Surname Origins of Portuguese surnames, Noble Portuguese surnames, Medieval Portuguese surnames, Distinguished Portuguese Surnames,  Portuguese Surname History and Histories, Surnames of Portuguese Royal Families, Jewish Portuguese Surnames, Surnames of Famous Portuguese Explorers Discoverers, Portuguese Discoveries,  Meanings of Portuguese Surnames, Sephardic Surnames from Portugal, Surnames of Portuguese Jews, Portugal Surnames, Surnames from Portugal, Surnames in Portugal, Surnames of Portuguese Origin, Surnames with Portuguese Roots, Surnames with Roots in Portugal, Surnames with Roots in Brazil, Surnames of Portuguese Families, Surnames of families from Portugal, Portuguese Origin of Brazilian Surnames, Brazilian Surnames, Surnames from Brazil, Brazilian Last Names, Last Names From Brazil, Portuguese Last Names, Last Names from Portugal,  Family Names from Portugal, Portuguese Family Names, Family Surnames from Portugal, Family Surnames of the Azores, Azorean Surnames, Surnames from Azores, Last Names from the Azores,  Portuguese Origin of Azorean  Surnames,  Roots of Portuguese Surnames, Famous Portugues Surnames, Famous Surnames from Portugal, Surnames Portugal, Surnames Brazil, Surnames Azores, Last Names Portugal, Last Names Brazil, Last Names Azores, Portuguese Surnames found in Portuguese Colonies.
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The Best Portuguese Crests / Coat of Arms Website !

Did you know that there may be family crests & coat of arms for your Portuguese surnames?
Find your roots! A family crest / coat of arms is a very important part of your family's
 heritage. Proudly display your own in your home by ordering today!
  
• Where did your surnames and coat of arms / crest originate? • Were they taken from a village name?
• Is your surname derived from an occupation, or an ancient landmark? • What were your
family titles? • Where in history are your surnames first recorded? • Who were the
namesakes in history who proudly bore your Portuguese family surname?

We have coat of arms available for the following Portuguese surnames:

 Abarca coat of arms Abarca, Abasto coat of arms Abasto, Abelha coat of arms Abelha, Abelho coat of arms Abelho, Aboim coat of arms Aboim, Abranches coat of arms Abranches,
Abreu coat of arms Abreu, Aça coat of arms Aça, Adarga coat of arms Adarga, Adorno coat of arms Adorno, Afonso coat of arms Afonso, Agra coat of arms Agra, Aguiã coat of arms Aguiã,
Aguiar coat of arms Aguiar, Aguilar coat of arms Aguilar, Aires coat of arms Aires, Alagoa coat of arms Alagoa, Alão coat of arms Alão, Alarcão coat of arms Alarcão,
Albergaria coat of arms Albergaria,Albernás coat of arms Albernás, Albornoz coat of arms Albornoz, Albuquerque coat of arms Albuquerque, Alcácova coat of arms Alcácova,
Alcoforado coat of arms Alcoforado, Aldana coat of arms Aldana, Alderete coat of arms Alderete, Alfaro coat of arms Alfaro, Alma coat of arms Alma, Almada coat of arms Almada,
Almansa coat of arms Almansa, Amaral coat of arms Amaral, Ambia coat of arms Ambia, Amorim coat of arms Amorim, Anaia coat of arms Anaia, Andrade coat of arms Andrade,
Angulo coat of arms Angulo, Antas coat of arms Antas, Antunes coat of arms Antunes, Aragão coat of arms Aragão, Aranha coat of arms Aranha, Arantes coat of arms Arantes,
Arca coat of arms Arca, Arco coat of arms Arco, Arelhano coat of arms Arelhano, Arrais coat of arms Arrais, Arriaga coat of arms Arriaga, Arroio coat of arms Arroio,
Ataide coat of arms Ataide, Atunes coat of arms Atunes, Araujo coat of arms Araujo, Arruda coat of arms Arruda, Avalos coat of arms Avalos, Avelar coat of arms Avelar,
Avila coat of arms Avila, Avilez coat of arms Avilez, Azambuja coat of arms Azambuja, Azeredo coat of arms Azeredo, Azevedo coat of arms Azevedo, Baião coat of armsBaião,
Bairros coat of arms Bairros, Bandeira coat of arms Bandeira, Baracho coat of arms Baracho, Barata coat of arms Barata, Barba coat of arms Barba, Barbedo coat of arms Barbedo,
