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Letters Genealogy Studies: Stories about Portuguese genealogy prior to the 20th century are welcome. Letters will be placed on this page. Please note, this page does not provide you with Genealogic expertise. We suggest to search on one of the many genealogy web sites. Curado Family: Anyone interested in
following the genealogy tree of this Portuguese family, please let us know. Our consulting
advisor is a direct descendant of this family from Fonte Cova, Monte Redondo, and has
extensive information dating back to the 1500's. All information will be treated
confidentially if so desired.
Tavora Emigrants e Genealogy: You'll require
Adobe's Acrobat Reader.This
family is one of the most studied Portuguese noble names.
ProGenea.com has supplied with
some interesting history about this family. ProGenea will give you a 5%
discount when you mentioned that you are a Foundation visitor. You'll require
Adobe's Acrobat Reader.
Letters from our readers:
Portuguese kids/ vs.. American kids I found these differences very interesting. True... but a bit controversial (?) B. Batista Vancouver BC
Para : Portuguese-American Historical Research Foundation, Inc E U A Estando à procura dum amigo, que já não vejo há muitos anos, mas que sei estar nos Estados Unidos da América, tenho andado a fazer pesquizas na Internet, para ver se encontro o endereço dele, ou o seu E-mail. Entretanto, encontrei o seu registo, nas páginas por vós publicadas, no sector de CIENCIA, MEDICINA, e ENGENHARIA, como : JOAQUIM CORREIA, MD Saint James Hospital, Newark, NJ - 2003. Trata-se efectivamente do meu amigo, JOAQUIM CORREIA CALDAS, natural de Ermesinde, Valongo, Distrito do Porto, e que emigrou para os EU muito cedo, onde trabalhou e estudou, tornando-se mais tarde num distinto médico, e a exercer cardiologia, (tanto quanto sei), no Saint James Hospital - Newark - NJ - 2003. Pedia-lhes pois a fineza, de me concederem o seu E-mail, e/ou a sua morada, e/ou os seus contactos telefónicos, ou outros, afim de o poder contactar, OU EM ALTERNATIVA, comunicar-lhe os meus contactos, que abaixo reproduzo... Certo da vossa compreensâo e apoio, agradeçe-lhes penhoradamente, Fernando Almeida Urbanização PER de Carreiros Rua António Silva, 76 1.o Traz. Telefone fixo : 229725177 4435-074 Telemóvel : 962743450 Rio Tinto - Portugal fazinudo@live.com.pt
HI, MY NAME IS TONY R. CORDEIRO, I HAVE BEEN ON YOUR WEBSITE OF WHICH IS GREAT. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I HAVE SERVED AS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF CERRITOS WHICH IS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I AM THE SON OF ANTONIO GONCALVES CORDEIRO AND MY MOTHER MARY CORDEIRO, BOTH PORTUGUESE. MY FATHER COMES FROM THE AZORES, THE ISLAND OF TERCEIRA. HE LIVED IN NEW BEDFORD, MASS. FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN MOVED TO CALIFORNIA. THE FAMILY WAS IN DAIRY BUSINESS FOR MANY YEARS AND WERE ACTIVE IN THE PORTUGUESE COMMUNITY. SHOULD YOU REQUIRE MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL ME OR TELEPHONE ME AT 909/945-1012. BEST REGARDS, TONY R. CORDEIRO HI : I was born in Murtosa Portugal in Nov 29, 1952 To Mario and Clotilde Sanhudo . Was called to the USA in 1964 by my parents where I resided in Newark NJ. After High School I went to the US Navy where I served Aboard the USS Seattle AOE-3 from 1971 -1975 In 1982 I took the Newark Fire Dept. examination where I placed 13 out of a few thousand that took the exam. In May of 1983 I was hired by the Newark Fire Dept as a firefighter thus becoming the first Portuguese born to serve in that city. In 1996 I took the Captains examination where I placed 53 out of hundreds that took the examination. In 1998 I was promoted to the rank of Captain on the Newark Fire Dept. again the first Portuguese to hold that title. I'm a very patriotic man I love Portugal the country where I was born . I have visited Portugal many times and every time I leave I shed a tear or two. Well thanks for reading my article also please write back so I can become a member . Boa Tarde Arthur Sanhudo
Dear Sir; It has been five years since I read your site. I along with my husband have been living in Tennessee for twenty + years. “The Francis Sylvest Story” by Vince Sylvest is on a website. From: Francis, his son Alex, his son Hammond, my dad Francis to me, Beverly was my given name until 1996. I posted on your site years ago. The Sylvest family doesn’t gather like they use to at the cemetery in Tangipahoa Parrish, Louisiana. Not many are interested. Perhaps, your book and Foundation may give them a spark of renewal. Thank you for your studies and countless hours of research, etc. I thank you for being a Historian. It keeps the family informed. Mrs. Galilee S. Mills
Hello, I just wanted to say that your site is amazing. My mother is from Terceira, Acores Maria Filomena Da Silva and she met and married my father here in Ontario (he was Greek). Hence my name Eleftheria (Lephie) Banitsiotis (now Rotundo as I am married to an Italian-Canadian). We have always embraced our Portuguese heritage and I cherish the memories of my trips to the Acores and Portugal. Lephie Rotundo
“Dear Mr. Mira, I am a Portuguese-American woman producing an educational children's television show that teaches European Portuguese as a language. The show is becoming a hit among non-Portuguese audiences as well, and we need emergency funding to begin selling DVDs of the program as soon as possible. Filipe also wanted me to suggest a name I thought of to the PAHR list of media celebrities of Portuguese descent - you have Sesame Street composer Joe Raposo listed, but you might also wish to list the name of one of his young cousins, Greg Raposo, an extremely popular pop vocalist and songwriter formerly of the boy band Dream Street. You can visit my television series http://www.sunshineagain.com. Thank you for any assistance you can point out to me.”
