This is a list of notable Portuguese Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Portuguese American or must have references showing they are Portuguese American and are notable.
Contents |
List
Art/architecture
- William Pereira, (1909-1985), Architect, Cape Canaveral, CBS Television City & Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. [1]
Frank Cunha III, 1975 to present Architect, Montclair Stage College, Young architect of the Year in 2006, President of AIA North Jersey
Film & television
- Krista Allen, (1972- ), Model. [2]
- Joaquim de Almeida, (1957), Actor (24). [3]
- Mary Astor (1906-1987) - Academy Award winning actress (starred in The Maltese Falcon w/ Humphrey Bogart), mother was of partial Portuguese decent [4]
- Ray Bolger, Actor, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow in the 1939 film classic, The Wizard of Oz.[5]
- Brooke Burke, (1971- ), Model/TV show host: "Wild On..." (Portuguese-Jewish mother). [4]
- Dorothy DeBorba, (1925- ), 1930s child actor, Our Gang, Little Rascals series. (Portuguese Azorean ancestry). [4]
- Hal De Forrest, (1862-1938), Portuguese-born American early silent film actor. [6]
- Steve Gonsalves, (1978- ), TAPS tech manager on Sci-Fi's original series "Ghost Hunters"
- Frank Delima, (1949- ), Comedian. [7][8]
- Joe DeRita, (1909-1993), "Curly Joe" of the Three Stooges. [4]
- Edgar Morais, (1989- ), Actor [9]
- James Franco, (1978- ), Actor (2 supporting roles in the Spiderman films), director, screenwriter, and film producer, paternal grandfather is of Portuguese decent (Annapolis) [10]
- Tom Hanks, (1956- ), 2-time Academy Award-winning American actor, voice-over artist and movie producer, his mother was of Portuguese descent.
- Patricia Ford, (1969- ), Model and porn star. (Hawaiian) [11]
- Emeril Lagasse, (1959- ), chef and host of LIVE! Cooking with Emeril. [12]
- Vanessa Marcil, (1969- ), actress known for her roles in the long-running soap opera General Hospital, Gina on Beverly Hills 90210, mother is of partial Portuguese decent.[13][14]
- Danica McKellar, (1975- ), American actress best known for her role as Winnie Cooper in the television show The Wonder Years. [15]
- Tamara Mello, (1976- )
- Jesse Metcalfe, (1978- ), Actor, 22 appearances on Desperate Housewives (mother is of Portuguese-Italian descent) [16]
- Carmen Miranda, (1909-1955), Actress and singer. [17]
- Wendy Moniz, (1971- ), Best known for her role as Dinah Marler Thorpe Jessup on the daytime soap opera Guiding Light. [4]
- Nestor Paiva, (1905-1966), 1930s-60s actor who appeared on Get Smart, The Beverly Hillbillies, and The Addams Family. [18]
- Harold Peary, (1908-1985), American actor, comedian and singer. [4]
- Piper Perabo, (1976- ), Actress. (Portuguese father) [19]
- Kevin Pereira, (1982- ), Co-host of G4's Attack of the Show! [20]
- Keanu Reeves, (1964- ), Best known for his role as Neo in the action film trilogy The Matrix. (paternal grandmother Rose Lokalia Miguel was Portuguese-Chinese from Hawaii) [13]
- Al Santos, (1976- ), New York actor/model. (Portuguese & Irish ancestry) [21]
- Tom Silva - general contractor on the PBS show This Old House. [4]
- Jonathan Taylor Thomas, (1981- ), Actor and former teen idol. (Portuguese-Jewish) [22]
- Meredith Vieira, (1953- ), Host of NBC's Today and the syndicated game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
Music
- Young Fire, (1987- ), Euro-Dance duo born in Azores Living in the U.S. Performers, musicians, songwriters and producers. [23]
- Nuno Bettencourt, (1966- ), Guitarist for Extreme. [24]
- Elmar Oliveira - Violinist who, in 1978, was the first American to win the gold medal in Moscow's Tchaikovsky competition. [25]
- Hugo Ferreira, rock musician and singer-songwriter for the band Tantric.