Barbosa coat of arms Barbosa, Barbuda coat of arms Barbuda, Barradas coat of arms Barradas, Barreira coat of arms Barreira, Barreiros coat of arms Barreiros, Barreto coat of arms Barreto,
Barriga coat of arms Barriga, Barroso coat of arms Barroso, Bastos coat of arms Bastos, Batalha coat of arms Batalha, Batista coat of arms Batista, Beça coat of arms Beça,
Belém coat of arms Belém, Beleza coat of arms Beleza, Beltrão coat of arms Beltrão, Bem coat of arms Bem, Benavides coat of arms Benavides, Bento coat of arms Bento,
Bermudes coat of arms Bermudes, Bernardes coat of arms Bernardes, Berredo coat of arms Berredo, Bettencourt coat of arms Bettencourt, Bezzera coat of arms Bezzera,
Bicudo coat of arms Bicudo, Borges coat of arms Borges, Borgonha coat of arms Borgonha, Borja coat of arms Borja, Borralho coat of arms Borralho, Botafogo coat of arms Botafogo,
Botelho coat of arms Botelho, Brochado coat of arms Brochado, Braga coat of arms Braga, Bragança coat of arms Bragança, Brandão coat of arms Brandão, Bravo coat of arms Bravo,
Breves coat of arms Breves, Brito coat of arms Brito, Brum coat of arms Brum, Bulhões coat of arms Bulhões, Cabedo coat of arms Cabedo, Cabral coat of arms Cabral,
Cabrita coat of arms Cabrita, Cáceres coat of arms Cáceres, Caiado coat of arms Caiado, Calaça coat of arms Calaça, Calado coat of arms Calado, Caldas coat of arms Caldas,
Caldeira coat of arms Caldeira, Caldeirão coat of arms Caldeirão, Calheiros coat of arms Calheiros, Calvo coat of arms Calvo, Camacho coat of arms Camacho, Camanho coat of arms Camanho,
Camara coat of arms Camara, Camargo coat of arms Camargo, Camelo coat of arms Camelo, Caminha coat of arms Caminha, Camisão coat of arms Camisão, Camões coat of arms Camões,
Campelo coat of arms Campelo, Campo coat of arms Campo, Campos coat of arms Campos, Canelas coat of arms Canelas, Canto coat of arms Canto, Cão coat of arms Cão,
Cardim coat of arms Cardim, Cardoso coat of arms Cardoso, Carmona coat of arms Carmona, Carneiro coat of arms Carneiro, Carrasco coat of arms Carrasco, Carreira coat of arms Carreira,
Carreiro coat of arms Carreiro, Carriço coat of arms Carriço, Carrilho coat of arms Carrilho, Carvalhal coat of arms Carvalhal, Carvalho coat of arms Carvalho, Casado coat of arms Casado,
Casal coat of arms Casal, Castanho coat of arms Castanho, Castela coat of arms Castela, Castelo coat of arms Castelo, Castelo Branco coat of arms Castelo Branco, Castilho coat of arms Castilho,
Castro coat of arms Castro, Cavaleiro coat of arms Cavaleiro, Cerqueira coat of arms Cerqueira, Cerveira coat of arms Cerveira, Coca coat of arms Coca, Coelho coat of arms Coelho,
Cordeiro coat of arms Cordeiro, Cordes coat of arms Cordes, Cordovil coat of arms Cordovil, Correia coat of arms Correira, Corte-Real coat of arms Corte-Real, Costa coat of arms Costa,
Coutinho coat of arms Coutinho, Couto coat of arms Couto, Cunha coat of arms Cunha, Dias coat of arms Dias, Eça coat of arms Eça, Escudeiro coat of arms Escudeiro, Esmeraldo coat of arms Esmeraldo,
Espargosa coat of arms Espargosa, Espínola coat of arms Espínola, Espinosa coat of arms Espinosa, Esteves coat of arms Esteves, Faria coat of arms Faria, Feijo coat of arms Feijo,
Felgueiras coat of arms Felgueiras, Fernandes coat of arms Fernandes, Ferreira coat of arms Ferreira, Figueiredo coat of arms Figueiredo, Fonseca coat of arms Fonseca,
 Forjaz coat of arms Forjaz, Fraga coat of arms Fraga, França coat of arms França, Freire coat of arms Freire, Freitas coat of arms Freitas, Furtado coat of arms Furtado, 
Furtuoso coat of arms Furtuoso, Galego coat of arms Galego, Galhardo coat of arms Galhardo, Gama coat of arms Gama, Garcia coat of arms Garcia, Garrido coat of arms Garrido,
Gil coat of arms Gil, Girão coat of arms Girão, Gois coat of arms Gois, Gomes coat of arms Gomes, Gonçalves coat of arms Gonçalves, Gouveia coat of arms Gouveia,
