Find out how popular the last name Moreira is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Moreira.

Moreira, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Moreira surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moreira in America

Moreira is the 3942nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moreira surname appeared 9,037 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Moreira.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moreira to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Moreira

The surname MOREIRA has its origins in Portugal, where it first emerged during the medieval period. The name is derived from the Portuguese word "moreira," which refers to a blackberry bush or bramble patch. It likely originated as a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near or owned land with an abundance of blackberry bushes or brambles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MOREIRA can be found in the Inquirições de D. Afonso III, a 13th-century document that recorded the names of landowners and their properties in various regions of Portugal. This suggests that the name was already established among Portuguese families by the 13th century.

The MOREIRA surname is particularly prevalent in the northern regions of Portugal, such as the districts of Porto, Braga, and Viana do Castelo. This could indicate that the name originated in these areas, where blackberry bushes and brambles were abundant in the local terrain.

In the 15th century, a notable individual named João MOREIRA was mentioned in historical records as a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Porto. Another figure, Fernão MOREIRA, was a Portuguese explorer who accompanied Vasco da Gama on his voyage to India in the late 15th century.

During the 16th century, the MOREIRA surname gained prominence in Portugal's colonial territories. Álvaro MOREIRA was a Portuguese soldier and explorer who played a significant role in the colonization of Brazil, serving as the founder and first captain-major of the captaincy of São Vicente in the 1530s.

In the 17th century, Diogo MOREIRA was a renowned Portuguese architect who designed several notable churches and buildings in Lisbon and other parts of Portugal. His most famous work is the Baroque-style Igreja de São Roque in Lisbon, completed in the 1680s.

Another notable figure was Manuel MOREIRA, a Portuguese priest and scholar who lived in the 18th century. He authored several works on theology and philosophy and served as a professor at the University of Coimbra, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Portugal.

As the Portuguese Empire expanded, the MOREIRA surname also spread to other parts of the world, including Brazil, Africa, and Asia. Today, it remains a common surname in Portugal and among Portuguese diaspora communities worldwide, reflecting its deep historical roots and enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moreira

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Moreira.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Moreira was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Moreira has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Moreira was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Moreira, please contact us.

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