In this case, Santos Abreu would probably have come from this woman's husband. Mão de Ferro (iron hand) and Santa Rita (after Saint Rita of Cascia) count only as one surname each.
![lukas da silva down by marian hill lukas da silva down by marian hill](https://www.asymptotejournal.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/book-review1.png)
For instance, the name " Maria do Carmo Mão de Ferro e Cunha de Almeida Santa Rita Santos Abreu" would not be surprising in a married woman.
Lukas da silva down by marian hill full#
In addition, some of these names may be made of more than one word, so that a full feminine name can have more than 12 words. It is not uncommon in Portugal that a married woman has two given names and six surnames, two from her mother's family, two from her father's family, and the last two coming from her husband. writer Camilo Castelo Branco is never referred to as Camilo Branco). In this case both words must be cited (e.g. Espírito Santo, Santa Rita), or other expressions (e.g. Castelo Branco), religious references (e.g. Some Portuguese family names are made of two words, most often not hyphenated, but are not composite names, as they were not the result of combining two family names in past generations instead, the words constitute a single logical unit. A child can receive surnames from their parents' ancestors, even if those surnames are not part of the parents' names, provided that the parents prove those names were used by their ancestors. If the father is unknown, or he has not acknowledged the child, only the mother's family name(s) is/are used.
![lukas da silva down by marian hill lukas da silva down by marian hill](https://historicalnovelsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/9781800191457-54489.jpg)
Usually, the maternal surnames precede the paternal ones, but the opposite is also possible. This restriction is generally not enforced and it is not uncommon to have more than four surnames. The law also establishes the maximum number of names allowed: up to two given names and four surnames. Portuguese law establishes the need for a child to have at least one given name and one last name (surname) from one of the parents. The Portuguese naming system is very flexible.
![lukas da silva down by marian hill lukas da silva down by marian hill](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_xH_BBpWQcRM/S8yC6LgtPxI/AAAAAAAAAe0/vzGVq9p5Ux0/S220/girl_with_lantern_helen_turner.jpg)