Hey, I was reading the article on your website about whether people of Portuguese descent should be considered as Hispanics. I am from Brazil but grew up in the U.S. My paternal grandparents immigrated to Brazil from Sintra Portugal and my Maternal Grandparents came to Brazil from Gilsenkirchen Germany. Therefore I am Portuguese/German. I consider myself white due to the fact both sides of my family are from Europe. I don't look like the stereotypical "Brazilian" that most Americans think. Brown eyes, Dark skinned, Black hair.Which in fact Brazil is just like the U.S. it has a variety of people ranging from Black to Blonde with Blue eyes and Asian. Which are all considered as "Brazilians", not Afro Brazilian or White or Asian Brazilian unlike here where we like to dice everybody up into different groups, but expects everyone to see each other as equals or the same. I'm pale white with green eyes and light brown hair. Most people consider me white, but Some people here tell me I am "Latino" but the term is thrown incorrectly here in the U.S. They think of Latinos as Mexicans or Puerto Ricans or from a Spanish speaking nation. What it really means is that you're of Latin origin, or from the group of people who speak the Romance languages, which means you could be Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Romanian etc... Anyway, it kind of bugs me when people say Portuguese is the same thing as Spanish.... Just because a couple of words are closely related due to the fact they are both languages derived from Latin. I can understand somewhat of what French or Italians are saying but I'm not going to say it's the same thing as Portuguese. I'm proud of my Portuguese Heritage. Growing up and having Portuguese Grandparents and German grandparents helped me know great things about both ends of my family tree. I wish the Portuguese community could be more outspoken as the Hispanic community so everyone one would know that we have very great and unique things about our Luso heritage. I stumbled upon this website and immediately was intrigued because it helped answer questions that I have been pondering in my head for years. Muito Obrigado Alex Ribeiro
Dear PAHR As someone who works in the USA, and in Portugal, Spain and France on a continual basis due to my work requirements I believe that people need to understand a few facts prior to making assessments based on ignorant terminology. Definitions roots: Latins: People from Latium and their capital Rome. Italian After aproximately two hundred of fighting, the Romans finally conquered Lusitania and the peninsula was named by the Romans as: Hispania Baetica, Hispania Taraconensis, and Lusitania. Hispanics: Basicly people that can have some Spanish culture and descent or were heavily influenced by the culture(includes Mexicans, Cubans, Panamanians, etc). DOES NOT INCLUDE BRASILIANS. Latinos/Latinas: Tries to indentify/lump together people that have a culture/language that was heavily influenced by countries that speak languages derived from old latin. Used primarily for people in LATIN AMERICA. Since the combination of European blood with African and local Indian tribes produced mixed race people, the ignoramus populace did not have a label for them. Therefore, Hispanic or Latino/Latina became and is still the identifier for people who are not just speaking Spanish but are considered mestizo/mestico, or in other words, not white.... So every time a Spaniard or Portuguese, French or Italian identifies themselves as Hispanic, Latino/a, they are actually stating that they are mixed race when actually they are not. A good example is when an American out of ignorance congratules or wishes a Portuguese person a happy Cinco De Mayo, or instead of a thank you they say "Gracias". That right there shows you how they see you just because they think that you are Hispanic or Latino. If Hispanics applies to Spaniards, then it should apply to Holland, Phillipines and Italy because they were colonies of the Spanish empire just like Mexico or Columbia. And Latin should apply to half of Canada and other places in the Caribean because they were colonized by the French (and they still speak French today). But they are not. So what that tells you is that if you sucumb to the label, then you deserve it. I do not. I am very proud to be of Portuguese descent or Lusitanian. Do not INSULT me by calling me Hispanic or Latino. If I was a Mexican, then I would not want to be called anything other than Mexican, because to call me Latino or Hispanic would be and insult to my heritage. Proud to be Portuguese American or Luso American or Portuguese Regards, Professor John D. Pereira Ph.D.: Engineering & Physics Location: USA/Portugal
I happened to find your website by accident. My parents were born in the Azores. It's wonderful to see what notable people share my ancestry. You wouldn't happen to know how I could get information on my family tree as my grandparents' records would all be in the Azores? Regards, Debbie Rainha (maiden name Justa)
Hi, Thanks for a great website - it's great to see so many Portuguese people succeeding and doing great things for the world. My uncle is on your list in the military section. His name is Antonio Henriques Rebelo. He unfortunately passed away last May 21 2006. His rank is Colonel and our family is from a small rural city called Lourinha. All the best, Gina Olá. Chamo-me Madalena e sou de Portugal. Encontrei este site por acaso e devo dizer que estou completamente chocada com tanta ignorância. Não fazia a mínima ideia que os portugueses eram considerados "hispânicos" na América. Desde quando é que somos considerados como tal? Desde que o Governo se lembrou a fazê-lo? Sinceramente. Que falta de inteligência e de consideração. Nós somos PORTUGUESES, LUSITANOS, como queiram, e não hispânicos. Sinto-me ofendida! Onde quer que vamos somos sempre associados a Espanha, à língua espanhola e bombardeiam-nos com palavras em espanhol como se nós soubéssemos falar. E àqueles portugueses que se consideram hispânicos, só tenho uma coisa a dizer, tenham orgulho naquilo que são, ou seja, tenham orgulho em ser portugueses pois somos um povo único, com uma culruta única no Mundo.
Dear Aaron Chan __________________________________________ Dear PAHRF, Thanks Aaron Chan.
I was looking at your web site, very impressive. I am listed as a distinguished Portuguese person under sports. I am honored. I was also looking at Portuguese American graduates...I've had two children who earned thier degrees: John P. Motta II - BS Southern NH University - Portuguese Parents Lets add these two and keep the list growing. John Motta
Dear PAHR Foundation: I was alerted to your website from a non-Portuguese friend of mine and must say I am impressed. I am happy to see an online archive, such as this, exists for those of Portuguese descent. I wanted to express my gratitude for including my grandfather, Jose Bernardino Henriques, in your list of distinguished Portuguese. He was mentioned under Community-Service-Activities and in addition to helping found the Philadelphia Portuguese Club, eventually went on to become the Consul of Portugal in Philadelphia. He was also the recipient of the Order of Good Merit from the Portuguese Government upon retirement. I would also like to be considered for addition to your list of recent graduates. I hold a BA in Communications from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA and an MS in Library/Information Science from Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition, I currently work at the United States Postal Service Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as a research librarian. I commend you on your research to shed light onto this important group of immigrants in American culture. Regards,
It's funny how I keep going back to this page in your website hoping to find new discoveries about how Portuguese Americans and Canadians are defining themselves in this confusing racial cauldron of North America. I am white by any standards but still after years of having been told Portuguese weren't white, I came to doubt myself especially when there is that minority of ethnic Portuguese who aren't quite "white". I'm hoping our community can come to some kind of consensus on this subject in order to get beyond this racial confusion I know a lot of us feel. Hope to hear from you on this, Thank you Frank G.
