Goan surnames are a blend of indigenous origin, occupation, and Portuguese influences, reflecting the region's history of trade, local administration, and colonial conversion. They often denote traditional professions, titles, or villages, featuring common Hindu names (Naik, Prabhu, Kamat) alongside adopted Portuguese surnames (Fernandes, Souza, Rodrigues) among Catholics. Hindu surnames were rooted in India’s ancient four-Varna (caste) system, which was based on people's traditional occupations. Of the four Varnas, the top three are Brahman (learned), Kshatriya (nobleman), and Vaishya (farmer/trader), while the fourth is Sudra (serf, ordained to serve the other three). A fifth, Avarna, of classless people like tribals and untouchables, was added later.
Migration and village-based surnames
Most of the population that flourished in the western Konkan belt migrated from the land of Gomantak, referred to today as Goa, to flee their ancestral land to escape forceful religious conversions enforced by the Portuguese. It was this mass exodus that prompted people to refer to their village names as surnames, from where their ancestors actually belonged. A suffix kar was added to the village or place name, and it indicates that the person's ancestry hails from that particular place. For example, Borkar, Parsekar, Mardolkar, Vernekar, Raikar, Rivonkar, and Mashelkar are associated with places like Borim, Parsem/Parshem, Mardol, Verna, Raia, Rivona, and Marcel/Mashel, respectively.
Administrative and landholding titles
Some surnames are often related to village administration, landholding, or specialised jobs. Bhandari means treasurer or storehouse keeper. In Goa and Maharashtra, Bhandaris form a distinct seafaring, trading, and martial community. Desai/Dessai derives from Sanskrit desha (land) and svami (lord), referring to a landlord or village head who administered territories and collected revenue or taxes. Jagirdar historically refers to families granted jagirs (revenue lands) for services under Hindu rulers and Portuguese rule. Sardesai/Sardessai is a senior title meaning chief of the Desais, denoting the leader/head among Desais, typically responsible for regional administration, governance, or defence in historical Goa. Prabhudesai is a compound title blending Prabhu (lord/master) and Desai, denoting a high-status landholder/administrator in historical Goa. Porob/Parab in Goan Kshatriya/Maratha communities is a historical title linked to local governance and land administration. Rane families in Sattari held chieftain-like status with jagirs and military authority. Those who traded as merchants were Shetye/Shet.
Craft, community, and occupational surnames
The Chari/Achari surname is associated with the Vishwakarma/Panchal Brahmin community, traditional Hindu craftsmen, especially carpenters (Sutar), working with wood, iron, stone, and metals. Gaonkar evolved from ganv (village), indicating a village custodian responsible for village affairs, revenue, and community leadership in rural Goa. Another surname, Naik, is derived from Sanskrit nāyaka (leader/hero), historically used for military captains among Kshatriya/Maratha groups. Kamat/Kamath is a common surname among Goud Saraswat Brahmins (GSB) in Goa, derived from Old Konkani kāmati, meaning landowners or farmers who managed cultivation. Likewise, the Pai surname among GSB is derived from Sanskrit pati (lord/master), usually denoting authority, proprietorship, or mercantile ledger keepers. Bhat is derived from Sanskrit Bhaṭṭa, meaning scholar/learned man or priest.
Saraswat Brahmin surname traditions
Xennai/Shenvi/Sinaii surname variants come from šeṇəy or xennai (meaning 96), referencing Lord Parashurama’s settlement of 96 Saraswat Brahmin families in Goa. These were prevalent among Shenvikars, historically denoting teachers, scholars, clerks (Kulkarni/Shanbhag), or priests. Nadkarni is a common GSB surname in Goa and coastal Karnataka, from Kannada nāḍu (district) + karṇī (writer); historically, a village accountant handling land records and revenue, akin to Kulkarni. Among GSB, the Keni/Kini surname is derived from Kinvi (herb cultivator), referring to those who grew or worked with medicinal herbs/plants. Bandodkar is primarily a Gomantak Maratha Samaj surname, likely from a place name, with roots in Tuljapur migrants settling in Bandiwade/Pernem/Mapusa.
Catholic surnames and Iberian influence
Catholic surnames are deeply rooted in the Iberian Peninsula, introduced by European priests who baptised locals and assigned Iberian surnames—often from the godfather (Pai dos Cristãos) or a Saint's name present that day. Many of these surnames draw inspiration from nature, particularly animals, birds, fruits, and trees—reflecting the pastoral and agrarian imagery common in Portuguese naming traditions. Examples include animal- and bird-related names such as Cordeiro (lamb), Coelho (rabbit), Leitão (suckling pig), Lobo/Lobato or Lopes (wolf), Raposo (fox), Falcão (falcon), Águia/Aguiar (eagle), Melo (blackbird), Peregrino (vulture), and Pinto (chick). Plant- and tree-related surnames feature Castanha (chestnut), Figueira (fig tree), Moreira/Morais (mulberry), Nogueira (walnut tree), Oliveira (olive tree), Albuquerque (white oak), Carvalho (oak), Lemos (elm), Pinheiro/Pinho (pine), Silvano (of the woods), Silva/Silveira (woodland), Ferdino (adventurous traveller), Arcanjo (Archangel), Lourenço (laurel tree or Saint), Sequeira (arid land), Monteiro (hunter), and Noronha (person from Noreña, Spain), to name a few.
Patronymic and toponymic Portuguese surnames
Many common Goan surnames often combine patronymic (son of) and toponymic (place-based) origins with influences from Spanish, Germanic, Latin, Visigothic, and even pre-Roman Celtic roots. Fernandes means son of Ferdinand, with Ferdinand deriving from Old German (bold wanderer). Rodrigues signifies the son of Rodrigo, sometimes linked to Hernando in Spanish forms. D’Souza originates from de Sousa, a toponymic name tied to the Sousa River in northern Portugal. Menezes/Saldanha is toponymic, coming from places called Meneses/Saldanha/Saldaña in Portugal and Spain.
Meanings and roots of common Portuguese surnames
Rebello is associated with a Portuguese place, and some connect it to the word rebelo, meaning rebellious/restless/defiant. Dias traces back to the medieval name Didacus (Diogo/Diego), from Latin dies (day), implying day/light/divinity. Luis is a patronymic form of the Portuguese version of Louis, rooted in the Germanic Hludowig/Chlodovech, meaning famous warrior. Gomes comes from a medieval Visigothic name based on guma (man), denoting son of Gomes, with the Spanish equivalent Gómez. Vaz is of Basque-Spanish origin, linked to early Vazquez families in Castile. Pereira, a widespread Portuguese and Galician surname, means pear tree in Latin and often indicates someone living near pear orchards. Colaço is a diminutive of Nicolau/Nicholas, from Greek Nikolaos, meaning victory of the people. Finally, surnames like Mascarenhas/Mascarenas, Gonçalves/Gonsalves, and Barreto/Barretto/Baretto are toponymic, drawn from specific places in Portugal. Faleiro is related to grain grinding/windmills. Coutinho is the diminutive form of Couto, which refers to an enclosed pasture/fenced land/private property. Gracias is derived from graça in Portuguese, meaning grace/favour/mercy or thanks, from the Latin gratia, while Afonso means noble and ready for battle. There are many more, but they were omitted due to space restrictions.
