Do you have Portuguese ancestors?

Question

If you have Portuguese ancestors then the Portugal Project might be just what you are looking for. Check out the project page for details, and if interested in joining please answer this post below. Please don't comment as it becomes difficult to track who we have responded to.

Thanks!

Mindy Silva ~ Portugal Project Leader

WikiTree page: Portugal Project

Answer 1

Yes.

My gt.gt.grandfather Emanuel DIAZ, born 31 August 1840, Faial, Western Isles (Azores).

I DNA tested my Aunt before she passed away last year, and she has matches, but none have proved useful.

Sadly, the most interesting match is on ancestry with a private tree, and is the world's lousiest correspondent.  *sigh*.

I went to the Azores, went through all the Faial parish records (no mean feat when the staff didn't speak English and I can't manage more than a few basic words of Spanish), and I've since been to the Library at Salt Lake City, where I did get a bit of help, and went through all the parish records again.

This is his obituary:

Auckland Star April 17, 1939

"Long Sea Career - Mr Emanuel Diaz - Almost a Centenarian

A well-known figure on the Auckland waterfront for many years, Mr. Emanuel Diaz, died on Friday in his 99th year at his home, 15 Cheshire Street, Parnell.  The funeral took place at the Symonds Street Cemetery.

Born in Portugal, Mr Diaz ran away to sea at the age of 14 years.  He chose a whaler as his first ship, and after several years, during which he visited many distant ports, the ship reached the Bay of Islands.  Mr Diaz was one of a number who left her there.  He came to Auckland and obtained work as a member of the crew of the pilot cutter.

Mr Diaz subsequently served on different coastal ships trading out of Auckland, and later was promoted to the command of different cutters.  He was actively associated with the sea until he was over 70 years of age, since when he had lived in retirement in Auckland.  He was married in Auckland, his wife predeceasing him in 1932 after a married life of 66 years.

For many years Mr Diaz was associated with the Forester's Lodge, being one of the oldest members in Auckland.  He is survived by one son and there are seven grandchildren."

Comments

Hi Julie,

We'd love to have you in the project, if you are interested. That is great that you were able to go to the Azores. That is my dream genealogy vacation lol. That or Madeira. My Açores ancestors are from São Miguel.

Answer 2

Yes, my maternal side are from Terceira, and Sao Miguel in the Açores (Azores)

Comments

We'd love to have you in the project, Lance. Where in São Miguel are your ancestors from? I see your wound up in Massachusetts. Mine went to Hawaii.

Answer 3

Boa tarde!  Minha esposa é neta do Sr. Benedicto Gomes de Souza que nasceu em Portugal e que residiu em São Fidélis, RJ,Brasil, casou-se com Alexandrina Rosária Marins de Souza e tiveram os filhos: Adetelino, Lourival, Manoel, Eduardo, Sebastiana, Fidelina, Antonio, Valdivino e Domingos (este meu sogro). Gostaria de saber de alguma informação sobre ele. Obrigado

Comments

Prazer em conhecê-lo Edimilson! Você sabe onde em Portugal nasceu o Benedicto? Espero que você possa adicionar sua esposa ao WikiTree para que possamos rastrear seus ancestrais.

Answer 4

Yes, my approved Military Order of the Crusades Membership Application Generation # 29 is Alfonso I (Henriques) He was the first King of Portugal & was a Templar Knight.  He is a qualifying Ancestor for The Descendants of the Templar Knights. I have all the sources to place the connecting ancestors in Wikitree from my approved Order of the Crown of Charlemagne application but had to stop because I did not have the required medieval badge! My Gateway Ancestor is Juan Montes Vigil  & was the first Spanish Gateway ancestor to be accepted by linage Societies.

Comments

That's great Cfv! Which line goes back to Alfonso I? We would love to have you in the project if you are interested.

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Here is the line that was proposed and approved by the Order of the Crown of Charlemagne in 2019.

