Show ContentsTavares History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Tavares family

The surname Tavares was first found in Tavares, now known as Mangualde in the district of Viseu, province of Beira Alta (Beiras Region.)

The first person to bear this name was one Estevao Pires de Tavares (b. 1220), son of Pedro Viegas (b. 1180), Lord of Guarda, who was the son of Don Egas Garcia da Fonseca, Lord of Leomil and Fonseca, and his wife Dona Mor Pais de Cerveira. Estevao Pires adopted the name of the lands of Tavares, in the region of Beira, Portugal, and married Ouroana Esteves, daughter of the Mayor of Covilha. Their sons kept the name of Tavares, which was passed on to their descendants.

Maria Pais Tavares (b. 1200) married Mem Gonçalves da Fonseca, who in 1110 ordered the construction of the Mancelos Monastery now knows as the Monastery of Saint Martin of Mancelos.

Early History of the Tavares family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tavares research. The years 1578, 1598, 1622, 1658, 1788, 1820, 1858, 1864, 1879, 1904 and 1907 are included under the topic Early Tavares History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tavares Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Tavares, Talavera and others.

Early Notables of the Tavares family

Prominent members of the family include

  • Fernão Vieira Tavares (1578-1622), Governor of Sao Vicente; and his son Antonio Raposo Tavares (1598-1658), a Portuguese colonial bandeirante, who explored mainland eastern South America and claimed i...
  • José da Silva Tavares (1788-1858) belonged to the Reformed Order of Saint Augustine. Born in the parish of S. Miguel, Urgival, municipality of Barcelos, on February 14, 1788, he died in England on Sep...
  • José Henriques Tavares (1864-1879), was an Infantry lieutenant. For services rendered overseas, and especially in the Manufahi campaign, district of Timor, he was awarded, by order of November 3, 1904...
  • Rear Admiral José Severo Tavares (1820-1907), commanded the frigate Diana, the corvettes Fénix, Constitucional, Infante Regente, Bartolomeu Dias, steamer Terceira and the brig Mondego

Tavares Ranking

In the United States, the name Tavares is the 3,035th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Tavares is ranked the 2,352nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,500 - 3,000 people with that name. 2


Tavares migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Tavares Settlers in United States in the 16th Century
  • Francisco Tavares, who settled in Peru in 1577
  • Enrique Jorge Tavares, who settled in Spanish Main in 1594
Tavares Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • M. Tavares, who settled in San Francisco in 1850
  • A. Tavares, who settled in San Francisco in 1850
  • M. Tavares, who arrived on a ship in San Francisco in 1850
  • A Tavares, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 3
  • M Tavares, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Tavares (post 1700) +

  • Arthur Paul Tavares "Pooch" Tavares (1943-2024), American singer with the Tavares
  • Chelsea Royce Tavares, American actress and singer
  • Charmaine Tavares (b. 1943), American politician and teacher born in Hana, Hawaii
  • Ralph Tavares (1942-2021), American singer, known for his work with The Travares Brothers, an American R&B, funk and soul music group
  • J. J. Tavares, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Maranhao, 1884 4
  • F. L. Tavares, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Faro, 1897 4
  • Charleta B. Tavares, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Ohio, 1996, 2000 4
  • C. D. Tavares, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Arizona, 2012 4
  • Antonio Jose Tavares, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Maranhao, 1924 4
  • A. F. Tavares, American Republican politician, Member of Hawaii Territorial Senate 2nd District, 1923 4
  • ... (Another 14 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. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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