A letter from a proud US Navy Portuguese-American - A. Machado
My husband, Shawn, is 16th or 17th generation Portuguese. He is the last in his blood line. His grandmother was Margaret Frances Nobrega, I do not remember his grandfather's name because he died in WWII. My husband had hoped that one day we could move to Portugal, specifically, Madera. Thanks,
Hello. My name is Maria Lopes and I reside in Southampton, Pennsylvania. I was born and raised in Cartaxo, Portugal. I resided there until about 13 years ago. Many people ask me if Davey Lopes is also Portuguese or of Portuguese ancestry, considering we have the same last name, and people are often surprised that it's not phonetically pronounced Lopez. At least I don't, I tell people that it's as easy to pronounce as "cantaloupes," or "envelopes," just to give the person an idea on how to pronounce my last name. You understand, the Portuguese pride! While I was on the Internet searching for some information on Davey Lopes and his heritage, I found this website. I was surprised to encounter such high amount of Portuguese people that hold extremely respectable jobs, and have high levels of education obtained in the U.States. Also the amount of Portuguese people that make a difference in American society. Even though, we don't hear much about it in the media, hopefully, it's not going unnoticed by other members of society. Considering I don't even know ten Portuguese people, I was so surprised. Unfortunately, not many Portuguese people reside near me, nor do I really encounter any Portuguese people at all. Unless if I go to the Portuguese store, or cafe, in which both are located somewhat far . Therefore, I'm excited to have found something connecting me to my heritage. It was good to find specific information about Portuguese people in the U. States. All the different names and the different lines of work throughout North America. Once again, making me so proud of being Portuguese. Keep up the good work. Hopefully, in the future, I hope to be added onto this website. Thanks :D To Mr. Manuel Mira I’m a 34 years old second generation Portuguese, living in Toronto, Ontario. I am proud to be Portuguese from the Azores but living in Canada for 33 years and coming here at 1 year old, I am more Canadian than I am Portuguese. I have always loved history. I am basically a history fanatic and found your book to be a beautiful piece of work. I read "The Forgotten Portuguese" and now I have read "The Portuguese Making of America" you have opened my eyes to new history that I didn’t know about. For instance my eyes are blue and I consider myself mulato, here in Canada it does not matter what the census considers. Me, I am Portuguese and that’s all there is to it. I feel for the Melungeons of the United States even though no one has proven that they have Portuguese in them. But, I have a feeling that they have Portuguese in them. Why would they say they have Portuguese in them all these years if they weren’t? The English and Americans refused to accept this evidence for four hundred years because they can't admit their written history is full of s… They’d prefer any other nationality then ours, or suggest that it is English blood in the Melungeons from Jamestown or Roanoake Island. It is easier than to admit that we were in America before them and that we were great navigators and a special breed of Europeans superior to them in those times. They think we are ignorant and only good for labor till this day. In Canada, I think we have more respect here than in the U.S.A because of our hard work, blood and sweat and we want to be noticed. We built this city, Toronto. We worked on all the major construction operations of importance, for instance my father worked like a dog in this country and I now work in construction building houses, laying out foundations for big houses. When the builders ask our crew what language we are we say Portuguese with pride and honor and we put a Portuguese flag on the job site. You Americans, I believe are more quiet than us in Canada. You keep your nationality bottled up inside or something. We’re on TV, our names, our language, our faces, for many different reasons. I have cousins in California and Boston. The ones from California came to a wedding in Toronto. We had not seen them for over 15 years. They had blue eyes and blonde hair and looked like they came out of Baywatch. The kids don't speak Portuguese and apparently don't want anything to do with it. I felt they were like traitors to our heritage and thought they were too good for us. I am married to a Brazilian woman whose family is originally from Portugal and lived in Brazil for 20 years I have two beautiful children with her. My 11 year old has dirty blond hair piercing brown eyes and my 1 in a half year old has light brown hair and beautiful blue eyes and looks as white as a Canadian, well they are Canadians by birth . I can understand how we Portuguese have a thousand faces and your book explains this in detail. I try very hard to keep my daughters proud and know their roots. For instance my daughter did an essay in 6th grade just a while ago and the subject was explorers. The teacher preferred English explorers, but I said no. I told my daughter you are going to do it on a Portuguese explorer, Magellan the first navigator to go around the world and who was a Portuguese working for Spain. The teacher didn't like that to much, but I insisted on it. Anyways she got an A+ on her essay. I loaned my daughter the books I own and was so proud of her. She learned a lot about the Portuguese. So again I loved your book and find it has amazing information that I didn't know about. I'm learning more and more every day. Thanks to writers such as yourself. May God bless you and your generation. Sincerely, PAUL MELO Dear Paul Thank you for your kind words and for reading my books. Your letter brings up many true facts. Just to clarify your statement In Canada, “I think we have more respect here than in the U.S.A because…” The Portuguese are respected in the U.S.A. just as much as they’re in Canada. Believe me; I know that as a fact and personal experience. Keep up the pride in the Portuguese culture, it made Canada and the U.S.A. much richer. Manuel Mira
Memories of Portugal Portuguese meals feature fresh vegetables and fruits, delicious rice dishes, seafoods of all varieties, delicious breads and desserts to die for. In the center of Lisbon, there is a bakery at which tempting custardy pastries have been made (from a secret recipe) and served for more than a century. Everywhere we went, we saw miniscule cars—called “Smart Cars” nosed into the tiniest of parking spaces. Nowhere did we see gas-guzzling cars. Almost everything we saw was European. American cars were a rarity. The people are warm and welcoming. Their friendliness is a warmth that rivals the sun that shines as a blessing on Portugal. From the glass blowers to the fishermen to the conductors on the trains, we found warm and friendly people. Truly, Portugal is a treasure—a treasure I’m glad we discovered. The Irishmen and the Scot are not Celts Genetic analyses reveal that the current nations? Celts' descend, in fact from the Spaniards and the Portuguese. Ireland
An interesting site and special grouping of people! Edith Baguinho, Toronto
I love this web site Mr. Mira you have done a great job I am going to see if I can find your book in the book store my ancestors are from Faial Acores my va va was Maria Luisa Gomes and my voo voo was Antonio Corrieo de Escobar on my mothers side. My dads parents was Rosa Dutra (I don’t know her middle name) and avo was Francisco Silverdo de Escobar. Those last names for my grandmothers are before they were married. Any way I would love to know more about my Portuguese heritage.
I am writing to inform you of my parents Jose and Eugenia Marques. They were both born in Portugal, my father is from Luso, Mealhada and my mother is from Ilha, Pombal. My father migrated to the USA, to Newark, NJ in 1976 and my mother and I (born In Coimbra) then followed in 1977. I am proud to say that they have achieved the "American dream" to better their lives as well as mine and my younger sister which was born in Newark, NJ. Please feel free to contact me if you need any further information. Sincerely, Carla Marques
You website is amazing. My introduction to Portugal and Portuguese came with my discovery of the story of Jewish Dr Samuel Nunez and his arrival in my hometown on July 11,1733, the same summer Oglethorpe settled Savannah. To see all of the stories tie together, the Portuguese, Brazilians, the Melungeons. This is fascinating to me.
HELLO EVERYONE
Dear Mr. Mira, I recently ordered and recieved your melungeon book. I am enjoying the wealth of facts and ideas you present in it.
Wow! What an informative site! I was shocked and proud to see so many Portuguese-American people who have influenced and/or continue to influence, our world. Greetings and Salutations,
From Cincinnatti, Ohio Hi, I too am a recent arrivie from Toronto Ontario Canada and of Portuguese decent. My new address is in the Cincinnati Ohio area. I am in search for Portuguese in the area but have found that there is none. At least none that is vocal enough to be heard. How could I make certain of these findings? I thank you in advance for your help. From Calgary, Canada Hello, First, I want to congratulate you for your work in gathering this type of information on a very distinct culture of people, the Portuguese. Being of Portuguese descent myself, I am very proud of my roots and of my heritage. The list you have compiled is very impressive and I am sure it will continue to grow...
