Surname daSilva - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'D'
daSilva: What does the surname daSilva mean?
The last name "da Silva" can trace its origins back to Portugal and is commonly used among the Portuguese and Brazilian communities. The direct translation of "da Silva" in English is "of the Forest," derived from the Latin word "silva" which means 'forest' or 'woodland'. The "da" translates to "of the", indicating a geographical location or origin. Thus, originally, the surname could have been designated to those who lived by or worked in a forest or woodland. Da Silva is among the most common surnames in Portuguese-speaking countries, reflecting the early Portuguese explorers' penchant for attributing geographical locations to surnames.
Order DNA origin analysisdaSilva: Where does the name daSilva come from?
The surname daSilva is of Portuguese origin. In Portuguese, "da" means "of" or "from," while "Silva" translates to "wood" or "forest." Thus, daSilva potentially identifies a person hailing from a wooded or forest area. Its origin can be traced back to the early Middle Ages in Portugal, when surnames began to be used. It is considered the most common surname in Portugal and Brazil.
Today, daSilva is particularly common in regions with Portuguese influence or heritage. As mentioned, it is very prevalent in Portugal and Brazil, by virtue of their Portuguese-speaking backgrounds. Given the historical Portuguese colonial presence in Africa, the name can also be found among communities in Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, and Guinea-Bissau. Moreover, due to the waves of migration over the centuries, the daSilva surname has made its way into many other countries around the world, including the United States and Canada. Still, its highest concentration remains in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Variations of the surname daSilva
The surname daSilva, often rendered as "Da Silva" or "da Silva," has numerous variants and spellings due to linguistic, regional, and cultural differences. Notably, in Portuguese, "da Silva" is a common surname meaning "of the forest." It can also be written without the space, as "Dasilva" or "daSilva."
Among the most frequent variants of this name, we find "Silva" used widely in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, and Portuguese-speaking African countries, such as Angola and Mozambique. In Italy, the surname becomes "Silvi" or "De Silva."
Another major variant comes from translation into different languages. For instance, in English, the surname may be rendered as "OfTheForest" or "FromTheForest." In French, it may appear as "De la Foret" or "Des Bois."
The surname, due to migration and diaspora, can also be found altered slightly in other countries to fit local pronunciation norms or spelling rules. Some of these include "Silvah" "Silvaa" or "Silvar."
In terms of surnames of similar origin, we could look toward other topographic surnames in Portuguese like "dos Santos" (of the saints), "da Costa" (of the coast), or "da Rocha" (of the rock).
Famous people with the name daSilva
- Anderson da Silva: Better known as Anderson Silva, he is a Brazilian-American professional mixed martial artist. He was a former UFC Middleweight Champion and holds the longest title streak in UFC history.
- David Luiz Moreira Marinho da Silva: Commonly known as David Luiz, he is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a centre back or defensive midfielder for English club Arsenal. He has also played for the Brazil national team.
- Lucas Pezzini Leiva da Silva: Known as Lucas Leiva, he is a Brazilian professional footballer who now plays in Italy for Lazio.
- Guilherme Arana da Silva: Guilherme Arana is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a left back for Atalanta, on loan from Sevilla FC.
- Marlone Azevedo da Silva: Known as Marlone, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Suwon Samsung Bluewings,
- Alexandro Alves do Nascimento da Silva: Known as Alexandro, he was a Brazilian footballer who played as a forward for clubs in Brazil, Greece, and Japan.
- Thiago Braz da Silva: An Olympic gold medalist, he is a Brazilian pole vaulter who set the Olympic record by vaulting 6.03 meters at the 2016 Rio Olympics.