Sephardic Genealogy
Changes in the regulation of Portuguese nationality law for Sephardic descendants
Follow here all the updates on the recent changes to the regulation
Note of clarification: Portuguese nationality by the Sephardim
If the text amending the regulation has not undergone major changes, there will be a standardization of the certification process, which will bring more clarity and transparency.
Portuguese citizenship by the Sephardim and the genealogical study
Sites such as Family Search and MyHeritage may make searching easier, but they do not guarantee the veracity of all data.
Joaquina do Pompéu and her Sephardic descent in Minas Gerais
In addition to being a farmer and a businesswoman, Dona Joaquina de Pompéu is the matriarch of thousands of Sephardic descendants who are entitled to Portuguese citizenship.
3 tips to begin your search for a Sephardic ancestor
More and more people have turned to genealogical research to document ties to Jewish ancestors in order to secure approval of the process.
Sephardic descent in Minas Gerais
These descendants saw in the region's development an opportunity to settle down and develop their economic activities.
Interview: Written by Lira Neto, biography of Sephardic Jews should hit bookstores soon
The work will be dedicated to all the disinherited, exiles and refugees, people essentially marked by intolerance.
Genealogical study reveals surprises on the biggest scorer in world football history
A Brazilian researcher found that Cristiano Ronaldo, Portuguese star and greatest scorer in world football history, has Sephardic ancestry.
5 common mistakes when designing a genealogical study
The process begins with a genealogical study that aims to prove the parental connection with some Sephardic Jew.
Teixeira Family
The first members of the Teixeira family arrived in Brazil at the end of the 18th century in different places.
Castro e Silva Family
The Castro and Silva left their mark on political history and vast descent, spread throughout Brazil, especially in Ceará.
The 4 main requirements for Portuguese nationality by Sephardim
Contrary to what some people still believe, it takes more than having Sephardic surnames or Jewish customs in the family.
5 types of important documents to prove the Sephardic bond
There are a number of important historical documents to prove Sephardic descent that are available for research.
Family Medeiros
Many believe that the Medeiros brothers fled to Brazil due to the persecution imposed by the Inquisition.
The Bicudos, members of the Portuguese court
The history of the Bicudo family begins on the beautiful São Miguel Island, the largest in the Azores archipelago, Portugal.
Know where to start your genealogical study
Read this post carefully and at the end of the reading you can start your study immediately.
Oliveira Ledo Family: from brick making to the colonization of Paraíba
The family gave rise to one of the most traditional families in the Northeast, especially in Cariri in Paraíba.
Dantas Corrêa, the conquest of the Northeast
The descendants of this family branch add up to thousands of people living in the region of Seridó, Rio Grande do Norte and Paraíba.
Ribeiro do Vale Family
Many descendants of Portuguese noble families were attracted by the promise of wealth in Brazilian lands during the colonial period.
Portuguese law paves the way for Brazilian families to discover their Jewish origins
Since 2015 the Portuguese government started to grant Portuguese nationality to the descendants of Sephardic Jews.
Aguiar Family: Northeast and South Brazil
Evidence points that the Aguiar family would have arisen from the Guedes and D. Pedro Mendes de Aguiar would have been their patriarch.
Carneiro da Fontoura, military by tradition
The surname is inscribed in the history of the conquest of the territory that today makes up the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The Linhares, from the Portuguese mountains to the northeastern heat
The first inhabitants of the Serra da Estrela region, in the upper Minho, in Portugal, gave rise to this Sephardic family.
Resende Costa Family, the inconfidentes
The Resende Costa family recorded its name in the history of Brazil, especially after the participation of some of its members in Inconfidência Mineira.
Homonyms: how to overcome this challenge of genealogy
Homonyms are a great challenge for those who are in genealogical research, whether professional or not.
Toledo Pizza, centuries of history
One of the most traditional families present in southeastern Brazil, the Toledo Piza's history goes back centuries.
Find out how to find documents for your grandparents and great-grandparents
Here we have prepared some guidelines on the most important documents of your grandparents and great-grandparents and where you can find them.
Three precautions to avoid delays in naturalization by the Sephardic route
The process of Portuguese naturalization through the Sephardic way, depending on the care with the documentation presented, can be more or less agile.
Leão family, Sephardic people spread throughout Brazil
Studies show that descendants of one of the branches of the family spread across southeastern Brazil, especially Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
Proença Coelho Family
It is possible that, in order to be able to embark for Brazil fleeing the persecutions of the Inquisition, members of the Cohen family would have adopted the surname Coelho.
Vaz de Barros, high positions in the colony
One of the most traditional families to settle in São Paulo, the Vaz de Barros have a considerable participation in Brazilian history.
Leme Family
The family originated in the city of Bruges, currently the capital of the province of West Flanders, Belgium.
The revival of genealogy and its new horizons
The ease of access to the collections thanks to digitalization allowed anyone to search the origins of the families.
Family Days
More than one million Brazilians currently sign with the surname Dias, however, not all of them necessarily have the same origin.
Henrique de Carvalho family, the heritage of southern Brazil
The small village of Penamacor, in Portugal, was where the surnames Henriques and Carvalho joined.
The Bezerras, survivors of the Inquisition
The first Bezerra known in the Portuguese court was D. Afonso de Melo Bezerra, the loyal squire of Queen Izabel.
The Holandas, a strong presence in Brazil
It is one of the most traditional families in Brazil and many of its members are well known: Sérgio Buarque de Holanda and his musician children, for example.
The Pereiras, numerous Sephardic descendants
A common surname in Brazil, as well as quite traditional in Ceará, present in practically all regions of the state.
The Ximenes, from the Iberian Peninsula to the world
The Spanish city of Segovia was the birthplace of the Sephardic patriarch Abrahan Senior, who gave birth to the large Ximenes family.
The Fernandes, born in the Douro
The Fernandes Family, from Rio Grande do Norte, was one of those that already managed to prove Sephardic descent.
Why hire a genealogical study?
The starting point for Portuguese citizenship through the Sephardic way is the genealogical study. It is through this study that the genealogist identifies the Sephardic ancestor.
Know the difference between tree and genealogical study
The whole process of Portuguese citizenship through Sephardic Jews is based on documentary evidence of genealogical ties.
4 common mistakes in Portuguese citizenship processes at CIL
This process can be rejected by the institution. Knowing this, we have listed some of the most common mistakes at this stage.
Step by step to find your Sephardic ancestor: the Torre do Tombo archive
The Torre do Tombo archive is one of the main ways to elaborate your genealogy and to find your Sephardic ancestor.