Wow!! I can't begin to thank you enough for this incredible information! My family and I are so deeply grateful for all you have done to research this!! I wish you were here in person so I could give you a hug!! I'm just thrilled!!
Love the website. I was just on a search engine and came across the site. Both of my parents are from portugal and I lived there till I was 8 before moving here.
My heart is smiling! Thank you soooooooo much for this incredible honor!! If only he could be here to receive it! He was such an awesome person! I sent your message to my brothers, Richard, Robert and Jeff, and I know they are extremely grateful as well! I'm looking at a picture of our father, when he was 8 years old @1915, standing on a corner selling empanadas our grandmother made, for a nickel. He is so adorable, with his little cap and precious smile! As I'm writing this to you, Tom Hanks comes to mind, because his mother's maiden name was Fraga. Do you know if it would be possible, or even appropriate, to find out more about his mother's family and what happened to the Fraga's. The reason I mention this is because Tom was born in Concord, California, just a few miles from Martinez, where I was born. They moved to Hayward and that's where my grandfather's family lived (also Fraga). Perhaps there is a bibiography about him and also some answers.
Parabems é um excelemte sitio,depois de correr na internet onde tenho encomtrado Portugueses de origem .Mesmo nos sitios mais impensaveis,no Hawaii uma grande maioria sâo de descendencia Portuguesa Açoreana e d'Aveiro,encontrei tanbem nos Camarôes,no Canada o primeiro correio mor éra portugues,soube pour um jornalista d'um journal Francofone de nome Da Sylva ,e tem uma grande medalha perto da catedral Notre-Dame em Montreal.A primeira synagogue foi feita por judeus Portugueses e Espanhois,vou parar para nâo ser aborrecido,so que na grande pintura o soldado que tem a bandeira ao lado de George Wasgington,pensa-se que tambem é Portugues
MINUTES OF THE EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE MAGEE CREEK ASSOCIATION, HELD WITH TERRYS CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH, AMITE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, OCTOBER 8, 9, 10, 1898. (Magnolia, Mississippi, Semi-Weekly Gazette, 1898) Page 10. FRANCIS SYLVEST Sooo.... if my grandparents came here from the Azores, am I considered Melungeon? Or do we need to have passed through the south?
Mr. Mira, I recently found your web site and was pleased to discover some e-mails you received from at least two people from the Francis Sylvest line. I am also a direct descendant of Francis. One of the e-mails you received was from a woman named Jennifer Parker-Ortiz. I have a second cousin named Jennifer Parker that I haven't seen in years and would love to find out if this is the same woman. Is there any way I could get some info. on how to contact her? Even if this is not the same person, I have some information that she may be able to appreciate as I have done extensive research on the Sylvest line (great pictures!)
This is an extremely interesting site. Thanks so much for renewing my interest & pride.
Greetings from Canada! Hello,
Congratulations for your page and the information you provide. Keep the good work.If I can be of some help I'll be glad to try to do so. Ana http://www.geocities.com/cu2bd/index.html
This will all one day be settled by DNA analysis. My grandparents come from northern Portugal, the Leals and Rodrigues from Vila Real and the Pereiras and Cardosas from Beira Alta. When my DNA was analized I was asked by the geneticist if I had Scandinavian ancestors. This initially shocked me. Grandfather Leal , however, was tall, red headed and blue eyed. Grandmother was a hazel eyed sandy haired woman. I wanted to know more. Research has been frustrating. A geneticist from the United Kingdom suggested that I look into the "Normans" and the Crusades to solve the mystery because Crusaders coming from the countries of northern Europe settled in Portugal. I have read about the prehistory of Iberia and about migrations of early Europeans but I cannot find the answer to the question of the origins of the northern Portuguese. Nothing definitive. I have genetic polymorphisms shared by Scandinavians and I have a skin disease of "Celtic origin". Leads, not enough. One day, DNA haplotyping, available now, though expensive, will be cheap enough to be available to most people. It is being used to help fight disease and to predict suseptibility to disease. I suggest that everyone look into that technology to answer questions of origins and ethnicity. Such a loud noise may initiate the opening of DNA labs to serve genealogists and historians and ordinary people who just want to know more about their origins. Until then, the census data will be based on conjecture, as will history by surnames and even ancestral locale. Bring on those labs. Rosemary Pereira, New Bedford, MA ********************** Dear Rosemary There is nothing strange about the geneticist question. Remember, the Vikings settled in northern Portugal for a while and many people from that region are blonde and blue eyed. Then to add to the mix, the Iberia Peninsula was settled by the Celtics which some believe that what is left of the true Celts are today's Basque people.
I have just learned about your website through a good friend, Professor Adalino Cabral, from Massachusetts.
I stumbled across your page and found it very interesting. I am a first generation American, my Mom is from the Gafana da Incarnação in Portugal and my Dad from Vila Franca de Xira. Attached is my resume, if I can do anything to assist your organization please let me know. My only update is in two months I will be transferring our national office in DC where I will be working as a trial attorney for the Pension Benefits and Securities Division, which enforces ERISA in district courts throughout the country.
It is a complex mystery but if you examine photographs of Melungeons, past and present, you will see many people of obvious Portugese descent. As the saying goes, if you looked in the dictionary for "Portugese Person" you would see their pictures.
How AWESOME.
Dear Manuel Mira,
I would just like to say "Thank-You", I live in a heavily populated Portuguese Community, and we all as a community are very proud of our heritage, and background. And thank you for taking the time and energy to create this webpage , so that we the Portuguese Community are able to go and learn more about our history. viva portugal!
I have begun researching my family's Portuguese ancestry and ran across a family legend that states my g-g-g-grandfather, Francis Sylvest, came from an island off Portugal that was owned jointly by the Irish and the Portuguese. Other records indicate that he was from Lisbon, and worked a vineyard with his father, then came to the US in the early 1800's aboard a whaling ship. I have not been able to confirm any of this. I have never heard of an island jointly owned by Portugal and Ireland, and other relatives have said that the Sylvests came from the Azores. Do you know of such a jointly owned island? Thank you for all of your research and your wonderful website! Sincerely, Dear Jennifer,
Hello Mr. Mira, Can you please send me your new email address. I have read your book and admire your work. Thank you, Hello from Toronto, Canada Ola! Bom dia! I received my membership card and book. Very interesting! I had heard of the Melungeons but didn't know this much research had been done. I am of Azorean descent. If you go to my web site you can see that I have an Azores page. Does this group meet regularly? This is the first group I've found in the SE. I currently writing my dissertation at the Univ of SC, "Education for the Azorean Immigrant Descendant: Selected cases from the University of the Azores Summer Study program." I was there this past summer for 5 weeks and it was wonderful :-) Glad I found your organization. I enjoyed your newspage 2a. so very much. The song brought back haunting
memories. Please tell me the name Thank your so much for your wonderful newspage2a, I
would like to see more of them. I would like to add my mother's name to those of the distinguished
Portuguese. I feel she is very worthy to be listed, because of all her hard work and love
in keeping our heritage very much alive. Mom had four children, we all spoke Portuguese,
and participated in many Portuguese activities as we were growing up. Our heritage was and
is very important to our family. Maria Cabral (Julio Souza), born in Riberinha, Pico,Azores October 28, 1903, came to California when she was 4 years old, making residency in Sacramento. She met and married my father Joseph Cabral born December 19, 1897, he was born in Faja Grande, Flores, Azores. They were married October 4, 1917. My mother was always very active in the Portuguese community. She was Chairperson for the United Nations events in Sacramento, very active in various Portuguese organizations. From 1954 to 1961 she had a Portuguese Radio Program "Ecos of the Capitol". In 1991 she was awarded the Medal of Merit from the Portuguese Government for her contribution to the Portuguese of California. Mayor Clarence Azevedo (1959) was my mother's cousin, his family also came from the Pico, he is listed in the Section under Portuguese Government. If you need additional information, please contact me. The New England Academy of Codfish, Inc Dear Mira or to whom it concerns, if your web site is still active. Mozihno may be Portuguese, but Mozingo is not a derivative of it, a mistaken one possibly but not legitimate. Mozingo is an Americanized French name. It was officially changed to that at Culpeper courthouse in Culpeper VA, because of its unpronounceable true spelling. It was brought over by 2 brothers, probably in the 1700’s. Any other form of it is just a misspelling of another language.
