Dasilva History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Portugal
Spain

Early Origins of the Dasilva family

The surname Dasilva was first found in the town of Silva in the Portuguese province of Valenca do Minho. The name of the town is derived from the Portuguese word 'silva,' which means 'forest,' and indicating that the area was once heavily forested.

Early History of the Dasilva family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dasilva research. Another 36 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1647, 1673, 1691, 1694, 1714, 1717, 1720, 1721, 1730, 1731, 1733, 1756, 1774, 1778, 1799 and 1835 are included under the topic Early Dasilva History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dasilva Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Da Silva, De Silva, Silva, Silveira and others.

Early Notables of the Dasilva family

Prominent members of the family include Pedro da Silva (c.1647-1717), born in Lisbon and settling in New France prior to 1673, he was the first post courier in New France; a Canadian postage stamp honoring him was released in June 2003; and António Diniz da Cruz e Silva (1731-1799), Portuguese heroic-comic poet, born in Brazil.Manuel Pereira da Silva (1694-1733) was a priest and friar of the Order of Christ, master of arts, doctor of canons and professor of the same faculty at the University of Coimbra, etc. He was born in Lisbon on April 6, 1691, where he also died prematurely...
Another 403 words (29 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Dasilva Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dasilva World Ranking

In the United States, the name Dasilva is the 4,133^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in Quebec, Canada, the name Dasilva is ranked the 778^th most popular surname. 2 And in France, the name Dasilva is the 5,073^rd popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 3 South Africa ranks Dasilva as 896^th with 7,774 people. 4

Dasilva migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Dasilva Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Joseph DaSilva, who landed in New York in 1792 5

Dasilva Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Benjamin DaSilva, who arrived in Mobile County, Ala in 1845 5
Mr. Manoel Francisco da Silva, aged 30, Portuguese laborer who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Vega" in 1891
Miss Rosa Emilia da Silva, aged 25, Portuguese servant who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Vega" in 1891
Mr. Clarimundo da Silva, aged 7, Portuguese settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Vega" in 1891
Mr. Jacinto da Silva, aged 6, Portuguese settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Vega" in 1891
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Dasilva migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 6

Dasilva Settlers in West Indies in the 18th Century

Jacob DaSilva, who landed in Jamaica in 1740 5
Daniel DaSilva, who landed in Jamaica in 1742 5
Judica DaSilva, who arrived in Jamaica in 1746 5
Rica DaSilva, who arrived in Jamaica in 1746 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Dasilva (post 1700) +

Raúl daSilva (b. 1933), American TV commercial producer, business documentary filmmaker, writer and an expert in the field of photoanimation
José Carlos da Silva José (1941-2025), known as José Carlos, Portuguese footballer who played mostly as a central defender
Eurico Santana da Silva (1933-2025), Indian judge of the Bench of the High Court of Bombay at Goa
Eurides Brito da Silva (1937-2025), Brazilian politician who served in the Chamber of Deputies from 1991 to 1993 and in the Legislative Chamber of the Federal District from 1999 to 2007
Sheila da Silva e Souza (1944-2024), better known as Carmen Sheila, a Brazilian voice actress
John Walter da Silva QSM (1934-2021), New Zealand wrestler and boxer
José Carlos da Silva Júnior (1926-2021), Brazilian politician and businessman, member of the Democratic Social Party and served as a Senator from 1996 to 1999
Raúl Alves Calane da Silva (1945-2021), Mozambican writer, journalist, and poet
Edivaldo Sarafim DaSilva, retired Brazilian footballer
Steve DaSilva (b. 1987), Canadian professional ice hockey player
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
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)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies