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

Português, 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 Português surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Português in America

Português is the 139228th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Português surname appeared 120 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Português.

We can also compare 2010 data for Português 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 Português

The surname Portugues is believed to have originated in Portugal, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Portuguese word "português," which means "Portuguese," referring to someone from Portugal or of Portuguese descent. The name likely evolved from the Latin word "Portugalensis," which was used to describe people or things related to the region known as Portus Cale, the modern-day city of Porto.

In the early days, the surname Portugues was commonly found in the northern regions of Portugal, particularly in the areas around Porto and the Douro Valley. It is possible that the name was initially adopted by individuals who migrated from these regions or had strong ties to the local communities.

Historical records suggest that the Portugues surname appeared in various medieval documents, such as charters, tax rolls, and land grants. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the 13th-century records of the Monastery of Alcobaça, which mention a certain "Afonso Portugues" as a landowner in the region.

Over the centuries, the surname Portugues has been associated with several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was João Portugues, a 14th-century explorer and navigator who accompanied Prince Henry the Navigator on several voyages along the West African coast.

Another prominent figure was Diogo Portugues, a 15th-century cartographer and cosmographer who contributed to the development of early Portuguese maps and navigational charts. He played a crucial role in the Age of Discovery and the expansion of Portuguese maritime exploration.

In the 16th century, Pedro Portugues (1490-1560) was a renowned sculptor and architect who worked on several significant projects in Portugal, including the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon.

During the 17th century, Father António Portugues (1610-1680) was a prominent Jesuit missionary who traveled to Asia and made significant contributions to the spread of Christianity in the region.

More recently, Fernando Portugues (1923-2011) was a celebrated Portuguese architect and urban planner who designed several iconic buildings and urban spaces in Lisbon and other cities in Portugal.

While the surname Portugues has its roots in Portugal, it has since spread to other parts of the world, often carried by Portuguese emigrants and their descendants. Today, individuals bearing the surname Portugues can be found in various countries, particularly those with historical ties to Portugal, such as Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Português

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

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 Português 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 Português 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 Português was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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