Understanding Given Names in Portuguese Parish Records

 Naming Practices in the Portuguese World (c. 1600–1900)

While researching my family’s genealogy over the years, I repeatedly encountered a challenge familiar to anyone working with early Portuguese records: women were often recorded with only a single given name. The absence of surnames can make it difficult to identify parents and extend maternal lines further back in time.

I faced this exact obstacle while researching my own maternal ancestry, where my trail appeared to stop in the early 1600s. Rather than abandoning the search, I began looking more closely at indirect clues—particularly the names of godparents and the surnames used by fathers within the same family or parish network. This broader approach, combined with an understanding of Portuguese naming customs, proved essential.

Many Marias and Manuéis in an index from Arrifes parish from 1870 - https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-PD-ARRIFES-B-1870-1879/SMG-PD-ARRIFES-B-1870-1879_item1/index.html?page=75

Given Names and the Late Adoption of Surnames

In the Portuguese tradition, when a child was born, he or she typically received only a given name. A surname was often adopted later in life, usually in adulthood, and it could be chosen from the father’s side, the mother’s side, or even from a grandparent. As a result, children born to the same couple did not necessarily share the same surname.

Names and surnames could also change over the course of a person’s life—although not frequently, this did occur. In some cases, the given name of a father or mother was passed down to one of their children, further blurring generational distinctions. These practices help explain why Portuguese parish records can appear inconsistent or confusing when viewed through a modern lens, but they also reveal a flexible and contextual approach to identity.

What follows is not an exhaustive study, but rather a practical overview of given-name practices in the Portuguese world over the last four centuries. (Surnames are a separate and equally complex subject, which I might address in a future article.)

The Influence of the Catholic Church

From the early modern period onward, the Catholic Church exerted a powerful influence over daily life in Portugal, its colonies, and the Azores. This influence extended well beyond religious practice into social organization and personal matters—including the naming of children.

Church tools such as the Róis dos Confessados (annual parish lists of those who had fulfilled their confession obligations) illustrate the degree to which clergy monitored parish life. Naming practices were no exception.

By the late 17th century, ecclesiastical authorities were actively regulating baptismal names. In the 1690s, a publication known as the Constituições, issued by the Diocese of Porto, instructed that children should, whenever possible, be baptized with saints’ names [1]. This directive reflected a broader effort to reinforce Catholic identity and devotion through everyday life.

Saints’ Days and the Liturgical Calendar

As a result, the Catholic liturgical calendar became one of the most common sources for choosing a child’s given name. In some cases, the name corresponded to the saint celebrated on the child’s day of birth; in others, it reflected the saint of the baptism day.

For example:

• A boy born on the feast of Saint John the Baptist could be named João (historically spelled Joam).

• A girl born near Christmas might be named Natália, derived from Natal (Christmas in Portuguese).

In my own research, my seventh great-grandmother was named Luzia [2]. Although her baptism record from the parish church of Santa Cruz in Praia da Vitória does not list her exact birth date, the timing of her baptism suggests she was born around 13 December, the feast of Saint Lucy. A review of other December baptisms in the same parish—consulted at the Biblioteca Pública e Arquivo Regional de Angra do Heroísmo—revealed multiple girls named Luzia born in the same month across consecutive years, reinforcing this pattern.

As noted by José Leite de Vasconcellos [3], the practice of assigning religious names was widely believed to bring protection, good fortune, and spiritual guidance to the child.

Family and Godparent Naming Traditions

Saints’ names were not the only influence. It was also common for children to be named after:

• One of the parents

• A grandparent

• A Godfather or Godmother

Among these, honoring godparents was especially significant, since the spiritual bond created at baptism often carried social and familial importance throughout a person’s life. For genealogists, this makes godparents an invaluable source of clues when direct evidence is missing.

Why This Matters for Genealogical Research

Understanding these naming conventions allows researchers to move beyond literal readings of records and instead interpret patterns within a parish or family group. When surnames are absent—or unstable—given names, saints’ days, and godparent relationships can provide critical context for reconstructing earlier generations.

Reference:

[1] Leite de Vasconcellos, José. Antroponímia Portuguesa. Imprensa Nacional de Lisboa. 1928. Pg. 82.

[2] Origin, Meaning and Variation [of the name] Luzia. https://www.ancestry.com/first-name-meaning/luzia?geo-lang=en - accessed on 31 Dec 2025.

[3] op.cit. pg. 82.