Mangalorean Catholic name explained

Mangalorean Catholic names and surnames encompass the different naming conventions of the Mangalorean Catholic community. Historically, many of them had names of Christian saints, while Portuguese-language surnames were most commonly found.[1] A formal Mangalorean Catholic name consists of a given name, a middle name, and a surname.

Mangalorean Catholics use English forms of their names and surnames in English-language contexts and their native language Konkani forms in Konkani-language contexts.

Male given names

Most Mangalorean Catholic names for males follow the second declension. However, if the name ends in e, it follows the first declension, such as Zoze (Joseph). If the name ends in o, it follows the third declension, such as Lorso (Lawrence). The name follows the fourth declension if it ends in i, such as Jākki (Joachim). The fifth declension is observed if the name ends in u, such as Gabru (Gabriel), or if it ends in ãuñ, such as Zuãuñ (John).[2]

Males
Mangalorean Catholic variantPortuguese variantEnglish/anglicized variantMeaning
SaverXavierXaviernew house
ValentinValentimValentinestrong, healthy
SimāuňSimãoSimonhe has heard
Sebastiauň or BastiauňSebastiãoSebastian
Salvador or SaldorSalvadorSalvadorSaviour
Rozār or RuzārRosárioRosarioRosary
KalvinKalvinoCalvinCourt Jester
FilipFilipe or FelipePhilipfriend of horses
Paullu or PaullāPauloPaulHumble
PāskuPascoalPascalassociated with Passover (or Easter)
Niklāuň or NikuNicolau or Nico (informal)NicholasVictory of the people
MortinMartimMartinWarlike
MortesMateusMatthewGift of God
LuisLuísLewisFamous warrior
Lorso or LoresLourençoLaurencefrom Laurentum, an ancient Roman city
Lazar or LādruLázaroLazarusGod has helped
Jākki or JokkiJoaquim or Jaquim (informal)Joachim
Jākob or JākuJacob or JacóJamesHolds the heel
MingelMiguelMichaelWho is like God?
PedruPedroPeterStone
ŠilaSilvestreSylvesterWooded
ZuãuñJoãoJohnGod is gracious
ZozeJoséJosephThe Lord will add
Source: English-Konkani Dictionary (2001)[3]

Female given names

Mangalorean Catholic female naming conventions differ for married or grown up females and young girls. In case of married or grown up females, most names (more distinctly names ending in a or e) follow the first declension.[2]

Females
Mangalorean Catholic variantPortuguese variantEnglish/anglicized variantMeaning
ZúānJoanaJaneYahweh (God) is gracious
Lus or LujeňLuz or LúciaLucyLight
LuisāLuísaLouisa
MornelMadalenaMagdalene
MartuMartaMarthathe lady
RakelRaquelRachelone with purity
RejinReginaReginaQueen
RituRitaRita
RozziRosaRose
SobinSabinaSabina
SerpinSerafinaSerafina
MonkuMónicaMonicaTo advise
NâtuNatáliaNataliaBirthday
ZâbelIsabelElizabethMy God is my oath
Source: English-Konkani Dictionary (2001)

Surnames

After the Portuguese possession of Goa in 1510, the Portuguese consolidated their power by imposing their own government and cultural institutions in Goa. They also started spreading Christianity in Goa and converted a large population to Christianity. The Christians adopted Portuguese surnames, customs and traditions. Later due to various religious, political, economic, cultural, social causes such as the religious intolerance of the Goa Inquisition (1560), pressures and attacks from the Marathas in Goa during the late 17th and the early 18th century, food shortages, epidemics, heavy taxation, the Goan Catholics started migrating to safer lands in South Canara, where they were welcomed.[4] [5]

After these Goan migrants settled in South Canara, they came to be known as Mangalorean Catholics, and continued using Portuguese surnames bestowed to their ancestors by the Portuguese.[6] Some families, however, still use their original Goud Saraswat Brahmin surnames such as Nayak, Prabhu, Kamat, Shett, Pai, and Shenoy. These original surnames are actually the names of five classes of persons and originally mean "lord, cultivator, merchant, warrior and writer".[7] To capture their tradition, many have reverted to their original family surnames.[8] Four of these are Goud Saraswat Brahmin surnames, with the exception of Shett that is used by a few who trace their origins to the Daivadnya Brahmins of Goa.[1] A minuscule percentage descended from local converts still use the surname Padval.[1] These ancestral pre-conversion surnames of the Mangalorean Catholics are called paik in Konkani. Mudartha is a unique Mangalorean Catholic surname to be found among some who hail from the Udupi district.[9]

Presently, Portuguese surnames are also observed in Goan Catholics and East Indian Catholics and some other Christians in India. Portuguese surnames are very popular across the world and significantly found in Portugal, Brazil, Macau, Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe and Mozambique.