I was very impressed by your web site. Hi, you have no idea how proud I am to encounter this web site,
what a great way to inform us , those of us who are far away , and away from the
Portuguese community, anyway thank you for all the information given, and I'm looking
forward to reading more info all over the United States on our good hard working people,
traditions and qualities that will carry to our own generations, Hello from Luis Alberto Cabral, thank you for the wonderful book you have written as a second generation Portuguese Canadian I have been waiting for a book such as this one, again I say thank you Mr. Mira, may you always be in our hearts On behalf of all the staff and students of Northeast State Technical
Community College, I would like to thank you for the donation of "The Forgotten
Portuguese" and "Portuguese Making of America" by Manuel Mira.
These are excellent additions to our collection and will be very valuable in assisting our
students and members of the community in researching the Portuguese and Melungeons. I am an architect in Ontario Canada. I was born in Sao Miguel Açores.
Your site is terrific and I enjoy perusing it. Hermano Moniz Sardinha What was the name of the famous 15th Century Portuguese explorer? His name I believe ended in " ---RAL." ****************************** Dear Mr. Kinney, Greetings, The Forgotten Portuguese: The Melungeons And Other Groups; The Portuguese Making of America, by Manuel Mira is, quite simply, remarkable, As a student of history with a strong interest in Portuguese/Spanish/African and Mexican genealogy, I was both delighted and awed to find the Mr. Mira's book contributed to this field; indeed this book was more than thorough in examining and investigating the Melungeons presence in North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and various other places in America, and even examined the etymology of the word Melungeon, considering African, Greek and Turkish origins. I am somewhat envious. I understand and identify with Mr. Mira's passion in investigating the origins of the Melungeons, as I have a passion for examining, from all angles, the origins of the Almada family; so far as the Melungeons are concerned, I too believe that they are descendants from a Portuguese root, multifarious branches of a much larger tree. I studied with great interest the Appendix lists, which gave the full names and/or surnames of Portuguese Navigators, Explores and Missionaries, the record of weddings between Portuguese men and native women, the Caravel list with its Captains and especially the record of Common Melungeon and Portuguese surnames. The Appendix C list mentioned three Almeidas, and as the P.A.H.R.F knows Almeida is a town in northern Portugal and is a name common among Sephardic Jews; I have long suspected a correlation between Almeida and Almada, a town in central Portugal, but in my ongoing research I have yet to find any connection. Nevertheless, I found the record of the Common Surnames most illuminating, for indeed Mr. Mira placed the English/Melungeon surname of Amadas next to the Portuguese surnames Amada...and Almada. While I accept that this may just be a coincidence, nonetheless I read in the paragraph above the list that Mr. Mira compiled the surnames from Santa Elena settlers, scholarly research and personal interviews. The possible Almada-Melungeon connection was, for me, one of the guilty pleasures of the book, and I say guilty only because I perused Mr. Mira's work hunting for any morsel of information on the Almadas. As the P.A.H.R.F already knows, Almada is a town in central Portugal across the Tejo (tagus) from Lisbon; however I am not Portuguese, and an about three cultures, and three languages, removed from it (American, Mexican and Spanish). According to my research in public and university libraries and on the internet, the Almadas were a Portuguese clan of noble lineage, whose finder was "Liberache", an English Knight who along with other English and Norman soldiers accepted land from King Alfonso Henriques if they would remain in Portugal and fight in the Reconquista against the Moors. From that time forward, the Almadas were primarily a Portuguese family; when or why the migrated into Spain I am not certain, but I do know that the Almadas in Mexico had as their founder Antonio Almada, a mining engineer from Spain. When or why the Mexican Almadas migrated into America I am not certain; nor do I know with certainty that I am related to them or the Spanish/Portuguese Almadas. If all this reads as self-important narcissism or hubris I apologize; surely there were and are families with far more illustrious histories, however I was long ago compelled to flesh out a family history of the Almadas, and hope to one day do so in book form. My father was Mexican American, my mother African America, but sadly, in my genealogical research I have uncovered much material and paternal sides of my father’s family but very little of my mother’s; for this reason I was quite pleased that Mr. Mira, rather than avoid Portugal’s active participation in and explanation of the African slave trade tackled it head on in the section "Brief History of Slavery". I understand that Mr. Mira invites corrections, omissions, or suggestions to go into the next edition of Forgotten Portuguese, and the topics I would like to suggest for the updated version concern esoteric points of Portuguese history. Admittedly, they intertwine with my research on the Almada family, and unfortunately, I cannot link them with the history of the Melungeons; however I believe the esoteric historical points could be added to an updated Portuguese Historical Chronology. *Into the second edition of the Forgotten Portuguese, would it be possible for the author to elaborate on the Doze de la Inglatera, the Twelve of England? My survey on the Portuguese Almadas revealed that an Alvaro Vaz do Almada was a member of the Twelve. *In the second edition, I would like to see displayed other Coats-of-Arms of prominent and little known Portuguese/Melugeon families; indeed the Gois Family crest and that of Magellan were reprinted in the Forgotten Portuguese, and I understand the Almadas had their own as well. There seems to be a small, minute similarity between the Gois family mentioned in the Forgotten Portuguese and the Almadas; the former, as Mr. Mira elaborated, were a family of Portuguese nobles and one of them, Goncalo Gois, was a Knight who fought for the Portuguese king, Afonso Henriques. Liberche, the founder of the Portuguese Almadas, was a Knight, albeit an English one, who also found for the Portuguese sovereign in the 12th century. (1147 according to my research) Did Goncalo and Liberche ever meet? A question to consider in further research for any student of medieval Portuguese history, not just Mr. Mira or myself. Finally there can be no doubt that the
Forgotten Portuguese is an important work and that the Melungeons are fascinating people;
I wholeheartedly encourage the P.A.H.R.F to publish more books on the subject. The Distinguished Portuguese of the 20th Century: This is a very impressive list that you have compiled, that will undoubtedly continue to expand. I have just received the link from a friend. Very well put together site.
