Almada (family)
Original title: Almada
Entry on the Almada family in Madeira, whose first known member on the island was Pedro Álvares de Almada, a municipal officer in Santa Cruz.
The first bearer of this surname to come to Madeira was Pedro Álvares de Almada, a native of Guimarães, son of Álvaro Vaz de Almada and nephew of the celebrated Count of Avranches, Dom Álvaro Vaz de Almada. Pedro de Almada lived in the town (vila) of Santa Cruz (‘Holy Cross’) and was one of the leading officers of the Council there. The illustrious annotator of ‘Longing for the Homeland’ (Saudades da Terra) says that he founded the church of Our Lady of Grace (Nossa Senhora da Graça) in Santa Cruz, of which we have no information whatsoever.
Some genealogies state that one of the first to use the surname Almada was António de Almada, who around the middle of the 16th century married Isabel Rodrigues Leal, of the parish (freguesia) of Porto da Cruz (‘harbour of the cross’).
In this article
Place
Places mentioned · 04
Abroad
- Church of Our Lady of Grace
Santa Cruz. Church said to have been founded in Santa Cruz by Pedro de Almada, otherwise unknown to the authors.
Church said to have been founded in Santa Cruz by Pedro de Almada, otherwise unknown to the authors.
- Guimarães
Portugal. Place of origin of Pedro Álvares de Almada.
Guimarães is a place outside Madeira that the Elucidário records as the birthplace of Manuel Tomás, of Lopo Rebelo and of the founder of the chapel of Nossa Senhora do Carmo. It was also the place of origin of Pedro Álvares de Almada, and D. Diogo Pinheiro was prior there.
- Porto da Cruz
Machico. Parish of Isabel Rodrigues Leal.
North-coast parish created in 1577 and noted for good-quality wines. It was transferred from Santana to Machico municipality in 1852 and was the seat of a capitania-mor. It was also a fishing port where some sperm whales were landed.
- Santa Cruz
Town where Pedro de Almada lived and served on the council.
Santa Cruz is a town and municipality in eastern Madeira, raised to the status of vila in 1515 within the captaincy of Machico. The Elucidário covers its customs house, its Misericórdia, its rivalry with Machico and later changes to its boundaries.
People
People mentioned · 04-
Father of Pedro Álvares de Almada, the first of the family in Madeira.
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Woman of Porto da Cruz parish who married António de Almada.
- José de Almada1880–1885
Named by some genealogies as an early bearer of the surname, who married Isabel Rodrigues Leal around the mid-16th century.
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Native of Guimarães and first Almada to come to Madeira; a leading officer of the Santa Cruz council said to have founded the church of Nossa Senhora da Graça there.