Guardia coat of arms Guardia, Guedes coat of arms Guedes, Guerreiro coat of arms Guerreiro, Guindo coat of arms Guindo, Gusmão coat of arms Gusmão, Henriques coat of arms Henriques,
Herédia coat of arms Herédia, Homem coat of arms Homem, Horta coat of arms Horta, Lança coat of arms Lança, Lapenha coat of arms Lapenha, Leão coat of arms Leão,
Leite coat of arms Leite, Lencastre coat of arms Lencastre, Leote coat of arms Leote, Lima coat of arms Lima, Limpo coat of arms Limpo, Lobato coat of arms Lobato,
Lobo coat of arms Lobo, Lopes coat of arms Lopes, Loureiro coat of arms Loureiro, Lourenço coat of arms Lourenço, Lucena coat of arms Lucena, Macedo coat of arms Macedo,
Machado coat of arms Machado, Magalhães coat of arms Magalhães, Maldonado coat of arms Maldonado, Malfaia coat of arms Malfaia, Manuel coat of arms Manuel,
Marques coat of arms Marques, Martins coat of arms Martins, Mascarenhas coat of arms Mascarenhas, Mata coat of arms Mata, Matos coat of arms Matos, Medeiros coat of arms Medeiros,
Medrano coat of arms Medrano, Meira coat of arms Meira, Melo coat of arms Melo, Mendes coat of arms Mendes, Mendonça coat of arms Mendonça, Mendoça coat of arms Mendoça,
Meneses coat of arms Meneses,  Menezes coat of arms Menezes, Mesquita coat of arms Mesquita, Mexia coat of arms Mexia, Miranda coat of arms Miranda, Moniz coat of arms Moniz,
Monte coat of arms Monte, Monteiro coat of arms Monteiro, Morães coat of arms Morães, Morais coat of arms Morais, Moscoso coat of arms Moscoso, Mota coat of arms Mota,
Mourão coat of arms Mourão, Mouzinho coat of arms Mouzinho, Nápoles coat of arms Nápoles, Narvais coat of arms Narvais, Negrão coat of arms Negrão, Nogueira coat of arms Nogueira,
 Noronha coat of arms Noronha, Oliva coat of arms Oliva, Oliveira coat of arms Oliveira, Pacheco coat of arms Pacheco, Padrão coat of arms Padrão, Paiva coat of arms Paiva,
Passanha coat of arms Passanha, Pastor coat of arms Pastor, Peçanha coat of arms Peçanha, Pereira coat of arms Perreira, Pimenta coat of arms Pimenta, Pimental coat of arms Pimental,
Pimentel coat of arms Pimentel, Pinheiro coat of arms Pinheiro, Pinto coat of arms Pinto, Porto coat of arms Porto, Portocarreiro coat of arms Portocarreiro, Prado coat of arms Prado,
Proença coat of arms Proença, Queiróz coat of arms Queiróz, Quintanilha coat of arms Quintanilha, Ramalho coat of arms Ramalho, Ramos coat of arms Ramos, Raposo coat of arms Raposo,
Rebelo coat of arms Rebelo, Refóios coat of arms Refóios, Reis coat of arms Reis, Resendes coat of arms Resendes, Ribeiro coat of arms Ribeiro, Riscado coat of arms Riscado,
Rocha coat of arms Rocha, Rodrigues coat of arms Rodrigues, Rosa coat of arms Rosa, Rua coat of arms Rua, Sá coat of arms Sá, Sacadura coat of arms Sacadura, Saldanha coat of arms Saldanha,
Salgado coat of arms Salgado, Sampaio coat of arms Sampaio, Sande coat of arms Sande, Sandoval coat of arms Sandoval, Santana coat of arms Santana, Santos coat of arms Santos,
Seabra coat of arms Seabra, Seixas coat of arms Seixas, Sequeira coat of arms Sequeira, Serpa coat of arms Serpa, Silva coat of arms Silva, Silveira coat of arms Silveira, Soares coat of arms Soares,
Sodré coat of arms Sodré, Soromenho coat of arms Soromenho, Sotomaior coat of arms Sotomaior, Sotomayor coat of arms Sotomayor, Sousa coat of arms Sousa, Souza coat of arms Souza,
 Spínola coat of arms Spínola, Tavora coat of arms Tavora, Teixeira coat of arms Teixeira, Torres coat of arms Torres, Tourinho coat of arms Tourinho, Urrea coat of arms Urrea,
Valente coat of arms Valente, Vargas coat of arms Vargas, Vasconcellos coat of arms Vasconcellos, Vaz coat of arms Vaz, Veiga coat of arms Veiga, Veloso coat of arms Veloso,
Vianna coat of arms Vianna, Vilhena coat of arms Vilhena, Vidal coat of arms Vidal, Vieira coat of arms Vieira, Viveiros coat of arms Viveiros, Xavier coat of arms Xavier.