Alfonso IX of Leon is Generation 15 on the list. Alfonso IX is a grandson of Afonso I of Portugal. Alfonso IX of Leon Mother was Urraca of Portugal, daughter of Afonso I of Portugal.

https://groups.google.com/g/soc.genealogy.medieval/c/sRCZbhqryus

Answer 5

Hello! New to this adventure with wikitree. I have done some research but have not pieced if all together in one place. On my paternal side one of my ancestors is Pedro (Pierre) Da Silva. He was recognized as Canada’s first post courier and a stamp was created in his honour. 

Pedro “Pierre” da Silva dit le Portugais, Canada’s First Postman 

Pedro “Pierre” da Silva dit le Portugais (also written Dasilva or Dassylva depending on the record) was born about 1647 in Lisbon, Portugal. Pierre is simply the francophone version of Pedro, and le Portugais was his nickname (the Portuguese).

luckily there are a few sources of information about him and his settlement in Canada.

To my knowledge my link to him is through Caroline da Silva but I am not sure if she is his granddaughter or great granddaughter.

I also remember by dad mentioning the name Antoine da Silva who I believe may have been Caroline’s father.

I am trying to find what we I can about this line. very interested in my Portuguese heritage.

Thanks for reading

Comments

That is really cool Corin!

Answer 6

Re-posting for role on discord, with some updates. 

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Hey,

Found this website in an attempt to find a free and open-sourced alternative to other genealogy websites. 

I'm a 27 year-old masters student in Palaeobiology, currently in Uppsala, Sweden to further my studies.

I am Portuguese, with my father's side coming from Vila Real and with my mother's side from the Algarve. I already added a couple hundred ancestors to my tree, and one line I've managed to trace back to the 1660's!

Now I'm working on the Algarve regional page and exhaustively adding all the names I find in the baptismal records each year of the places my ancestors lived in order to find brothers and sisters. 

Comments

That's great Marcos!! I appreciate the work you are doing for Algarve.

And it's interesting you are in Uppsala - I was researching a WikiTree profile for someone born there!

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Both my sides are also from Vila Real, and i've traced things back to the 1600s as well, but only on a granduncles lineage. Would be interesting to compare!

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Talvez fosse interessante já que tem tido todo esse trabalho dar uma vista de olhos ao site do projecto NósPortugueses.

Creio que estarão a fazer um levantamento semelhante.

Answer 7

Hi Mindy,

Yes, my third great grandfather Antonio Pinto Suares was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1858. He was transported from England to Australia as a convict. I'd love to find out more about his parents and beyond from Portugese records. I'm just a novice at all this so not sure how much help I'd be to your project! I'm interested though. Thanks, Sharon Suares.

Comments

Sharon,

I just got this: https://pt.findagrave.com/memorial/197541760/antonio-suares

It places your ancestor as born in 1830 if accurate.

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That is as much info as I know. I didn't realise his parents also later moved to Australia. I'm not sure why he was deported to Australia.

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Meanwhile, I asked GoogleBard about Antonio Pinto Suares, and I got some answers, but there were changes, wave after wave of queries.

But 1828 seems accurate I'll keep searching that year, but the main hint I got was 2 dates one in February, the other in March 1828, which will narrow down research!

Also, he might have got deported in 1848, from Britain to Tasmania.

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Yes, I just saw on Ancestry from my cousin's tree. He was deported 1848 from England to Australia for theft, for 7yrs. He was later pardoned, and married Annie Flood, she was from Ireland. The part I'm unsure of is why/when he went from Portugal to England. Also, I don't have any further info on his parents. Thanks for searching, much appreciated!

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Thank you Rui for all of your work on this! It's really hard to pin down a specific location in Lisbon.

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As soon as I get back from annual leave i'll resume searching on portuguese registry.

I know how it is to be stuck on a profile...

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I found this link on your ancestor:

https://www.digitalpanopticon.org/life?id=obpdef1-1333-18480515

Also there are 2 Old Bailey Proceedings (UK court) transcriptions, that led to his deportation (1333+1334):

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18480515-1333&div=t18480515-1333&terms=Antonio_Pinto_Suares#highlight

https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18480515-1334&div=t18480515-1334&terms=Antonio_Pinto_Suares#highlight

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Dear Sharon,

Are you from Queensland? If so you will have access to the third document on this other link:

https://www.connectedhistories.org/search/results?rs=Antonio%20Pinto%20Suares

But with a bit of luck, that set of documents is obtained partially here:

https://talis.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/names/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fNAME_INDEXES$002f0$002fNAME_INDEXES:1438174/one

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Hi Almada

Thanks so much for those links and interesting source information, that is amazing! I could only access the docs in 3rd link, not from Qld.

Seems Antonio Pinto Suares was a seaman, which may explain how he ended up in England, before convict transportation to Australia.

Thanks again,much appreciated.

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Dear Sharon,

I have spotted some info for Antonio Pinto Suares and also for Anthony Suares on FamilySearch. Are you registered there? If so let me know and I try to reenact my search so that I can send you those links.

Answer 8

I am interested in joining the Portugal Project to continue to trace the lineage of my ancestors.  Emmanuel Miranda moved from the Azores to Acadia.  Thank you.

Comments

Do you have your Miranda line on WikiTree yet? Which island did they come from? Mine were from São Miguel.

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It is loaded on Wikitree.  Mine lived on Graciosa.

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My apologies, I only see your Canadian lines.

Answer 9

I've been discovering more Portuguese ancestors every week. I'd love to join the project.

Comments

Yay Marcia, you found us! Welcome to the Portugal project!

Answer 10

i am portuguese by marriage. my wife and i are coming back to retire in a few years. i spent a month in aveiro just before the pandemic began october of 2019. it was the best. her family is from casal do travancinha, very close to seia, and guarda. i'd like to be able to surprise her with more than family fairy tales. we know for sure back to her great grandfather on her mothers side and very little of her fathers side.

Comments

Welcome Michael! How lovely that you were able to spend that time in Aveiro. I'd love to travel to Portugal! Let me know when you get more of your wife's ancestors added so I can see where research is needed! Make sure to join us in Discord, as the project chat is being moved there.

Answer 11

Hello, Most of my family is from the Vila Real conçelho in Portugal, around Boticas, specifically in the village of Nogueira. Specifically looking for info on my grandfather Manuel Gomes Pires (born Nov 1, 1917) and his father Antonio G. Pires. Also my grandmother Laura Alves Mendes Pires born July 11, 1921. Need to fill out my ancestry tree here, i was hoping to be able to import my Ancestry.com tree here, but doesn't seem like I can. Thank you!

Comments

Welcome Tony! It looks like you have a good start on your branches. Be sure to put as much as you know on those grandparents so it will be easier to continue on with research! You can use a gedcom to move your tree from Ancestry (I recommend creating small gedcoms to work with) or use the WikiTree X Chrome Extension to move them. If neither of those appeal to you, you can still add them manually.

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Make sure to join us in Discord, as the Portugal project chat is being moved there.

Answer 12

Yes, I'm portuguese and I've been researching ancestors from different regions of Portugal - Minho, Beira, Alentejo, Algarve, mostly - (from my family and for some friends as well). I started adding some of them to Wikitree (though I'm not sure if i'll continue - it seems too time consuming , even with GEDCOM... ) 
Congratulations on the Portugal Project! let me know if I can be of help.

Comments

Welcome Mariana! WikiTree definitely has a steep learning curve at the beginning, but most find it worth it and very rewarding once they get used to it.  I personally prefer adding profiles manually, or using a Chrome extension. GEDCOMs are really only efficient if you break them into small branches of your tree.

We'd love your assistance in the project when you are ready!

