Amaral (surname)

Amaral ([ɐmɐˈɾal] or [amaˈɾaw]) is a Portuguese-language surname of toponymic origin (from the central-northern Portuguese region of Beira), relatively common in Portugal and Brazil, amongst other countries. Its meaning probably comes from a plantation of a variety of grapes (azal tinto) known as amara (from the Latin language amarus/amara – "bitter", because of the taste of the fruit), used to produce wine, and the suffix -al denotes plantation. Amaral means a plantation of amaras.^[1]

Meaning"a plantation of amara grapes"

Region of originBeira, central-northern Portugal

Variant formdo Amaral (of —or from— the plantation of amaras)

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Amaral

Coat of arms associated with the Amaral surname
Origin
Meaning	"a plantation of amara grapes"
Region of origin	Beira, central-northern Portugal
Other names
Variant form	do Amaral (of —or from— the plantation of amaras)

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Another less reliable theory says that the surname Amaral would have Jewish origins and could derive from the Aramaic term Amar-Al. Amar would be the word, message, expression or concept and Al would be God, what is above, The Supreme. Amaral would mean, according to this theory, said by God.^[1]

This family name is considered to be of high lineage because it descends from the King Ramiro II of León.^[2] The current people with this surname are probably of pre-Roman Lusitanian, Christian Visigothic and possibly some Sephardic Jewish and Berber descent.^[1]

The coat of arms of this family name is composed of six upside-down crescent moons, possibly for an anti-Islamic reason. The Iberian Peninsula was occupied by Arab-Berber Muslims from Maghreb during the Middle Ages.^[1]

The surname Amaral can have the preposition do (a contraction in which the preposition de [of] combines with the masculine definite article o [masculine form of "the"], producing do [de + o = do] — because Amaral is a masculine word, in Portuguese), indicating belonging or origin (do Amaral) — literally of the or from.