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

on March 19, 2022
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.

on March 16, 2022
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.

on May 19, 2021
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.

on February 24, 2021
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.

on February 17, 2021
Sephardic descent in Minas Gerais

These descendants saw in the region's development an opportunity to settle down and develop their economic activities.

on February 15, 2021
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.

on February 3, 2021
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.

on January 28, 2021
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.

on January 18, 2021
Teixeira Family

The first members of the Teixeira family arrived in Brazil at the end of the 18th century in different places.

on November 3, 2020
Castro e Silva Family

The Castro and Silva left their mark on political history and vast descent, spread throughout Brazil, especially in Ceará.

on October 12, 2020
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.

on October 8, 2020
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.

on September 21, 2020
Family Medeiros

Many believe that the Medeiros brothers fled to Brazil due to the persecution imposed by the Inquisition.

on September 18, 2020
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.

on September 16, 2020
Know where to start your genealogical study

Read this post carefully and at the end of the reading you can start your study immediately.

on September 8, 2020
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.

on August 21, 2020
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.

on August 5, 2020
Ribeiro do Vale Family

Many descendants of Portuguese noble families were attracted by the promise of wealth in Brazilian lands during the colonial period.

on July 23, 2020
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.

on July 14, 2020
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.

on July 13, 2020
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.

on July 2, 2020
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.

on June 25, 2020
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.

on June 25, 2020
Homonyms: how to overcome this challenge of genealogy

Homonyms are a great challenge for those who are in genealogical research, whether professional or not.

Private: Jerfson Lins Per Private: Jerfson Lins on June 22, 2020
Toledo Pizza, centuries of history

One of the most traditional families present in southeastern Brazil, the Toledo Piza's history goes back centuries.

on June 16, 2020
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.

on June 11, 2020
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.

Private: Jerfson Lins Per Private: Jerfson Lins on June 22, 2020
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.

Private: Jerfson Lins Per Private: Jerfson Lins on June 22, 2020
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.

on May 29, 2020
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.

on May 18, 2020
Leme Family

The family originated in the city of Bruges, currently the capital of the province of West Flanders, Belgium.

on May 8, 2020
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.

Private: Jerfson Lins Per Private: Jerfson Lins on June 22, 2020
Family Days

More than one million Brazilians currently sign with the surname Dias, however, not all of them necessarily have the same origin.

on April 8, 2020
Henrique de Carvalho family, the heritage of southern Brazil

The small village of Penamacor, in Portugal, was where the surnames Henriques and Carvalho joined.

on April 3, 2020
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.

on March 24, 2020
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.

on March 3, 2020
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.

on February 16, 2020
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.

on February 14, 2020
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.

on January 24, 2020
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.

on November 27, 2019
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.

on November 4, 2019
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.

on October 28, 2019
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.

on October 12, 2019