Moreira-dos-Santos is a Portuguese surname that consists of two parts: "Moreira" and "dos Santos." The first part, "Moreira," is derived from a place named Moreira in Portugal. The name of this place is believed to be derived from the Latin term "Mauritia terra," meaning "land of the Moors." In Medieval times, people who lived near this area were referred to as residents of Moreira and eventually adopted it as their surname. The second part, "dos Santos," translates to "of the Saints" in Portuguese. It is a common Portuguese patronymic surname that originated from the widespread veneration of saints among Christians. People bearing this name were likely named after a relative or patron who had been named after a saint. In summary, Moreira-dos-Santos is a Portuguese surname with roots in the place named Moreira and the Christian practice of naming people after saints.
The surname Moreira-dos-Santos is a Portuguese combination of two distinct patronymics that have separate origins but were later joined together to create a unique family name. "Moreira" originates from the medieval Moorish invasions in Portugal, with its roots meaning 'from the Moor's land'. The surname "dos Santos", on the other hand, is of Christian origin, indicating that the bearer was named after Saint or the Holy Sacrament. In Portugal, it was common for families to adopt a second surname as a form of identifying themselves in relation to their place of origin or religious affiliation. The name Moreira-dos-Santos thus signifies a family that originally resided in a 'Moors' land' and converted to Christianity, likely adopting the name dos Santos as part of this conversion process.
The surname Moreira-dos-Santos is predominantly found in Portuguese-speaking countries, particularly in Brazil and Portugal. In Brazil, it is most concentrated in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Pará, reflecting the country's colonial history and subsequent migration patterns. In Portugal, it is common in several regions, including the north (Minho, Porto, and Douro Lima), the center (Coimbra, Lisbon, and Leiria), and the south (Algarve and Alentejo). Beyond these countries, smaller populations of people with this surname can be found in other Portuguese-speaking nations like Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde, as a result of historical colonization and migration.
The surname Moreira-dos-Santos has several variants and spellings due to differences in transliteration and regional conventions. Some common variations include: Moreira dos Santos, Moreira de Santos, Moriera dos Santos, Moriera de Santos, Moрейra dos Santos, Moreyra de Santos, among others. It is essential to note that the hyphenated form (Moreira-dos-Santos) is the original Portuguese rendition, but it may be omitted or spelled differently when transliterated into other languages. Additionally, individuals might opt for different ways of writing their names based on personal preference or cultural influences.
Notable individuals with the surname Moreira-dos-Santos include:
1. Luiz Felipe Scolari (born as Luís Felipe Scolari Moreira dos Santos), a renowned Brazilian football manager who led the Brazil national team to win the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
2. Ana Maria Moreira-Santos, a Brazilian psychologist and cognitive scientist known for her research on children's cognitive development and memory processes.
3. Paulo Sérgio Moreira-dos-Santos, a Brazilian mathematician specializing in number theory and Diophantine approximation. He is a fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
4. Carlos Augusto Moreira dos Santos, a Brazilian prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Archbishop of Manaus from 1979 to 2003.
These individuals have made significant contributions in their respective fields, spanning football management, psychology, mathematics, and religious leadership.
The surname Moreira-dos-Santos is a Portuguese patronymic name, derived from the personal names Moreiro and Santos. Moreiro is a variant of the common Portuguese name Moreira, which originated as a nickname for someone with dark or swarthy skin, from the Latin "maurus" (Moore). Santos, meanwhile, is a common surname in Portugal, derived from the given name Santiago, the Portuguese form of St. James.
The first known bearer of the combined name Moreira-dos-Santos can be traced back to the 16th century in Portugal. The name has since spread across the globe due to Portuguese colonization and migration. In Brazil, the name is particularly common, as a result of the large number of Portuguese immigrants who settled there during the colonial period and beyond.
In its various spellings and forms (e.g., Moreira dos Santos, Moraes dos Santos), the surname can be found throughout the Portuguese-speaking world, including Brazil, Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, and other former Portuguese colonies. The name's popularity and widespread distribution reflect the historical migration patterns of the Portuguese people over several centuries.
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