- Jorge Ferreira, (1955- ), Portuguese-American singer, songwriter and producer. [26]
- Nikki Sixx, (1958- ), born Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna, rock star, Mötley Crüe.
- Bobbie Gentry, (1944- ), Country singer. [27]
- Vincent Lopez, (1895-1975), One of the top bandleaders of the Roaring Twenties.[4]
- Tony Martin, (1912- ), Produced many hit records between 1941 and 1957; he had his own radio show and also appeared in films. [25]
- Glenn Medeiros, (1970- ), Hawaiian singer. [28]
- Joe Perry (1950 - ) - Lead guitarist and contributing songwriter for the rock band Aerosmith. [29]
- Katy Perry, (1984- ), American singer from half Portuguese descent.
- Linda Perry, (1965- ), Songwriter, 2-time Grammy winner. (Portuguese father/ Brazilian mother)[30]
- Steve Perry, (1949- ), Former lead singer of the rock band Journey and solo artist. [31]
- O.C. (1972- ) Brooklyn, New York MC and member of hip hop stable Diggin' In The Crates (Portuguese grandparents)
- Joe Raposo, (1937-1989), American composer and lyricist, 5-time Grammy winner. [32]
- David Lee Roth, (1953- ), American rock vocalist for Van Halen. (Grandmother from Azores, Portugal).[4]
Writers
- John Dos Passos, (1896-1970), Portuguese-American novelist and artist. [25]
- Charles Reis Felix, (1923- ), Writer.[4]
- Mordecai Manuel Noah, (1785-1851), Playwright, diplomat, journalist, and utopian.[33]
- Judah Monis, (1683- 1764), North America's first college instructor of Hebrew language. [34]
- Sam Pereira, (1949- ), American poet. [35]
- Daniel Silva, (1960- ), American author who writes thriller/espionage novels.[4]
- Danielle Steel, (1947- ), Writer. (Portuguese mother)[36]
Business
- Buddy DeSylva, (1895-1950), American songwriter, movie producer & co-founder of Capitol Records.[37]
- Jorge Ferreira, (1955- ), Portuguese-American singer, biggest international Portuguese music producer of the world and founder of Portuguese Music World label & record company.[26]
- Teresa Heinz Kerry, (1938- ), philanthropist, heiress of H.J. Heinz Company, widow of Henry John Heinz III, and wife of John Kerry. (Mozambican-born Portuguese)[4]
- Henry John Heinz IV, (1966- ), André's and Christopher's brother, and one of the heirs of H.J. Heinz Company. (Portuguese on mother’s side)[4]
- António José Ribeiro da Rocha - Original owner of most of Hollywood real estate. (Arrived in Los Angeles in 1815). [4]
- James "Jimmy Jam" Ferreira - Founder of www.LUSOBEAT.com one of the largest internet resources of Portuguese-American artists in all of North America. [4]
Military
- Peter Francisco, (1760-1831), American Revolution patriot.[38]
- John Lobato (John C. Lobato) - Developer of a new type of army tank. [25]
- Sgt. Leroy A. Mendonca - of Pauoa, Hawaii; died in the Korean conflict at age 19, becoming the youngest soldier awarded the Medal of Honor in the United States. [39]
- Gen. Francis Barretto Spinola, (1821-1891), General of the Union Army during the Civil War
Patriots
- Emma Lazarus, (1849-1887), poet and essayist, best known for a sonnet about the Statue of Liberty, "The New Colossus," which was engraved on the statue's pedestal, welcoming immigrants to the United States: "Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"[40]
- Maria Isilda Ribeiro - Made U.S. flag that was placed on the moon. (Sousa, Vagos, Portugal) [4]
- John Philip Sousa, (1854-1932), Composer of many marching band songs. (Portuguese father) [41]
Politics
- John Arruda (John M. Arruda) - Mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts, for six years. [42]
- Judah P. Benjamin, (1811-1884), Politician and lawyer.[citation needed]
- Ben Nighthorse Campbell - former U.S. Senator, mother was an immigrant from Portugal