Very informative. I'll continue to check back for updated information. Good job. Hello, I'm a descendant of the Portuguese community of Malacca where until today there existed a cultural heritage so alive, which dates back to the 16th. century during the Portuguese rule in Malacca. I have written a book on the discovery of the Portuguese settlement in
Malacca titled " Where Do We Go From Here" and my late brother had also written
a book on the story of the Malacca Portuguese community. I will be pleased to send you a
copy for your library of these books. Please indicate your postal address and I shall send
you the books. I am interested to buy a copy of the Portuguese making of America by Manuel Mira. Please tell me if I can make an order from you. Send my best wishes to Manuel Mira. Hello, I have just about finished your book, The Forgotten Portuguese.
I want to thank you for writing this book. You helped me to solve a mystery that goes back
5 generations. Five years ago, my father who was in perfect health, or so I thought, died
from Amyloidosis. We were devastated as well as puzzled. Why would a disease such as this
pop up out of nowhere? No one else had this, or so we thought. After three years of
extensive research on this, I found that my grandmother was hiding a big secret from the
surviving family members. My father and his sister were not the legitimate children of the
man we called our grand-father. My grandmother, a Melungeon from Virginia with
Scotch-Irish Indian roots, was suppose to marry Raul, a Portuguese emigrant. He became
sick with T.B. right before my father was born in 1934. She then married another man in
hopes that no one would know about her illegitimate child. It did not work and everyone
knew this because of the way my dad looked. Two years later there was another child born,
my aunt. She looked just like my dad. To keep this all hidden for race, she had
"black" put on their birth certificates. Recently, we have all been experiencing
symptoms of FMF--Familial Mediterranean Fever. Had we not read this book, or looked at the
websites of Dr. Brent Kennedy or Nancy Sparks Morris, someone else would have suffered the
same fate as my father. We really appreciate the information given to us and the support
from the Portuguese community. We always knew we were different, because we did not look
black, and we did not look white either, and all through growing up I was treated unfairly
by blacks and whites because of how I looked and my skin color. I am now proud of my
Portuguese Heritage. I am learning more and more about it. We have hired someone to find
my grand-father. We want to know our proper Portuguese surname. Thanks so much for this
valuable information. Hello, I am pleased to learn about your organization and
your current research activities. I think your research is needed, so that we can better
understand our history and our presence in North America. Dear Maria: Thank you for all the information on this web page. I am Portuguese, and
from the U.S.A. I am searching for Q&A on What ethnic group Portuguese is in? I look
at my skin and don't see white, I see olive skin, just like all Latin groups. I have read
lots of books and my favorite one was The Great Navigator. I also look for programs on TV about Portuguese; I have not seen any and I would hope some day soon they would make one so that Americans would know how much of an impact that Portuguese had on the world. I think that Latinos would become the majority if not now, in years to come. Thank you for reading this letter. One thing that many Americans [USA] are lazy about is learning a second language, i.e., a language other than English. With a little bit of an effort, most can learn a language. When my maternal grandmother died, I stopped speaking Portuguese until I decided I needed to resurrect that knowledge so I could start researching my family's history. I went and bought one of those cassette sets and began the task of learning Portuguese. I may not be able to write it well, or speak it perfectly, but I learned enough to understand and be understood and to read enough to make things out. Everyday, I watch the 2 Portuguese channels on my cable system, RTP being one of them. So, I encourage all those English-only speakers here at least to try to learn a little Portuguese. Hello Mr. Mira, My BOLTONS are called Melungeons. My
records say they are of Portuguese, Spanish and German ancestry. However Bolton is also an
English name & does not sound like a name of these nationalities. Would there be
another way to spell it in Portuguese or Spanish?
I would appreciate any help on Spencer's parents & siblings. Also when and where my Boltons came from. ********************* Dear Kay, Please keep me posted on your activities and information concerning Luso-American subjects. My maternal roots are Azorean Portuguese and we descendants are numerous in the New England region, although often our surnames may belie this fact. Thank you for your wonderful work! Hi Manuel. I have a book almost completed on the Melungeons, hopefully it will be the first book written by a descendant who can prove it. I don't think the Melungeons were Redbones. My bunch is the real Melungeons who came to Newman Ridge circa 1790's from around the New River, They moved to the New River in 1767 from the Flatt River in NC. I trace individual families to their original homeland in Virginia, using the nationality they claimed to be, which was Portuguee and Indian. Mr. Mira, I always read your letters. I find you to be the most enlightened on the history of the Melungeon people. I have several stupid questions for you. I cannot ask a person who considers themselves a Melungeon because I find every person I speak to has chosen the race they want to be instead of actually tracing the history of how the people got there in the first place. I have started a few race riots on their list. Q: Is it true the actual word Melungeon is Turkish? Is there no
Portuguese word similar to Melungeon? Q: Could you please tell me any other races brought to America by
Portuguese? Q: After 400 years would the people still show any physical
appearances similar to Portuguese or Turkish people? Q: It seems to me that there would have to be other ethnic races
that have mixed with the Melungeon people much later than the 16th century for them to
still appear ethnic. Q: I have found the Melungeons to be a fighting race of people that
is for certain. This is an awesome page! It is great to hear about all this Portuguese people that lived here in the United States. I live in Virginia since a year ago and I never met any Portuguese people here. Bom Trabalho. Ola/Shalom I have often visited your impressive site and
know I will be back often in the future as well. Hopefully, you will be interested in
linking to the only Portuguese-Jewish site on the www in English. Please visit my site and
see if you would like to have this small part of our shared history as part of your
excellent *Global village* already displayed. I'm writing to you because I was recently at Knotts
Berry Farm an old West theme park here in the Orange County an area outside of Los
Angeles. I am a descendent of a group of people known as the Melungeon Indians. My ancestors were Portuguese who shipwrecked down in Cape Hatteras, North Carolina during the early 1700's, approximately 1734. Ola amigos! I recently ventured onto your website and
can say I was pleasantly surprised and intrigued by its content. I'm a Luso-American
college student, majoring in History, and your website provided some great information on
early Portuguese-Americans as well as some more "famous" Americans of Portuguese
descent. I'd like to find out more about PAHRF Inc. James Henderson Hall was born about 1825 in Bedford
County, Tennessee. He married Sarah D (believe middle name to be Dora) Collier in
Pottersville, Howell County, Missouri on Aug. 15, 1855. Children born to this union were
William Perry Hall, born June 22, 1855; Nancy A. Hall, born July 1859; John Thomas Hall,
born Dec 1, 1867; Grant Hall, birth date unknown; James Henderson "Jim" Hall,
born Aug 21, 1869; Dora Matilda Hall, born March 16, 1872; Elias Hall, born about 1873;
and 2 infant Hall children, names unknown. Dear Mr. Mira...Your book was already included in my list of printed sources, and I feel it has made a very valuable contribution to the Melungeon story. Thank you Manuel, everyone has been so helpful. The site you just provided me, along with Doug's provide the major Links I need. I thought I'd exit from the site as I have a tendency to stay on for hours at a time, so that I could "Thank You." I'm off on searching again. By the way, when I saw your name I thought it looked familiar and looked in my group of books which I purchased. I bought your book "The Forgotten Portuguese," great job. Hi, I have been researching my husband's family tree for about 10 years now and for about 10 years I have been stuck on his great grand-father, James Henderson Hall. Family told me he was Chickamaugua Cherokee so I started digging there. There have been many dead ends, needless to say. family told me that the Hall children weren’t allowed to attend school because they were Indian. Upon digging into that, I found out that they weren’t allowed to attend school because they were Indian, but that they were enumerated as "colored" on a census. Then James Henderson Hall took the state to court and proved that his ancestors were PORTUGUESE! At first I thought, "yeah right! Hall really sounds Portuguese to me!" Then I found out about the Melungeons. I noticed that Hall is name associated with the Melungeons, and I thought "Well, maybe..." Do you know anything about the Hall name that is associated with the Melungeons? Brent Kennedy, Ph. D. replies: Yes, Hall is a very common Melungeon name. The photo of my great-great grandmother (on the book cover) is of "Louisa Hall Nash." It's almost a certainty that this lady's Hall family is related to mine/ours. Especially with the claim of being Portuguese.