To place your Portuguese Coat of Arms / Crest order, please click on the link below.
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PORTUGUESE DISCOVERIES
 From the late 1400's until the late 1600's Portugal ruled the seas. At one time, Portugal possessed the farthest flung empire in the world; a credit to the brave Portuguese captains and sailors who set out in their caravels and ended up discovering 2/3 of the known world - they even established trading posts on the southern coast of Japan! Colonies were established all across the globe and by the middle of the 18th century, the Portuguese language, religion and culture was firmly entrenched in places far and wide. In effect, Portugal was the first European nation to set the stage for further European colonialist and expansionist aspirations. Click on this link to order a great book on this subject: The Portuguese Empire, 1415-1808. From the outset, Portugal's destiny was the sea; constantly undermined by Spain, Portugal looked toward the sea in search of its fate and never looked back. Competition from other European nations, namely, England and Holland, ultimately ended Portugal's monopoly in the East Indies as Portugal became too far extended and lacked the manpower to maintain its strongholds in the far east. One by one, its trading posts fell to the other stronger, better equiped maritime powers. Yet, Portugal still managed to hold on to Macau in China until 1999. The colonies of Goa-Daman-Diu in India, were Portuguese possessions until 1962, as was East Timor in Indonesia until 1975. Remarkably, up until 1975, Portugal still had its larger, richer colonies in Africa - Angola, Mozambique (Moçambique) and the smaller colonies of, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde islands (Cabo Verde) and the islands of São Tomé & Príncipe). Brazil was Portuguese colony until 1822. The subject of colonialism and its dark legacy has been hotly debated by historians and scholars. We cannot, and should not minimize the long lasting negative effects of colonialism - we know all too well of the cruelties and injustices that were committed against human beings as a result. However, Portugal's colonialist policies were generally less oppressive than their European counterparts, namely England & Spain, to name a few. One thing is for sure....the Portuguese discoveries certainly shaped and changed Portugal, and the world, forever! BACK TO SITE MAP
PORTUGUESE PEOPLE
The Portuguese people are of mixed ancestry. This a direct result of the intermingling of races and cultures on the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal, Spain) throughout the ages, such as the early: Iberians, Celts in the north, Phonecians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Visigoths/Suevians (Germanic tribes), Romans, Jews, Moors and other Africans. Today, one readily sees the legacy of the Roman, Moorish and Jewish presence in Portugal; it is visible in the Portuguese people, architecture, music and cuisine. The Portuguese are a mix of all, or some of these groups of people that settled in Portugal. Generally speaking, in terms of appearance and physical stature, the Portuguese have circum Mediterranean, dark features. But in the northern part of Portugal where the Celtic/Germanic presence was the strongest, it is not uncommon to see tall, blond and blue or green eyed Portuguese. The Portuguese are devoutly Roman Catholic, family oriented, mild mannered and friendly. People often comment that the Portuguese are always ready and willing to help others. Many Portuguese and Spaniards have Sephardic Jewish ancestry, but the sad reality is that many are still in denial of this, although this is changing. Most modern day Iberians are not even aware of their Jewish roots, but the ones who do know proudly acknowledge and embrace their Jewish heritage. Moreover, it is quite conceivable that up to 70% of all modern Portuguese and Spaniards have at least a drop or two of Jewish blood - many old Christian and Jewish bloodlines became mixed as a result of miscegenation between the two races. Portuguese Jews have lived in Portugal since Roman times, but it was only after their expulsion from Spain during the inquisition that they began to arrive in Portugal en masse. In 1497, the population of Portugal was approximately 1,000,000 of which perhaps 1/8 were comprised of ancient Portuguese Jews - Jews have lived in Portugal since the Roman occupation. It is estimated that in 1492, approx. 