- Dennis Cardoza, (1959- ), Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing the 18th District of California.[4]
- Devin Nunes, (1973- ), Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 2003, representing the 21st District of California.[4]
- Benjamin Cardozo, (1870-1938), A Sephardi Supreme Court Justice.[4]
- Tony Coelho, (1942- ), Elected to the United States House of Representatives from California; probably the first Portuguese American to serve in the national congress. [43]
- Joseph Francis, (1973- ), Joseph F. Francis, Former senator in the Massachusetts State Legislature. [25]
- André Heinz, (1969), Politician, one of the heirs of H.J. Heinz Company, and son of Teresa Heinz. (Portuguese on mother’s side)[4]
- Christopher Heinz, (1973- ), Politician, André's brother, and son of Teresa Heinz, and one of the heirs of H.J. Heinz Company. (Portuguese on mother’s side)[4]
- Dina Matos McGreevey, (1966 - ), Former New Jersey First Lady. [44]
- Richard Pombo, (1961- ), Former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California's 11th congressional district from 1993 to 2007.[4]
- Michael A. Rice, (1955- ), biologist & Rhode Island state legislator since 2009.
- Francis Salvador, (1747-1776), [45]
- John Vasconcellos, (1932 - ), California senator. (Portuguese father/ German mother).[46]
- Gen. Francis Barretto Spinola, (1821-1891), senator. (Portuguese father from Madeira Island/ American-Irish mother). 1st Portuguese-American Congressman and Member of the Senate.
Religion
- Stephen Peter Alencastre, (1876-1940), Hawaiian Roman Catholic prelate.[4]
- Marcelino Manoel de Graça, (1882-1960), born in Brava, Cape Verde, Charismatic religious leader, also known as "Sweet Daddy Grace", who founded the United House of Prayer for All People in the Harlem area of New York. His congregation, made up mainly of African Americans, included over three million people. [25]
- William Joseph Levada, (1936- ), Roman Catholic archbishop.[4]
- Humberto Sousa Cardinal Medeiros, (1915-1983), Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.[4]
- Gershom Mendes Seixas, (1745-1816), first American born rabbi, patriot, personal friend of George Washington and religious leader of the Portuguese Synagogue of New York.[47]
- Clarence Richard Silva, (1949- ), Roman Catholic Bishop of Hawaii.[4]
Science/medicine
- M. M. Enos (1875- ) - former head of the Portuguese Association of the Portuguese Hospital of Saint Anthony in Oakland, California. He was also director of the Portuguese American Bank and taught at the National Medical School of Chicago. [25]
- Carlos Fernandes (medicine) (d. 1977) - former director of St. John's Hospital in San Francisco. [25]
- Mathias Figueira (1853-1930) - founded the American College of Surgeons. [25]
- Craig C. Mello (1960- ) - winner of 2006 Nobel Prize for Medicine.[48]
Technology
- Abilio de Silva Greaves - Inventor of a fire-alarm system and of devices used in aviation. [25]
Sportspeople
Baseball
- Sid Fernandez, (1962- ), National League baseball player (Native Hawaiian, Portuguese and Spanish).[4]
- Lew Fonseca, (1899-1989), Baseball player; coach for the Chicago White Sox; a pioneer in the use of film to analyze players' performances during a game. [25]
- Jonny Gomes, (1980- ), Current outfielder and designated hitter for Cincinnati Reds.[4]
- Davey Lopes, (1945- ), Former star w/ LA Dodgers. (Cape Verdean / Black African, Portuguese and Irish)[4]
- Billy Martin, (1928-1989), Former Yankees/A's manager. (father from Azores Portugal who later migrated to Hawaii) [49]
- Dustin Pedroia, (1983- ), Current second baseman for the Boston Red Sox, American League MVP in 2008.
