Portugal Naming Customs

Between 1910 and 1960 the customs regarding surnames for wives and children went through a transition. From 1960 to the present it has been the almost universal custom for a wife to use her husband's surname as her own. Before 1910 it was the custom for a wife to retain her maiden surname throughout her life.

From 1960 to the present it has been the custom for children to be given their father's surname. Before 1910 some children were given their father's surname, some were given their mothers surname, some were given a double surname of both the father and the mother, and some given a surname associated with neither the father or the mother. A large family would typically exemplify all of these options.