Bold indicates common surnames
Italics indicates uncommon surnames

Portuguese Surnames
ABCDEFGHIJKLM
AdailtonBandeiraCabralda CostaEstevesFariaGamaHenriquesLopes'
AbreuBaptistaCaeiroda RosaEstibeiroFernandesGomesLasradoMartin
AdemirBacardoCaiado de CostaEstrocioFerreiraGonsalvesLoboMartins
AfonsoBarbosaCaladode CunhaFigueiraGonçalvesLuisMedeiros
AgostinhoBarbozCalistode MelloFurtadoGraciasLewisMendonça
AguiarBarcelosCamarade PenhaFonsecaGoveasMendonca
AlbertoBarcoCâmarade SouzaFerraoMenezes
AlbuquerqueBarnesCamposD'CostaMoraes
AlcantaraBarretoCardinhoD'Cunha Machado
AldeiaBarrosCardosoD'MelloMendes
AlemaoBatistaCaridadeD'PenhaMiranda
AlmeidaBenedictoCarlosD'SouzaMadtha
AlvaBenjaminCarmoDiasMartis
AlvaresBennisCarneiroDoradoMathias
ÁlvaresBentoCarrascoD'SilvaMisquith
AlvesBorgesCarreirade SilvaMonis
Alves da SilvaBotelhoCarvalhoDouradoMonteiro
AlvimBragaCastanhaD'saMascarenhas
AmaralBrancoCastelinoDomingoMoras
AmarildoBrandaoCastellino
AmbroseBrandãoCatao
AmorBritoCavaco
AmorimBrittoCereja
AndradeBrunoChico
AntunesButhelloClement
AranhaBetancourtCoelho
AraújoBiscoitoColaço
AssunçãoBrazãoComa
AuroraBarrowsConceicao
AzavedoConceição
AzevedoConcessao
AlfonsoCorda
AbreoCordeiro
Cordo
Correia
Corte-Real
Corte-Real
Costa
Coutinho
Couto
Crasta
Crasto
Criado
Cruz
Cunha
NOP QRS TUVWXYZ
NascimentoOliveraPacheco QuadrosRangelTavares Valadares XavierZuzarte
Nazareth PaisRaposo Saldanha TavoraValles
NevesPaesRasquinhaSalesTelesVaz
NoronhaPaivaRebelloSantamariaTellesVeiga
NunesPalhaRegoSantimanoTexeiraVelho
PalmeiraRemediosSapecoTorradoVerdes
PeixoteReveredoSardinhaTorresViegas
PereiraRibeiroSchunkerTorquatoVieira
PeresRochaRocheSenaTravasso
PicardoSequeiraTrinidade
PimentaRodricksSilva
PinheiroRodriguesSilveira
PinhoRosarioSimoes
PintoSoares
PiresSuares
PoSousa
PrazeresSouza

See also: List of Portuguese surnames.

Portuguese variantMangalorean Catholic variant
Sousa Soz
Coelho Coel
Pinto Pint
Sources: A Konkani Grammar (2003)[10]

References

Notes and References

  1. , p. 168 "The Konkani Christians had names of saints like Peter, John, James, Jacob and Portuguese surnames like Saldanha, Britto, Coelho, Pinto, Vas and others. Some did have Hindu surnames: Shet, Shenoy, Kamalh, Padival, etc."
  2. , p. 38
  3. , p. 541
  4. Web site: Christianity in Mangalore . 2008-07-30 . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080622155343/http://www.dioceseofmangalore.org/history.asp . 22 June 2008 .
  5. , p. 124
  6. , p. 12 "The Christians have European surnames which were bestowed on their ancestors by the Portuguese who stood sponsors to them at the time of their baptism."
  7. , p. 217
  8. http://www.kinnigoli.com/?app=article&mode=view&uid=11 Sarasvati's Children
  9. Web site: Prof Wilfred D'Souza - Third Generation Teacher Who Achieved Greater Heights . D'Souza . Dr. Eugene . 5 September 2009 . . 19 November 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100427025714/http://www.daijiworld.com/chan/exclusive_arch.asp?ex_id=1150 . 27 April 2010 .
  10. , p. 8

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