- Mark Teixeira, (1980- ), Current first baseman for the New York Yankees.[4]
- Robin Ventura, (1967- ), Former Major League ballplayer.[4]
- Shane Victorino, (1980- ), Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. (Portuguese, Hawaiian and Japanese)
Basketball
- Ticha Penicheiro, (1974- ), Basketball player for the Sacramento Monarchs. [50]
- Jason Kapono, (1981- ), basketball forward for the Toronto Raptors. [51] (Hawaiian and Portuguese descent).
Golf
- Stephen Ames, (1964- ), 2002 PGA Players Championship. [4]
- Billy Andrade, (1964- ), Pro golf player.[4]
- Tony Lema, (1934-1966), Winner of numerous professional golf tournaments; at the time of his death he ranked tenth in all-time earnings in the PGA. [25]
Soccer
- Claudio Reyna, (1973- ), Former captain of the U.S. national soccer team.[4]
Wrestling
- Peter Polaco, (1973- ), American professional wrestler.[citation needed]
- Ana Rocha, (1985- ), Female professional wrestler.[52]
Other sports
- Vic Seixas, Jr., (1923- ), E. Victor Seixas, Jr. Tennis star who won the U.S. Open Championship in 1954. [25]
- John Tavares (ice hockey) Hockey player drafted number 1 by the New York Islanders
- Mike Ribeiro Hockey player for the Dallas Stars
- Frank Porky Vieira Baseball coach University of New Haven with over 1000 victories and Div II Basketball Star
- Kurt Gouveia Football. Played 13 season in the NFL with the Washington Redskins Philadelphia Eagles and San Diego Chargers and was a member of both their 1987 and 1991 Super Bowl Championship teams (Redskins). Gouveia was born in Hawaii.
Non-athletes
- Wayne Fontes, (1940- ), Coach, Detroit Lions (NFL), Cape Verdean ancestry name="Distinguished"/>
- Mike Pereira - NFL Officiating Director.[4]
- Pedro Pinto - Sports announcer and commentator for World Sports, CNN News Network.[4]
- Fred Silva, (1927-2004), Official in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ "William L Pereira at (www.everyculture.com/)". http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/Portuguese-Americans.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Celebrity Bazaar Bio: Krista Allen". http://celebritybazar.com/krista_allen/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Joaquim de Almeida bio at imdb.com". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0206862/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj "Distinguished Americans & Canadians of Portuguese Descent". http://www.portuguesefoundation.org/famous.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ^ "Hollywood USA Obituaries, Biography: Ray Bolger". http://www.hollywoodusa.co.uk/HolyCrossObituaries/raybolger.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Hal De Forrest bio at imdb.com". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0208415/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Frank Delima bio at Official web site". http://www.frankdelima.com/about.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Delima Portuguese background". http://www.islander-magazine.com/port.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Edgar Morais on IMDb". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2273354/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ ""Franco is Portuguese. I'm one quarter through my grandfather. My grandfather and then I'm also Russian and Swedish."". http://www.latinoreview.com/news.php?id=217. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Patricia Ford bio at Starglimpse.com". http://www.starglimpse.com/celebs/pages/patricia_ford/patricia_ford.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Emeril Lagasse bio at Official web site". http://www.emerils.com/emeril/biography.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ a b "Go Lisbon: Familiar Faces with a Portuguese Background in American Arts and Entertainment". http://www.golisbon.com/culture/people.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "E ONLINE Biography: Vanessa Marcil". http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=ba1bf713-6488-434d-aa0d-84227c2f85e7. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Danica McKellar of "Scottish and Portuguese descent."". http://www.starglimpse.com/celebs/pages/danica_mckellar/danica_mckellar.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Jesse Metcalfe, "...mother is of Portuguese-Italian descent".". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0582462/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Carmen Miranda's Bio at imdb.com". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000544/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Nestor Paiva bio at imdb.com". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0656980/bio. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Piper Perabo Bio at Official web site.". http://www.piperabo.com/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Kevin Pereira bio at experts.about.com". http://experts.about.com/e/k/ke/kevin_pereira.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Al Santos Bio at imdb.com". http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0763960/bio. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Jonathan Taylor Thomas; "I am, like, Heinz 57! I mean, I'm a mix of everything! But I'm part Portuguese. That's where I get the olive skin. I tan really easily."". http://www.hiarchive.co.uk/articles/jttyours.php. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "fire.com/ Official web site: Young Fire". http://www.young fire.com/. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Nuno Bettencourt Bio at (www.allmusic.com/)". http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Portuguese-Americans at (www.everyculture.com/)". http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/Portuguese-Americans.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ a b "Official web site: Jorge Ferreira". http://www.jorgeferreira.com/. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