100,000 Spanish Jews - possibly more - sought refuge in Portugal upon their expulsion from Spain, and the influx significantly added to the Jewish population that was already there. In other words, after 1492, roughly 1/5 of all Portuguese citizens was Jewish! This subject is dealt with in detail in the following excellent book: Click on this link to order: Secrecy and Deceit, The Religion of the Crypto Jews by: David M. Gitlitz. Some Portuguese Jews were also expelled from Portugal, but the vast majority remained, and were forcibly baptised and converted to Christianity. Portuguese Jews excelled in all spheres of Portuguese economic, intellectual and cultural life. Unbeknownst to many, Portuguese Jews were a significant driving force of Portugal's economy before, and during the period of the Portuguese discoveries - many of the Portuguese maritime expeditions were actually financed by them! The decline of the Portuguese colonial empire can be directly attributed to the Portuguese inquisition, which was only officially abolished in 1822. Many Portuguese Jews - especially those who were connected to the Portuguese nobility - were granted Portuguese family coat of arms (see: coat of arms section of the Jewish Encyclopaedia). And as a clever way of protecting themselves against Christian anti-semitism, they adopted many common Portuguese surnames such as: Rodrigues, Cardoso, Nunes, Sousa, Carvalho, Teixeira, Henriques, Costa, Mendes, Alavares, Dias, Furtado, Almeida, Ribeiro, Silveira, Medeiros, Ferreira, Gomes, Lopes, Franco, Castro, Machado, Medina, Garcia, Fernandes and Pacheco. During the forced conversions, for obvious practical reasons, many Portuguese Jews also adopted very Catholic sounding surnames such as: Santos, Cruz, Espírito Santo, de Jesus, Conceição, dos Anjos, etc. It should be noted however, that the possession of a Sephardic surname (adopted surnames of Jews from Spain & Portugal) does not in and of itself prove Jewish ancestry. Conversely, one can have Jewish ancestry and not necessarily possess a typical Sephardic surname. However, it is believed that certain Portuguese, nature derived surnames are actually of Jewish origin - not Christian. Historically, Portuguese Jews typically chose names for themselves that derived from nature, i.e., names of: trees, vegetables, fruits, plants and animals. Portuguese Jewish physicians, scientists and merchants were already in possession of these kinds of surnames which are confirmed as having existed much earlier than the forced conversions which began in 1496. Examples of nature derived surnames believed to have been introduced to Portugal by the ancient Portuguese Jews are: Pereira (pear tree), Oliveira (olive tree), Pimentel (small pepper, or a field of peppers), Figueira (fig tree), Silva (berry bush), Lima (lime), Cordeiro (lamb), Pinto (chick), Leão (lion) and Pinheiro (pine tree). It can be said with a high degree of certainty that virtually all persons with nature derived surnames invariably had ancestors somewhere in their family tree that were New Christians (or) Conversos, the terms used to identify Jews who were forcibly baptised/converted. Over time, the Conversos lost much of their Jewish heritage, but in Some families, some Crypto Jewish rituals and traditions survived and were passed down from generation to generation. The descendants/children of Conversos are generally referred to in Hebrew as 'B'nai Anusim'. BACK TO SITE MAP
To order a copy of the video: Memory and Expulsion: Descendants of the Hidden Jews, please send me an e-mail: geoles@sympatico.ca The cost is $50 Usd. plus shipping & handling. This film is a riveting account of modern day descendants of the Jews who were forcibly converted during the Spanish Inquisition. In 1492, with the stroke of a pen, fifteen hundred years of Jewish Life in Spain came to an abrupt end. In a Medieval example of "ethnic cleansing", the Jews of Spain were given a choice: expulsion or conversion. Half the community left (mostly to Portugal), half converted. Many of the converted, known as "Conversos" continued to practice Judaism in secret, establishing a way of life that has, remarkably survived to the present day. Shot on location in Spain, Portugal, Israel, Canada and the United States, Expulsion and Memory tells the story of the "Conversos" and the memories that still haunt their descendants. In New Mexico, we witness a faith so strong, that it led Hispanic-Americans to etch secret Judaic symbols into the tombstones of their Ancestors. In Spain, an elderly woman confides that Jews are known for their horns and tails. In todays world, a Portuguese Catholic woman lights candles on Friday night and recites the Jewish prayer. In Belmonte, Portugal, townspeople who have practiced Judaism in complete secrecy for five centuries now pray openly for the first time. The film, characterized by an emotional and spiritual resonance features a lyrical Sephardic/Spanish soundtrack and performances by some of the worlds leading artisits including Placido Domingo, Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Produced against the greatest challenges, this film was to represent the beauty and the triumph of the Jewish Spirit and be a homage to the "Sephardim" who kept their faith against incredible odds.
