Surname de Perera - Meaning and Origin
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de Perera: What does the surname de Perera mean?
The last name De Perera is of Spanish and Portuguese origin and can be broken down to two distinct names. The “de” portion of the name is used to signify ownership of the property or region. It translates to “of” or “belonging to” in Spanish. The “Perera” portion is said to derive from the Spanish term for “pear tree”, which can be interpreted to mean a place full of pear trees.
Historically, the De Perera name would have originated from the earliest settlement of the Iberian Peninsula by conquering peoples around 1000 A.D. At this time, many Spaniards and Portuguese adopted for their family name a term that signified the location of their home, often including specific references to the environment.
The De Perera name represents a group of settlers who may have lived in a region full of pear trees, likely providing them with a source of income, nutrition, and perhaps even shelter. As the De Perera family's descendants branched out geographical and over time, their last name has come to represent a link to that original home- and the relationship of the family’s ancestors to the environment of their former home. For the present-day De Pereras, their last name acts as a signifier of the strength of the family’s bond to their roots and the bond between their family and nature.
Order DNA origin analysisde Perera: Where does the name de Perera come from?
The surname De Perera is a Sephardic Jewish or Castilian Spanish surname. It is most common today among Hispanics and Latinos living in Spain, Portugal, Latin America, and the United States. Historically, the Sephardic migration of Jews from Spain and Portugal in the 15th century saw many of them settle in the Netherlands and Western Europe where the use of the surname spread. The surname was also adopted by some of the Conversos or (new Christians) who were forced to convert to Catholicism by the Spanish Inquisition in the 15th century.
Today, "de Perera" is most common in Hispanic and Latino cultures, especially among those with Spanish heritage. In the United States, the surname is especially concentrated in Miami, New York City, Los Angeles, San Antonio, and San Diego, cities that have large Hispanic populations. The surname is also found in the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America including Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and Ecuador. It is also common in Portugal.
In the countries where the surname is common, it is typically spelled either "De Perera" or "de Perera", indicating that the people with the surname are of Castilian Spanish heritage.
Variations of the surname de Perera
The surname de Perera is of Spanish and Portuguese origin and is also spelled Deperera, De Pereira, De Perreira, De Pierra, DePiara, Pereira, Perreira and Piarra. It first appeared in records in the 12th century in Galicia, Spain, and is a toponymic surname derived from the noble Pereira family, who once owned an estate near Pereira in Galicia.
Originally, de Perera was a noble title given to members of the Pereira family in Galicia. It is sometimes written with da in front of the Pereira – an old Portuguese suffix, which is similar to the English term “of” – resulting in Da Pereira. The Portuguese spelling is, unsurprisingly, Pereira, and its Spanish equivalent is Perera.
In colonial times, the surname de Perera was carried in Spain and Portugal’s colonies in South and Central America, particularly Brasil. It is now a common surnames in countries such as Argentina, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela as a result.
The variants Deperera, De Pereira, De Perreira, De Pierra and DePiara derive from a change in spelling due to their widespread presence in many counties around the world. The last two names (Pereira and Perreira) are Portuguese and Spanish versions, respectively, and Piarra is the Catalan version.
Altogether, the surname de Perera, and its variants, would have racked up an impressive list of records from all around the world. In addition to its Galician roots, there are records from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela.
Famous people with the name de Perera
- Eugenia de Perera: Chilean-American actress
- Patricia de Perera: Venezuelan fashion designer
- J.F.R. de Perera: English author
- Mario de Pérez: Argentine footballer
- Raymond de Péret: French poet and avant-garde writer
- Miguel de Peralta: Spanish Catholic bishop
- Pilar de Peredo: Mexican professional soccer player
- Ismael de Pereda: Spanish landscape painter
- Carlos de Pereda: Spanish architectural painter
- G. de Perera: Spanish Impressionist painter
- Pasquale de Perris: Italian collector of ethnography
- Carlos de Pereira: Portuguese footballer
- Juan de Peralta: Spanish baroque composer
- B. de Perera: Galician writer and journalist
- Pedro de Perera: Spanish conquistador