Answer 13

Gostaria de fazer parte do projecto de Portugal.

Ainda estou a aprender como fazer as coisas por aqui, mas estou certo que com a ajuda do projecto a minha árvore trará algum contributo à árvore global

Comments

I've sent you a private message Rui. Let me know how I can help!!

Answer 14

Estou em busca de somar a uma única árvore genealógica onde todos nos entrelaçamos e estou na árdua tarefa de contar através de meus descendentes a história de nossa família para minha filha. Até onde sei a história começa no eixo Itália - Portugal - Espanha. Criei perfis nos principais sites de genealogia e constantemente atualizo meu GEDCOM. Obrigado!

Answer 15

Yes I do, so far I have found many links to Portugal. I am interested in this project to find out more.

Comments

Hi,

Hi, did you were able to connect, with sources, any of your western Sephardim to Portugal?

I would like to help on the Portuguese side...

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Sn

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No I haven't, I am not sure where to begin. We know there was family there I have some locations, and names with birth dates and death dates.....

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I was not able to find any* in Bessie Mendes (Mendes-333) ancestors.

Can you give some examples (names/places/dates(?) in Portugal)?

* For instance the profile of Sara Machorro (Machorro-8) states that her birth place is Belmonte, Portugal, but without any source/reference. Her Amsterdam marriage says she was from Curaçao.

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Sn

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My cousin gave me the information that her birth place was Belmonte, Portugal. There is an issue on this on to where she was born as another contributor said her name is not Portuguese. Interestingly you found a marriage reference as I didn't know this. I found her death place as Amsterdam . Her father was Isacc machorro and was a teacher in Curacao. We wondered if Sara was born on the island but I haven't been able to find out yet.

Bessie's parents were Alexander Mendes 1866-1935 and Catherine Jacobs 1870-, Alexander's parents were Mordecai Mendes 1826 - 1888 and Elizabeth Abrahams 1823-1905, Mordecai's parents were John Mendes 1787 - 1866 Charlotte de Habilho 1787 - 1860. I followed Charlotte to her parents Imanuel Hay Israel and Rebecca H Israel 1765 - 1830 which took me to Sara Israel Machorro Haij who married Jacob Hij Israel 1735 - 1768. A lot of this information came from my cousin who has been researching his tree, we share the link on our grandparents level, his mother was a Mendes.

I appreciate that some of this may be disputed but excited to find out anymore about Sara and my family.

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I found more Portuguese links by following from Mordecai Mendes to his father John, 1787 - 1866, his father, David de Abraham Mendes 1769 - 1850, to his parents Abraham De Abraham Mendes 1740 -, Hannah de Abraham Saqui Born 1740 London, died Jan 4, 1812, London, to her parents Abraham E Saqui who was born in Livorno 14 Feb 1722 Died June 22, 1792, London.

I followed Abraham E Saqui's father who was born 1673 in Portugal, died 12 Apr 1720, London.

This is interesting as Abraham's wife Rachel de Chaves was born 1675 in London but died Feb 11 1724 in Jamaica. Four years after her husband.

Hannah de Abraham Saqui's mother Ester Nunes Cardozo 1720 born in London Died April 7, 1762 London, her father Moses Nunes Cardozo was born in 1673 Portugal and died April 12, 1720 in London, his father Ishac (de Jahacob) Nunes Cardoso was born 1655 in Portugal and died April 16, 1724 Mile End London.

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Sara Macchoro (Machorro-8)

If we can not identify a single source placing her birth in Belmonte, Portugal besides a "my cousin gave me the information", and her marriage bann states she was from Coraçao I would suggest to change her birth pace to Curaçao (with the uncertain flag).

The reference to Belmonte could be put in the research notes.

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Sn

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Thank you I will

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Hi, I was trying to follow line from Sara Machorro to her granddaughter Charlotte Mendes (De_Joseph_Habilho-1). We need to find more sources and cleanup de profiles.