- ^ "Bobbie Gentry Bio at (www.allmusic.com/)". http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:qd98s39ba39g~T1. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Glenn Medeiros family roots from Azores Portugal, later migrated to Hawaii". http://www.islander-magazine.com/port.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ ""The 54-year-old rock guitarist grew up in Hopedale in an Italian-Portuguese family and said a passion for food is “in my blood.'’"". http://www.hotsauceblog.com/hotsaucearchives/aerosmiths-joe-perry-plans-to-follow-up-on-the-success-of-his-boneyard-brew/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Linda Perry". Oldies.com. http://www.oldies.com/artist-view/Linda-Perry.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Steve Perry-Portuguese American, (both parents from Azores Portugal) ; Bio at Yahoo Shopping.". http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Steve%20Perry:1927004416:page=biography. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Raposo "son of Portuguese immigrants" from (www.muppetcentral.com/)". http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2004/091804.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Jewish Virtual Library, Mordecai Manuel Noah". http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/MNoah.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Jewish Virtual Library, Judah Monis". http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/monis.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Pereira surname origins.". http://experts.about.com/e/p/pe/pereira_(surname).htm. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Books at Transworld, Biography: Danielle Steel". http://www.booksattransworld.co.uk/daniellesteel/home.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Composers-Lyricists Database, Biography: Buddy DeSylva". http://www.nfo.net/cal/td3.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Society of the Descendants of Peter Francisco". http://www.peterfrancisco.org/. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Sgt. LeRoy Mendonca; Medal of Honor". http://www.islander-magazine.com/port.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Jewish Women's Archive: Emma Lazarus". http://jwa.org/exhibits/wov/lazarus/el2.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "The Library of Congress Biography: John Philip Sousa". http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.200152755/default.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "John M. Arruda- Portuguese American". http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/Portuguese-Americans.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Tony Coelho- Portuguese-American.". http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Pa-Sp/Portuguese-Americans.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Dina Matos, former NJ first lady. Portuguese ancestry". http://www.nj.com/weblogs/hsboyshoops/index.ssf?/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/news/mcgreevey/stories/20040819jj_mcg_dinaironbound.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Jewish Enclyclopedia.com: Francis Salvador Jewish-Portuguese". http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=99&letter=S. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ^ "Online Archive of California: John Vasconcellos, California senator. (Portuguese ancestry)". http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=kt3c601926&chunk.id=bioghist-1.7.3. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ^ "Jewish-American Hallof Fame: Gershom Mendes Seixas". http://www.amuseum.org/jahf/virtour/page5.html. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ^ "Autobiography of Craig Mello". The Nobel Foundation. http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2006/mello-autobio.html. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ^ "Billy Martin's father from the Azores Portugal, later migrated to Hawaii". http://www.islander-magazine.com/port.html. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ "Ticha Penicheiro Bio at wnba web site". http://aol.wnba.com/playerfile/ticha_penicheiro/bio.html. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ^ "UCLA Basketball". http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/ask-kapono1.html. Retrieved 2009-04-02.
- ^ "G.L.O.R.Y. Biography: Ariel, Ana Rocha (www.glorywrestling.com)". http://www.glorywrestling.com/gg/Ariel/A.asp. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
External links
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