.”
53. Weber – Means “weaver.”
54. Becker – Means “baker.”
55. Wagner – Means “wagon maker.”
56. Kowalski – Polish for “blacksmith.”
57. Silva – Also common among German-Brazilians.
58. Petrov – Of Slavic origin, meaning “son of Peter.”

Religious & Virtue-Based Surnames

Many surnames reflect faith or moral qualities.

59. Santos – “Saints.”
60. Cruz – “Cross.”
61. Jesus – Referring to Jesus Christ.
62. Paz – “Peace.”
63. Graça – “Grace.”
64. Bento – “Blessed.”
65. Anjos – “Angels.”
66. Espírito Santo – “Holy Spirit.”

Unique & Uncommon Brazilian Surnames

Some surnames stand out for their rarity or interesting meanings.

67. Bandeira – “Flag.”
68. Luz – “Light.”
69. Ventura – “Fortune” or “luck.”
70. Dourado – “Golden.”
71. Flores – “Flowers.”
72. Paz – “Peace.”
73. Solano – “Sunny.”
74. Neves – “Snows.”
75. Veloso – “Hairy” or “shaggy.”

Geographical & Locational Surnames

Many Brazilian surnames come from places; towns, rivers, or landscapes that ancestors once called home.

76. Aragão – Refers to the region of Aragon in Spain.
77. Bezerra – From bezerro (calf), possibly linked to cattle-raising regions.
78. Braga – A city in northern Portugal.
79. Campos – Means “fields” or “plains.”
80. Castro – Means “castle,” from Latin castrum.
81. Faria – A town in northern Portugal.
82. Gama – Possibly from the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.
83. Leão – Means “lion,” but also a town in Portugal.
84. Macedo – Means “apple orchard.”
85. Monteiro – Means “mountain dweller.”
86. Porto – Means “port,” for families from coastal cities.
87. Serra – Means “mountain range.”
88. Siqueira – From a Galician place name.
89. Tavares – A village in northern Portugal.
90. Viana – A city in northern Portugal.

Noble & Aristocratic Surnames

Some surnames hint at noble ancestry, often tied to medieval Portugal.

91. Albuquerque – From the Latin albus quercus (“white oak”).
92. Azevedo – Means “holly tree,” linked to noble families.
93. Brito – Short for Brito e Almeida, a noble lineage.
94. Couto – Means “protected land,” often held by nobles.
95. Dantas – From d’Antas, referring to a noble family.
96. Gouveia – A noble surname from central Portugal.
97. Henriques – Son of Henrique (Henry), a royal name.
98. Lima – A noble family name, also a river in Portugal.
99. Mello – From Melo, a noble Portuguese house.
100. Noronha – A prestigious surname tied to Portuguese royalty.

Surnames Based on Physical Traits or Nicknames

Some surnames started as personal descriptions; whether for appearance or personality.

101. Branco – Means “white” (could refer to hair or complexion).
102. Moreno – Means “dark-skinned” or “brunette.”
103. Ruivo – Means “red-haired.”
104. Pereira – Besides meaning “pear tree,” it could reference someone sturdy.
105. Magalhães – Means “from Magalhães,” but also linked to explorers (like Ferdinand Magellan).
106. Franco – Means “free” or “honest.”
107. Valente – Means “brave.”
108. Forte – Means “strong.”
109. Pinto – Means “spotted” or “colorful,” like a rooster.
110. Crespo – Means “curly-haired.”

Occupational Surnames (Continued)

Many surnames reflect ancestral jobs; here are more fascinating examples.

111. Almeida – Possibly from almedina (“the citadel”).
112. Araújo – Linked to land ownership or farming.
113. Borges – Means “fortified town.”
114. Canejo – Possibly related to canejo (a type of reed).
115. Correia – Means “leather strap,” possibly for a belt-maker.
116. Falcão – Means “falcon,” perhaps for a falconer.
117. Ferreira – As mentioned earlier, “blacksmith.”
118. Marinho – Means “sailor.”
119. Pacheco – Possibly from pax (“peace”), a mediator.
120. Queiroz – Means “from Queirós,” a place name.

Surnames from Brazilian History & Folklore

Some names carry legendary or historical weight.

121. Cabral – After Pedro Álvares Cabral, the explorer who “discovered” Brazil.
122. Tiradentes – A nickname for Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, a national hero.
123. Andrada – Linked to José Bonifácio de Andrada, a key figure in Brazil’s independence.
124. Barão – Means “baron,” referencing nobility.
125. Duarte – A royal Portuguese name.
126. Vargas – From Getúlio Vargas, a former Brazilian president.
127. Rocha – Means “rock,” symbolizing strength.
128. Sampaio – A historical surname tied to Portuguese settlers.
129. Tavares – Linked to early colonial leaders.
130. Vasconcelos – A noble surname with deep roots in Brazil.

Rare & Unusual Brazilian Surnames

Some surnames are less common but rich in meaning.

131. Belchior – Means “king’s gift.”
132. Cajueiro – Means “cashew tree.”
133. Dorneles – Of Germanic origin, meaning “thorny.”
134. Esperança – Means “hope.”
135. Faustino – Means “lucky.”
136. Girão – Means “large spinning wheel.”
137. Junqueira – Means “reed bed.”
138. Lobato – Means “wolf cub.”
139. Nogueira – Means “walnut tree.”
140. Olegário – Means “holy speaker.”

Surnames from Immigration Waves

Brazil welcomed immigrants from Lebanon, Japan, and beyond, adding to its surname diversity.

A. Japanese Surnames

141. Sato – Means “sugar wisteria.”
142. Suzuki – Means “bell tree.”
143. Takahashi – Means “high bridge.”
144. Tanaka – Means “rice field middle.”
145. Yamamoto – Means “base of the mountain.”

B. Arabic & Lebanese Surnames

146. Abrahão – Brazilian form of “Abraham.”
147. Haddad – Means “blacksmith.”
148. Maluf – Of Arabic origin, meaning “protected.”
149. Saad – Means “happiness.”
150. Zogbi – A Lebanese surname.

C. Jewish Surnames

151. Cohen – A priestly lineage in Judaism.
152. Levy – A Levite, a Jewish priestly class.
153. Stein – Means “stone.”
154. Goldenberg – Means “golden mountain.”
155. Rosenbaum – Means “rose tree.”

Fun & Playful Surnames

Some Brazilian surnames have quirky or whimsical origins.

156. Bem-Te-Vi – Named after a bird (like the kiskadee).
157. Pimentel – Means “pepper,” possibly for a spice trader.
158. Trindade – Means “trinity.”
159. Vereda – Means “path” or “trail.”
160. Xavier – As mentioned earlier, but also linked to Saint Francis Xavier.

Modern & Invented Surnames

Some families adopted or adapted surnames over time.

161. Brasil – Directly referencing Brazil.
162. Liberdade – Means “freedom.”
163. Novais – Means “new lands.”
164. Solar – Means “sunny” or “manor house.”
165. Ventania – Means “strong wind.”

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Final Thoughts

Brazilian surnames are like a tapestry of history, weaving together Indigenous roots, Portuguese colonization, African heritage, and European immigration. Whether your last name is Silva (the most common in Brazil), Santos, or something rare like Tupinambá, each carries a legacy worth exploring.

Did you find your surname here? Or do you have a unique family name with a special story? Share it in the comments; we’d love to hear about your heritage!

Obrigado for reading!