Manuel: Just a note to tell you that your book is a fascinating read. I have read about one third and find it to be a masterful work of research. You are to be commended for your scholarship and objectivity in presenting all points of view. Again, thanks for you effort.
What an incredible site! I stumbled across the Melungeon Home Page accidentally while doing genealogy research. I am half Portuguese--ancestors from the Azores Island of Terceira, and also Cherokee. I would love to get your book. Will there be any information on the Portuguese in the Azores? In Terceira? How much do you know about the Cherokees and their racial mix? I find this area so fascinating and would love to learn more. Thanks so much for yours and related sites! I am glad I found them! Dear Sherry, thanks for your kind words. Definitely there is a connection between the Melungeon and Cherokee as well as the Portuguese. In the beginning of this century, when more rights were given to the Cherokee Indians, many applied to be part of the tribe. There was at least one that I know of that applied and it wrote on the application that his race was Portuguese.
My sister and I are trying to find Rodrigues, Manuel married to Mary Carrar or Camarra from the Madeira Is. Our great-grand-father's name may have been Antonio Joseph Rodrigues and his wife Caroline Mary Fernandes. Any help would be appreciated. Thanking you in advance. Carol, I'll try to help you with the "Anglicized" names you have. Manuel Rodrigues was married to a Maria Camara. "Carrar" is not a Portuguese surname. It might have been "Correia" but since you also mentioned "Camara" I do know that is a Portuguese surname so it most likely is that (notice the spelling). It's good to know the Portuguese equivalents just in case you start researching these names in Portugal (for birth, baptismal, marriage, and death certificates). Your great grand-father's name would be Antonio Jose Rodrigues and his wife would be Carolina Maria Fernandes in Portugal. Have you tried looking for passenger records for the approx. dates they came to America? It should list where from the Madeira Islands they came from. Once you know where from Madeira, you could probably write to the Archives on Madeira and ask for the appropriate certificates or, you could probably order the proper microfilm from your local Family History Center. I do know that the Azores islands and Madeira island were also known collectively as "The Western Islands" for sometime in the late 1800's--so, watch for this too. I hope I've helped just a bit. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me!
We are a Portuguese family whose ancestors went from The Islands (Madeira and The Azores) to the then Kingdom of Hawaii between the years 1872-1885. Our family names are; deMattos (Azores), d'Ornellas, Pitta, Gomes-Jardim, from Madeira. The family is scattered all throughout the United States, many on the internet. We would appreciate hearing from anyone with similar names and interests. Your site is outstanding. It is a pleasure to see how many Portuguese people have been successful. It is an honor being in the midst of your list. Dear Mr. Mira: Thanks also for providing this web page. It is wonderful to see the impact that our people have had in the formation of this country. For such a small group, we really make a big impression! I was in Newport, Rhode Island this past weekend and discovered a monument
honoring the Portuguese explorers who discovered so many parts of the world, it overlooks
the ocean and is quite a beautiful site. My first feeling and comment to my husband was
that the Portuguese are honored here! Its sad but true… I grew up on Cape Cod in
Massachusetts where the "dumb Portagee jokes" and prejudice were rampant. My
name was Simmons (from Simões) I hid behind that English sounding name so people wouldn't
know my nationality. As the years have gone by I have discovered that it is a wonderful
and proud thing to be Portuguese. I am trying to recapture all I have missed in growing up
without my Portuguese heritage. Thanks for listening friends.... It was an emotional
moment and I wanted to share it with you. This morning as I read the "New Bedford Standard Times," I was thrilled to see the article about you and your book. I live in Florida and will see if I can get a copy of it. My family is Portuguese (Mama and her family came from Fayal, Azores, daddy's mother came from the Azores as well, his father's parents also were Azoreans... I take much pride in the fact of my family's history and am proud to be a "Portuguese" American. My vovo always told me to never forget the earth of the old country flowed in my veins and to always tell people I was not just an American, but a Portuguese American and do so with my head held high. Sorry my correspondence is long! Am very excited about the book. Just want to thank you to write about the Portuguese role in the American
History. Again Mr. Manuel Mira. I was born in the Island of Faial, came to this country in
1961, married a girl from Madeira, have one daughter 17, Antone Candido, good luck on your
endeavors. Dear Manuel... First let me congratulate you, for your book, which I'm presently in the process of reading. I'm really impressed with the scope and importance of your book. Not only because History of the Americas - Colonial Period and Linguistics are my favorite subjects, but because you really wrote a very informative and enjoyable book. Congratulations! Manuel, I loved your web page. It is wonderful. I have been interested in the Melungeons for many years, and your book and research is so wonderful! God bless you. I just finished reading it -- wow! It was very
interesting and educational!! I am very impressed! I especially liked your narrative
about the Judge Shephard Melungeon Case in N.C. I also was interested in the story
about "O Barco e O Sonho" and you mentioned that one could possibly obtain the
video from Henda Records. I called and spoke to Mario Costa but he said that it was
out of print and he did not have one. Do you know of any other place where I could
find it? Muito obrigado. Christiane :-) My name is B.B., and I'm new to posting on this list. I've been reading the various postings and have found it very interesting. I would appreciate any information regarding Santo António, São Miguel, Azores. My greatgrandparents and their families are from there. My great-grand-father, António Carvalho d'Oliveira married my ggrandmother, Maria dos Santos, in Ponta Delgada in January of 1900. My ggrandfather's parents were Joaquim Carvalho d'Oliveira and Jacinta de Jesus. My ggrandmother's parents were João d'Oliveira Santos (or dos Santos) and Victória de Jesus. I find it curious that both of my gggrandfather's names were d'Oliveira and both my gggrandmother's names were de Jesus! Would anyone have any possible explanations to offer---could they all have been related?? Thanks for any help. Kind regards, Manuel Mira. I am of
Azorean descent. My grandparents were from Faial and the Portuguese community in
Providence, Rhode Island. I have been serving as a paratrooper in the US Army for 26 years
and I have been at Fort Bragg, NC for some years now. I am very pleased to see the note,
in regards to your book and this web site, posted by Doug Holmes in the
Portuguese List (a genealogy forum). I will order your book today and anxiously