Large numbers of expelled Portuguese Jews re-settled in Holland, England, Italy, Turkey, Morocco, Gibraltar and in all of the Portuguese colonies especially Brazil, the CapeVerde Islands and the Azores. It is believed that the Azores were 30% Jewish during the early stages of settlement. The Cape Verde islands of Santo Antonio and Brava to this day still bear vestiges of Judaism. Brazil by far, received the greatest number of Portuguese Jews, who were responsible in large measure for developing the early economic infrastructure of Portuguese colonial Brazil. It should also be noted, that the early whaling and import/export economies of New England U.S.A., were developed primarily by the Portuguese Jews. They had escaped the inquisitorial pressures of Portuguese colonial Brazil and subsequently re-settled in Guyana, Jamaica, Curação and other islands in the Carribean before eventually making their way north to parts of New England. Nowadays, vestiges of Portugal's Jewish past can still be seen in the remote towns and villages of Portugal. Several Crypto-Jewish communities still exist in the Trás-os-Montes region and there are many very old synagogues in Portugal as well. For over 400 years, Crypto-Jews had to rely on extreme secrecy and deception to avoid the inquisitors. However, despite the great obstacles and adversities of the Portuguese inquisition, the Crypto-Jews of Portugal persevered and secretly kept their religion alive. In the town of Belmonte, among others in Portugal for example, efforts are being made to re-approximate the Crypto Jewish religion with the orthodoxy of Israel. BACK TO SITE MAP
PORTUGUESE LANGUAGE
The Portuguese language has been the subject of much interest and intrigue. Portuguese has its roots and foundation in Latin, the language of the Romans who for centuries occupied the Iberian Peninsula. The Portuguese language is also commonly referred to as Lusitanian or Luso, named after the Lusitanians who occupied the lands between the Tagus and Minho rivers. They are considered to be the true ancestors of the Portuguese. The vulgar Latin that was spoken throughout the peninsula eventually evolved into the present day languages of Catalan, Galician, Castilian and Portuguese. During the Moorish occupation of Portugal - which lasted 500 years or so - approximately 1200 Arabic words entered into the Portuguese language. Some examples of those words are: azeite (olive oil), azeituna (olive), Arroz (Rice), Alicate (Pliers), Refém (Hostage), Algarve (Al-Gharb) - in Arabic this means the far west, the name given to the southern part of Portugal, and oxalá (Inshala) in Arabic, which means God-Willing. The Portuguese language contains many Italian, French and Greek words as well. Depending on whom you speak to, you'll get different opinions of Portuguese pronunciation, vocabulary, etc. Click on this link to order a Continental Portuguese course: Colloquial Portuguese. The Portuguese are notorious for slurring syllables and chewing up word endings. In fact, people often comment that the Portuguese language sometimes sounds more Slavic than Latin. Nevertheless, educated Portuguese tend to enunciate their words more clearly and speak more melodically. And due to the variations of the Portuguese language spoken in many parts of the world, it is difficult to make generalizations one way or the other about the intonation of the Portuguese language per se, but Continental Portuguese is the classical standard. Brazilian Portuguese is an exotic variety of the mother tongue which has been enriched by African and Native Indian influences both in terms of vocabulary and accent. Brazil's many different immigrant groups have also exerted some influence on the language as well. Brazilian Portuguese bears the same relationship to the Portuguese spoken in Portugal, that American English has to British English. Not surprisingly, Brazilian Portuguese is gaining worldwide popularity as the preferred variety of spoken Portuguese. Galego, which is spoken in the N.W. region of Spain is identical to Portuguese, save for some differences in orthography. In terms of vocabulary, syntax and sentence structure, Portuguese resembles Spanish more so than any other major Romance language. According to the Ethnologue, Portuguese is approx. 89% similar to Spanish. The following example sentences illustrate perfectly the close relationship that the two languages have with one another:

English - Please read and keep. Toy not suitable for children under three years of age. Small parts might be swallowed or inhaled.
