Vieira
A Portuguese surname that most often began as a place-name, especially for someone from a site marked by a holly or similar thorny tree.
The #3,425 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 29,630 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Vieira is a surname of Portuguese and Galician origin. It is usually explained as a habitational name from places called Vieira, a word linked to old Iberian terms for a kind of tree or wooded place, and in some cases possibly connected with 'vieira' meaning a scallop shell in Portuguese. As with many Iberian surnames, the exact sense can vary by family line and by the particular place that gave rise to the name.
History
The surname is common in Portugal and Galicia and spread widely through Portuguese emigration to Brazil, the Atlantic islands, and later to other parts of the world. In the United States it is found largely among people of Portuguese, Brazilian, and Cape Verdean background. The name is also familiar from several well-known Portuguese and Brazilian public figures, which has helped keep it visible internationally.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In Portuguese, vieira also means a scallop shell, a symbol strongly associated with pilgrimage, especially the Camino de Santiago.
Notable people named Vieira
- Marcelo (b. 1988)
- Patrick Vieira (b. 1976)
- João Bernardo Vieira (1939–2009)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.