Show ContentsCouto History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The noble Portuguese surname Couto is of local origin, as it is derived from the name of a place where a man once lived or owned land. It is derived from the Portuguese word "couto," which means "reserved ground or preserve." Thus, it simply indicates that the original bearer came from, or was the owner of such a place.

Early Origins of the Couto family

The surname Couto was first found in the region of Portugal. Early records of the Couto name from the thirteenth century indicate that Rui Goncalves do Couto was the original bearer of the surname as he was the son of Goncalo Rodrigues da Maia, who was the lord of the preserve, "couto" of Palmazaos.

Early History of the Couto family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Couto research. Another 73 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1536, 1542 and 1616 are included under the topic Early Couto History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Couto Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Couto, do Couto, Coutos, Coutao and others.

Early Notables of the Couto family

Prominent members of the family include

  • Diego do Couto (1542-1616), a Portuguese historian who went on various voyages to India where he died, in Goa, in 1616

Couto Ranking

In the United States, the name Couto is the 11,397th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Couto migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Couto Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • I Couto, aged 30, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1826 2
  • Pablo Couto, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1864 2
Couto Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Jacintho Couto, aged 35, who settled in America from Ribeira Funda, Azores St. Michael, in 1909
  • Domingos Couto, aged 34, who settled in America, in 1919
  • Angelo de Sa Couto, aged 17, who immigrated to the United States from Praeo do Spenho, Portugal, in 1919
  • Antonio Marques Couto, aged 14, who landed in America from Estarreja, Portugal, in 1920
  • Americo Soares Couto, aged 17, who landed in America from Ovar, Portugal, in 1920
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Couto (post 1700) +

  • Kelly Couto, American voice actress
  • Manuela Couto (b. 1964), Portuguese actress
  • José Couto (b. 1978), Portuguese two-time silver medalist breaststroke swimmer in the 1990s
  • Jorge António Pinto do Couto (b. 1970), Portuguese retired footballer
  • Carla Sofia Basilio Couto (b. 1974), Portuguese football striker
  • Emanuel Couto (b. 1973), Portuguese former professional tennis player, ranked World No. 91 in 1997
  • Fernando Manuel Silva Couto (b. 1969), Portuguese retired footballer
  • Alexandre do Couto, Portuguese mathematician and poet
  • José Torres Couto, Portuguese politician
  • Carlos Couto (b. 1930), Brazilian fencer at the 1968 Summer Olympics
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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