If she is Charlotte de Joseph Habilho, probably her father was a Joseph Habilho, if so why Imanuel Hay Israel is liked as her father, what's the source?

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Sn

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That has been put incorrectly my apologies. It's not Imanuel Hay Israel

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Is there a possibility of getting a copy of the marriage certificate as I am currently doing an arts project on my family tree, can use in a drawing I am working on?

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Can you please show me how this site works? It says the document is available to borrow but I can't find out how to do this?

https://libcat.familysearch.org/Record/215147?searchId=289101&recordIndex=1&page=1

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Regarding the familysearch.org: I think if you are registered at the site you can see the digitized images of that microfilm. Note the access to some digitized images have restricted access from the Internet (they would be available at a FamilySearch center).

If you still are looking for Sarah Machorro, that belonged to the Portuguese community of Amsterdam, and came from Curaçao, I don't think it makes sense to search in a protestant church records.

If you are interested in the Portuguese Jewish community in Coraçao I suggest the presentation by Ron Gomes Casseres at the Sephardic Genealogy channel. It has information about what records are available: "A Journey through Curacao's Jewish History" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjmL-1djVgQ

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Sn

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Thank you that was very informative and seems most of the archives I am searching will be located in the Nederlands as my family were there in and around the 1700's.

I still don't know how to access the microfilms as the links seem to just go round and round? I did click on the jewish records but it just goes to a page that says its available to borrow without a direct link to borrow it?

Thanks for the tip on the utube.

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How is your research going? I'm glad Anonymous was able to help you. =)

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The utube was very informative talking about people who live on Curacao.

I am struggling to find out about family who lived on the island, I am not very experienced in researching so struggling with that. I am doing an arts project i would like to include some things about my family in it, where they traveled etc.

My great grandmother was Sara Machorro, someone said that isn't a Portuguese name.....her father was Isacc Machorro who was a teacher, this I know, I am wondering why they were there? Sara married in the Nederlands and died there as well. It is suggested she was born on Curacao.

I just don't know how to find out more?

Answer 16

Hi Mindy,

I would like some info on Antonio Suares and his wife Margaret Suares nee Sthreide. Do you know of any Portugese sites that translate to English?

I am descended from this line through my Mothers biological Mother Inez Suares. Her Father was John Harold Suares, Mother Clarice Suares nee Nathan. I saw your reply to Sarah in July which leads me to believe she and I are distantly related. Also do you know how accurate find a grave is? I was led to believe Antonio I and Margaret’s son Antonio II was born in 1828 but find a grave is saying 1830.

Thanks!

Elizabeth

Comments

Hello Elizabeth!

What records are you looking for? You can do a general search on CCA, but the records are in Portuguese. What locations? I may be able to get you started. Do you have a profile link?

FindAGrave dates should only be considered fairly accurate if there is a picture of the tombstone. Even then, the birth date may be off due to the informant being off a little.

Answer 17

Yes, according to a dna test, im related to the, central azores islands, portugal people. It is very distant.

Comments

Do you know which line goes back to the Azores?

Answer 18

I would like to become part of this project. My second great grandparents on my paternal side were born in the azores. I am unable to attach the obituary photo.

Comments

Welcome Cassidy! I can't wait to see you add your ancestors. Which island(s) were they from in the Azores? Mine were São Miguel.

Answer 19

Yes.

My 4 x Grandfather is from the area.

Am looking for relatives.

Comments

Make sure to add what you have here and maybe you can link up to somebody else. Or from a nearby region

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Caio, i see that there is a profile on this site already.

For that profile, i have info on other sites.

Answer 20

Portuguese? Of course I know him, he's me. Jokes aside, portuguese born and all my known direct ancestors are portuguese (over 100).

Comments

Thank you for your interest in the Portugal Project.

I have added you to the project and awarded the badge to you.

Good luck!