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Portuguese Family Nicknames
By Melody LassalleIn researching your family tree, you'll come across an exorbitant amount of people by the names of Joao, Francisco, Manuel, Maria, Isabella, Alexandrina, Jacinto, Jacinta, Antonio, and Jose. Let's not even talk about the couples who gave the same given name to their children two or three times. It seems that every Portuguese family expecting a child referred to the same, very short baby name book.
It must have been very confusing living in the small communities of the Azores and Madeira or on the Hawaiian Plantations with everyone having the same names. It would be easy to imagine a Portuguese mother calling her son, Jose, for dinner--and 14 Jose's would arrive at the door. Each figuring they just got an invitation to a free meal!
How in the world did they keep them all straight? The answer may be a simple one: nicknames (or alcunhas as they are called in Portuguese). Nicknames were mostly fun and games. They were creative and imaginative usually referring to an embarrasing moment or unsightly physical feature (many beyond the normal "shorty", "stretch", and so forth). Today, these monikers add a charming touch to family history. However, they may also have been a necessity in the days of common given names. I would imagine that people were referred to more by their nickname than their given name, just for clarity. The confusion must have been great especially in large families. I know in my Pacheco research, many of my Grandfather's cousins had the same given name. He was just one of about 8 Joao (John) Pacheco's floating around at the turn of the century.
Bless our ancestors for picking these nicknames! You may know your ancestors name, birthdate, and birthplace. However, learning his or her nickname can give you a little insight into their character, likes, missteps, etc. For instance, the name Theodoro Pacheco doesn't say much, but his nickname "Kid Cyclone" says alot! I imagine ol' Kid Cyclone must have been a terror growing up. You don't earn a nickname like that for nothing! Or, how about "Johnny Sailor". Don't make the mistake I did! He was never a sailor. He did wear a sailor hat everywhere he went--even as an adult!
There are those nicknames that are derived from a person's given name. These nicknames are also known as pet names. Some may still be found today while others reflect the era from which they came.Such pet names are: Daisy for Theresa, Joe for Jose, Manny or Mack for Manuel, Lucy for Luiza, Bella for Isabelle, Pete for Apolniaro and Pedro, Minnie for Guilhermina and Wilhelmina (and any of the "mina" ending female names), Jesse for Jacintho and Jacinta, Jane for Joaquina, and Ida for Adelaida. Those are just a couple of examples of the pet names used by the Portuguese at the turn of the century.
Nicknames did not just replace given names. Surnames were often changed or added to with nicknames. One de Mello family of Maia, Sao Miguel Island, suddenly added Castanho to their surname ca. 1830. It is unclear why the family did this. There were no Castanho's in their history or in Maia, as a matter of fact! There were, however, several different de Mello families, so perhaps the need for a unique name.
Don't discount those nicknames when you hear them. Make sure you write them down! Not only will you learn something about your ancestors, you will also gain a valuable key to use when researching. Stop me if you've ever have had this interview experience:
Interviewer "Who was this Frank Pacheco?"
Interviewee "He was my cousin"
Interviewer "The one who married Maria or the one who married Isabella?"
Interviewer "I don't know the one who married Isabella. I think the one who was Maria's brother. He married Virginia, I thought. No wait, that was the other Frank. This Frank had a red car."
Inteviewer "I thought Maria's brother married Elizabeth."
Interviewee "No, Elizabeth married John, but I don't think his name was really John..."
And, around and around it goes!
This same person who can't keep the Franks straight may very well remember their nicknames. The nicknames may release a whole slew of memories. If the interviewer can find anyway to trigger their relatives memory, they have done their job! So, next time someone says "Well, we always called him "Kid Cyclone" make a note of it and remember to ask why! You'll probably learn alot more than if you stuck to their given names.
© 2002 Melody Lassalle
Read about some of the nicknames used in other families. Nickname List
Did your family use nicknames? Why not share them on the IslandRoutes.com forum!
Post your nicknames: Share Your Family Nicknames
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upd 8/30/02