Pereira (surname)

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Pereira
Pereira.gif
Coat of arms associated with Pereira surname
Pronunciation [pɨˈɾɐjɾɐ] or [peˈɾejɾɐ]
Origin
Word/name Portuguese, Galician
Meaning"pear tree"
Region of origin Portugal, and Galicia region of Spain
Other names
Variant formsDa Pereira, Dapereira, Pereyra, Pereiras, Pereyras, Perera, Pereire, Peral, Perales and others
The coat of arms of Saint Nuno Alvares Pereira. The cross, which is a cross flory voided, is a common charge found in the coats of arms of Pereira families, as are the red and white colours. Armas pereira.svg
The coat of arms of Saint Nuno Álvares Pereira. The cross, which is a cross flory voided, is a common charge found in the coats of arms of Pereira families, as are the red and white colours.
The coat of arms of Diego Pereira d'Aguilar, a baron of the Holy Roman Empire and privy councilor to the Crowns of the Netherlands and Italy Arms Aguilar.svg
The coat of arms of Diego Pereira d'Aguilar, a baron of the Holy Roman Empire and privy councilor to the Crowns of the Netherlands and Italy

Pereira is a surname in the Portuguese and Galician languages in Portugal, Galicia, Brazil, other regions of the former Portuguese Empire, and among Galician descendants in Spanish-speaking Latin America. The adoption of this surname also became common among Sephardic Jews of Portuguese origin and was historically spread throughout the Sephardic Jewish diaspora as a "New Christian" surname.

Contents

The name originates from Latin pirum or pyrus (pear, pear-tree). Currently, it is one of the most common surnames in South America and Europe. It started as a noble Christian toponym of the Middle Ages, taken from the feudal estate of Pereira, Portugal, which in Portuguese means 'pear tree'.

The variants of this name are more commonly found in other countries like Spain (Galicia) with different spellings such as Pereyra or Perera , Trinidad and Tobago, India (specifically in Goa, Kerala and among the Paravar of Southern Tamil Nadu), Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In France, the variant is Pereire . Many Portuguese immigrants to the United States, especially Massachusetts, chose to Americanize their surname into Perry.

Notable people

See also Pereyra and Perera.

Politics

Music and dance

Sports

Others

Distribution

The surname Pereira (Pereyra spanish spelling) is one of the common surnames in Brazil, where it has a massive and consolidated presence. According to IBGE data, the surname Pereira ranks 5th in national popularity. It is borne by 6,888,212 (six million, eight hundred and eighty-eight thousand, two hundred and twelve) Brazilians. This number places it among the most important foundational surnames in the country. [1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Veja quais são os nomes e sobrenomes mais populares no Amazonas, segundo IBGE". GE (in Portuguese). Retrieved 12 November 2025.
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