Surname Gonçalves - Meaning and Origin
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“A Journey Into Self-Identity: My Emotional Rollercoaster with iGENEA and the Gonçalves Legacy”
Embarking on a journey with iGENEA to discover the roots of the Gonçalves surname, I experienced a series of emotional highs and lows. The DNA test connected me to my Portuguese lineage which paved the way for a deeper sense of identity and appreciation for my family. It was an emotional adventure into the lab of history, genetics and personal narratives.
B. Gonçalves
read moreGonçalves: What does the surname Gonçalves mean?
Gonçalves is a patronymic surname derived from the given name Gonçalo. It is a common Portuguese and Spanish surname that originated in Portugal in the 11th century. The name Gonçalo is derived from the Latin root Guntharius, which means 'mighty in battle'. The Gonçalves surname is an occupational surname that was likely first given to someone who worked as a steward, since in medieval times that was a high-ranking servant in a royal court, someone in charge of the entire domestic service of the court. Since then, the surname has evolved in meaning and is now widely used in various contexts.
Gonçalves is now seen all over the world, with branches of the family having spanned Europe, Latin America, Africa, and the United States. People bearing the name Gonçalves usually have Portuguese or Spanish origins. The Gonçalves surname is quite popular in Brazil, where it is the fourth-most-common surname, and in Portugal, where it is the 11th-most-common surname. It is also popular in India, where it is the 78th-most-common name, and in Uruguay, where it is the 50th-most-common name.
The Gonçalves name has been held by many prominent people throughout the years, including singers, actors, writers, politicians, and activists. It is an honorable name that has been associated with strength and bravery throughout the centuries and will likely remain a beloved surname for many more years to come.
Order DNA origin analysisGonçalves: Where does the name Gonçalves come from?
The last name Gonçalves is most commonly found in Portugal and Brazil. It is one of the most common surnames in both countries and is not uncommon to find in other nations with large Portuguese or Brazilian populations, including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, and Spain.
In Portugal, it is estimated that the last name Gonçalves is held by over 300,000 people, making it one of the nation's top twenty most common surnames. It is believed to have originated from the early days of the Christian Reconquista, when the parents of a child born out of wedlock took the name Gonçalves from their unrecorded father. To this day, it is still a popular surname in Portugal, with the Portuguese spelling being Gonçalves.
In Brazil, the last name Gonçalves is even more popular. There are currently believed to be more than 2 million people in Brazil that carry the surname Gonçalves. As with Portugal, the name is believed to have originated from the Reconquista period, when Portuguese colonists traveled and intermingled with the indigenous populations. This is why the name is spelled differently in Brazil than in Portugal – the Brazilian spelling is simply "Gonçalves" without the accented letter.
Overall, the last name Gonçalves is one of the most common in Portugal and Brazil and is also found in many other nations with large Portuguese or Brazilian immigrant populations. To this day, its popularity continues to be strong in both countries and is rapidly growing in other countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Gonçalves
The surname Gonçalves is a patronymic from the personal name Gonçalo, which is a Portuguese version of the Latinized form of the Old German name Gundisalv meaning “war-helmet” and “protection”. Due to the Latinized element hosted in the surname, the same individual can be found in different geographical locations under different spellings, variants and surnames of the same origin.
In Portugal, there are two main spellings: Gonçalves and Gonçalves, with the latter being the most commonly used variant. This surname, plus its spelling variants, have also spread to the other Portuguese-speaking countries such as Brazil, Singapore and Macau. As a result, the surname Gonçalves can also be found in these countries as Goncalvez, Goncalez, Gonçalez and Gonzalez.
The surname has also spread to the other regions of the world due to the diaspora of Portuguese people in colonial times. Variants such as Gonzales, González, Gonzalvo, Gonzalves, Gonzalvo, De Gonçalves, Gonçales, d’Goncalves, Gonçorives, Oncales and Oncavecs can be found in places such as the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.
The spelling variations aside, the surname Gonçalves is an honorable and ancient name, originally from Portugal and now spread across the world, a reminder of the legacy of the Portuguese exploration and expansion.
Famous people with the name Gonçalves
- Diego Gonçalves: Brazilian professional footballer who plays for Club Athletico Paranaense.
- Fernando Gonçalves: Brazilian Paralympic athlete specialising in the 400metres and javelin events.
- Thiago Gonçalves: Brazilian judoka who competed at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.
- Guilherme Gonçalves: professional footballer who plays for Brazilian team Athletico Paranaense.
- Miguel Gonçalves: Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a striker for SL Benfica.
- Keylor Navas Gonçalves: Costa Rican professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Paris Saint-Germain.
- Ruben Gonçalves: Portuguese professional footballer who plays for FC Famalicão.
- Arturo Vidal González-Gonçalves: Chilean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Italian club Inter Milan.
- Paulinho Gonçalves: Brazilian singer, songwriter and guitarist.
- Éder Luís Gonçalves: Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Botafogo.