await its arrival. I hope that more work is done to publish in English the contributions
made by Azorean people. There is also little in English published works of the details
surrounding the large Flemish population who were a significant fraction of the 15th
century settlement of the central and western Azores. James Guill did a great job of
introducing this subject in his book, 'Azores: a history' in 1993. Good luck in the
future. Dear Mr. Mira - Am planning a trip to Portugal with my mother in the next couple years...my main objective is to see where she came from (Vila Cortez, Guarda) and to obtain as much genealogical info as I can...She came to US in 1953 at age 11 with her mother and sister and my aVo followed shortly after. My vovo's maiden name was Andrade, she was born in Cuvo (sp?), but her father was an illegitimate child and we have yet to learn whether the Andrade name was HIS mother's maiden name or his father's name. I notice Andrade seems to originate in the Azores...yet cannot find connection of our family to it. Also looking into my mother's maiden name of Garrido. Any suggestions? Dear Maria M. - I'm glad that you're going to Portugal. The name Vila Cortez, may be written as Vila Cortes. The names in Portuguese do not end with a "z". Since your mother was born in this century, your only choice to research for her immediate parents is to go the "Conservatoria do Registo Civil" in Guarda city and request her birthday certificate with detail. Then you'll have the names of your Grand-parents and possible Great-grandparents. Dear Mr. Mira - Some time ago I archived and remastered
old folk music from my mother's family tape. It was the old reel-to-reel audio
tape, and it was recorded sometime in the 1950s when many of my great-aunts,
great-grandparents, and older kinfolk were still alive. Some of the music
sounded familiar to me from growing up around the Appalachian music known as
"bluegrass." However there was this music that wasn't familiar to me that
was sung by the women ONLY. This singing by the women was done in unison, and was very,
very religious, but it was unlike any type of religious singing I had ever heard in my
life. The scales and pitch range in which they sung had the most haunting, spine-tingling
quality to it, but at the same time was so beautiful and emotional to the point of
bringing about tears from my eyes. Now, as to why I am writing this to you is
because I am of Melungeon descent and am continually researching my ancestry for clues
that could tie them to Portugal and northern Spain (Galicia). Well, about a year ago
I went to a music store looking for traditional Portuguese music, but more specifically
the traditional music: dances, ballads, ritual songs, instrumental. Dear Mr. Counts - Thank you for your information. Please do send any information that you may come across. Dear Mr. Mira - This morning as I read the "New
Bedford Standard Times" I was thrilled to see the article about you and your book. I
live in Florida and will see if I can order a copy of it. My family is Portuguese (mama
and her family came from Faial, Azores, daddy's mother came from the Azores as well, his
father's parents were also Azoreans... I take much pride in the fact of my family's
history and am proud to be a "Portuguese" American. My vovo always told me to
never forget the earth of the old country flowed in my veins and to always tell people I
was not just an American, but a Portuguese American and do so with my head held high....
Am very excited about the book. L.A.C. Dear Mr. L.A.C. - Just to thank you to write about the
Portuguese role in the American History. I was born in the Island of Faial, came to this
country in 1961. Married a girl from Madeira, have one daughter 17, Antone, good luck in
your endeavors. A.C. Dear Mr. Mira - I believe my last name "MOZINGO", not in its current spelling, to be of Portuguese origin and derived from "MOUZINHO" or the alcunha "MOZINHO". Do you have any evidence to support this? The earliest recorded Mozingo is in 1672 where Edward Mozingo in Rappahannock County, VA an indentured servant is asking for his release from servitude, Do you have any information? Dear Mr. B.M.- Your information is very interesting. It is definitely a Portuguese name and of a famous Portuguese of the 19th century of a noble family. The alcunha or nickname close to it would be "MAUZINHO", meaning bad in a gentle manner, not being really bad but a little bad. First we must search the passenger list of ships coming to America during the 16 and 17th centuries. We welcome any suggestion from our readers. Dear Mr. Mira - My ancestors lived in Delaware and were part of a group of people known as the Delaware Moors. Since the time of my great - my family line has spelled our name Councilor. Prior to that it had various spellings (Counsellor, Concealor, Conselah, Gonsela, Gonsalos, Consalues, and earliest Gonsaloos- about 1674 in Accomack, VA) depending on who the census taker or local tax man was and how he decided to spell what he heard. The Moors had definite Delaware Indian blood but also either Spanish or Portugese blood as I have been told that the family name is Iberian in origin. Also other early families of the Moor community were named Rodiriguez (later Driggus) and Francisco (also Sisco later on). I just saw the mention of your book on the Melungeon home page and wondered if your research had located any Portugese folks in the Delaware-Maryland-Virginia Peninsula in the mid to late 1600's? Thank you for any information that you can provide to me. Dear T.C - In my research, I discovered that there were a number of groups named the Moors around the area mentioned. Not much is known as individuals, more research is needed. The names described have a definite Portuguese background, due to the fact that they end with the letter "s". Spanish names do generally end with letter "z". I'll keep you posted as the data base is being put together from the ship passenger list that came to North America in the 16th and 17th century. Hello Manuel - I'm writing to ask if the family name Cisco is known to you as a name of Portuguese origin. The family history, the little we know, tells us that it was a Portuguese named Peter Francisco who arrive in Boston in the 17th century is the earliest known (mythically) antecedent. We also have a Civil War sword that belonged originally to a Francis Marion Cisco, his name is engraved on the sword, I think he was a great, great grandfather. I also know that my grandfather, Charles Edward Cisco and his brother made a trip to the Appalachians in the 1930's seeking out relatives but no record of what they found exists. My grandfather lived around Clinton, Illinois which is just west of the small town of Cisco. Appreciate any insights you can provide. Dear S.E.C. - Yes, Cisco is a short form of the Portuguese name Francisco (Latin origin). Pedro Francisco was a Portuguese from the Azores, but it arrived in Virginia in the 1700's and fought alongside George Washington in the Revolution. My book mentions him and gives a brief story. The name Francisca is the same name given to a woman and very often is shortened for Francis. I do know a Portuguese lady, original name was Francisca and now it has been changed in the United States to Francis. Be patient and don't give up. One of the source of information is the list of passengers from the 16th century on.
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