Portuguese - Por favor leia e guarde. Brinquedo não apto para menores de três anos de idade. As peças pequenas poderiam ser ingeridas ou aspiradas.
Spanish - Por favor lea y guarde. Jugete no apto para menores de tres años de edad. Las piezas pequeñas podrían ser ingeridas o aspiradas.

Insofar as pronunciation is concerned, Portuguese sounds somewhat like a cross between Spanish & French. Despite marked differences in pronunciation, Portuguese and Spanish are mutually intelligible among educated speakers of both. Portuguese is the official language of Portugal (including Azores and Madeira), Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde Islands, São Tomé & Príncipe islands.Up until 1999 it was also the official language of the longtime Portuguese territory of Macau, China - although Cantonese was always the lingua franca for the Macanese. The Portuguese language is still spoken by many in the former colonial territories of Goa-Daman-Diu in India, and Portuguese has been reinstated as the official language of East Timor. A Portuguese creole is used alongside standard Portuguese in the countries of Cape Verde Islands, Guine-Bissau and on the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. In Malacca, Malaysia, a Portuguese creole can still be heard. The Portuguese language ranks 5th in the world with an estimated 200 million speakers worldwide. BACK TO SITE MAP 
PORTUGUESE CHURCHES, CASTLES, PALACES & AZULEJOS

TempleDianaPic SilvesFortressPic BatalhaCathedralPicEstoiPalacePic SantaMariaMonastery
Left to right: Roman Temple of Diana ruins, Moorish Silves Castle, Gothic Batalha Cathedral, Estoi Palace, Santa Maria Monastery

CoimbraAzulejosPic AzulejoPic AzulejoPic
Arabesque looking Portuguese Azulejos

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PORTUGUESE CUISINE
Seafood reigns supreme in Portugal, and the Portuguese are quite masterful at cooking a wide variety of: meat, game and poultry dishes. Almost all of the dishes are prepared with olive oil, garlic, chili peppers, white/red wine and many different herbs and spices including: saffron, rosemary, parsley, fennel, corriander, cloves, paprika, white/black pepper and bay leaves. A popular seafood dish is a succulent fish stew called Caldeirada de Peixe, that is made with shrimp, clams, mussels, squid, octopus, cod or Bacalhau and plenty of potatoes. This dish has often been compared to a Louisiana style jumbalaya or bouillabaise. Cod fish is King in Portugal and the Portuguese can prepare it 101 different ways! Sardines are also another fish favourite in Portugal. Another popular dish is the Cozido à Portuguesa, which is essentially a melange of boiled vegetables (carrots, potatoes, cabbage, onions) and meats (chouriço sausage, blood sausage, beef) topped with olive oil. The spicy Chouriço sausages are very popular all over Portugal and many Portuguese make their own at home. Soups are also a Portuguese specialty and one of the best known is the Caldo Verde meaning green broth. It is made from stock, shredded spinach or cabbage, pureed potato, olive oil and parsley. Click on this link to order a fantastic Portuguese cookbook: What's Cooking in Portugal. The Portuguese inherited their penchant and flair for sweets and desserts from the Moors. Some of the sweets include tarts Queijadas de Amêndoa, which are made from an almond, lemon, sugar and egg mixture and of course, the Pasteis de Nata (or) Queijadas de Nata, which are made from eggs and heavy cream. Wine is blessed in Portugal and no meal is complete without a nice Vinho Tinto red wine or a Vinho Branco white wine. Portuguese wines are world renowned for their exquisite bouquets and abundant varieties: The Wines and Vineyards of Portugal. In general, Portuguese cooking is typically mediterranean but it has been fused with elements from the cuisines of the far east and Africa, this having resulted from Portuguese contact with those parts of the world during Portugal's Golden Age of discoveries. Portuguese cuisine is quite similar to that of Spain and Louisiana. BACK TO SITE MAP
PORTUGUESE ARCHITECTURE
