Portuguese: topographic name for someone who lived by a conspicuous oak tree, carvalho, or a habitational name from any of numerous places named with this word. This name is also found in western India, where it was taken by Portuguese colonists.

GIVEN NAMES: Spanish 21%; Portuguese 16%. Manuel (68), Jose (67), Fernando (14), Carlos (10), Luis (9), Francisco (7), Jorge (7), Ricardo (7), Luiz (6), Mario (6), Pedro (6), Ana (5); Paulo (12), Joao (11), Joaquim (8), Agostinho (4), Amadeu (3), Afonso (2), Duarte (2), Guilherme (2), Henrique (2), Ilidio (2), Marcio (2), Vasco (2).

See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.

Dictionary of American Family Names. Copyright © 2006 Patrick Hanks. All rights reserved.