Some very diverse and beautiful architecture can be found in Portugal. There are numerous remnants of Roman temples, pillars, baths, aquaducts, bridges, roads and countless Moorish castles dispersed throughout the country as well. The peninsula's best single Roman site is the temple at Evora, built during the 2nd or 3rd century BC. Almost every church and palace in Portugal is decorated with Azulejos, derived from the Arabic word Al-Zuleiq, meaning polished stone. Click on this link to order an excellent book on Portuguese Azulejos: Portuguese Decorative Tiles. Azulejos are decorative, hand-painted Arabesque looking wall and floor tiles that were introduced to Portugal by the Moors. Many of the churches are ornate with the gold that was imported into Portugal from Brazil. Gothic architectural influences can be found throughout Portugal as well, particularly in the central and northern areas, where the Visigoths and Suevi excercised control. An outstanding example of the Gothic style is the monastery Church of Santa Maria da Vitória in Batalha. Moorish architectural influence dominate in the Algarve. During the reign of King Manuel I, from 1495 to 1521, a very distinctive and decorative Portuguese style of architecture began to emerge called Manueline, named after the King. The style was essentially a fusion of Gothic, Romanesque and Moorish architectural designs, but elements from Africa, India and China were also incorporated into mix. Certain characteristics of the Manueline church facades allude to Portugal's obsession with the sea; waves, coiled ropes, anchors and seashells cavort with symbols such as the Prince Henry theNavigator, Order of the Garter and the King's Cross of Christ. Renaissance/Neo-Classicism architecture didn't arrive in Portugal until 1541 or so. The best examples are the Sé Velha (Old Cathedral) and São Pedro Chapel, found in the northern university town of Coimbra. The Baroque influence is visible in the numerous churches decorated in gilded wood called Talha Dourada. The architectural appearance of the manor houses and country estates called Solares and Quintas were also influenced by Baroque but the royal palace at Queluz perhaps best exemplifies the style. The earthquake of 1755 destroyed much of Lisbon's original architecture, but under Marquês de Pombal, Lisbon was re-modelled in the Rococo style that came to be known as Pombaline. Rebuilding continued but in a more Neo-Classicism genre. The 19th century saw a revival of historical styles such as the neo-Moorish Campo Pequeno bullfighting arena in Lisbon and the neo-ManuelinePalace hotel in Buçaco. Since the revolution of 1974, the style méditerranéen has pervaded in the Algarve due to an outbreak of intense tourism in that region. The hills and countryside of Portugal are dotted with whitewashed, red tiled roof houses and in the south (Algarve), the homes and villas have beautiful arched courtyards Pátios, abundant with many varieites of fruit trees. BACK TO SITE MAP
PORTUGUESE FADO
The soul music of Portugal is Fado, which means fate. Fado is essentially a sad and melancholy musical style sung in syncopated 2/4 time. The lyrics are usually sung by a female and the music is provided by a 12 stringed lead guitar called a Guitarra, and a 6 stringed Spanish guitar called a Viola for the accompaniment. Click on this link for a fabulous Amália Rodrigues cd: Best of Fado. The Portuguese are a fatalistic people as is reflected by the mournful lyrics and haunting melodies of the fado. The traditional themes of the fado focus on Saudade, a poignant yearning for the impossible. Most fado songs reflect on nostalgia, strife of life, lost love, tragedy, missed opportunity and dark destiny. The female vocalist always wears black and she sings in a throaty, passionate, emotional manner that evokes anguish and despair from deep within her soul. The guitarra embellishes the vocal melody and the viola provides the bass and chordal accompaniment. The fado is less spirited but more melodic than the Spanish Flamenco. In the Ribatejo, the bull-raising region of Portugal, the Fado Corrido is livelier but in the northern university town of Coimbra, the Fado de Coimbra is more polished and lyrical and it is actually a romantic serenade that has little in common with the sad Fado Castiço from Lisbon. When listening to fado music one hears the pervasive middle eastern tonalities especially in the trills of the guitarra and falsetto vocal. This the Portuguese inherited from the Moors. One of Portugal's most popular fadista's was Maria Severa, an attractive, temperamental young prostitute whose mother was a gypsy. Maria died at the age of 26 prompting all fado singers to don black to mourn her premature passing. As Amália Rodrigues, the most famous fadista of all time once sang so eloquently, 'All this exists, all this is sad, all this is fado.' BACK TO SITE MAP

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