Silva
Family name
Coat of arms associated to Silva surname
Meaning	"jungle, forest or woodland"
Region of origin	Portugal

Silva (or da Silva) is a common surname in the Portuguese language, namely in Portugal^[1] and Brazil. It is also widespread in regions of the former Portuguese Empire in America, Africa and Asia, including India and Sri Lanka. Movement of people has led to the name being used in many places; Da Silva is the fifth most common surname in the French Département Val-de-Marne^[2] and it ranked 19th for the number of births between 1966 and 1990 in France. In addition to people surnamed after their parents, many slave-owners in Brazil named their African slaves Silva^{[citation needed]}.

The first family which adopted the name Silva as a surname has an ancient origin and descends from the prince of the Goths Dom Alderedo, whose son, Dom Guterre Alderete da Silva, married a descendant of the noble House of Aragon, before the foundation of Portugal as a sovereign state, in the late 11th century.

Arts [edit]

Actors [edit]

• Adele Silva, British actress
• António Silva, Portuguese actor
• Douglas Silva, Brazilian actor
• Henry Silva, American actor
• Howard Da Silva, American actor
• Leslie Silva, American actress
• Nicole da Silva, Australian actress

Musicians [edit]

• Alan Silva, American free jazz double bassist
• Amancio D'Silva, Goan jazz guitarist
• Dawn Silva, American funk vocalist
• Francisco Manuel da Silva, Brazilian musician
• Horace Silver, stage name of Horace Ward Martin Tavares Silva,^[3] American jazz pianist, composer and bandleader
• Mario Silva, Brazilian guitar player/composer
• Rui da Silva, Portuguese DJ

Painters and sculptors [edit]

• António Carvalho de Silva Porto, Portuguese naturalist painter
• Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez (Diego Velázquez), Spanish painter
• Manuel Pereira da Silva, Portuguese sculptor
• Maria Helena Vieira da Silva, Portuguese painter

Writers [edit]

• António Diniz da Cruz e Silva, Portuguese heroic-comic poet
• António José da Silva, eighteenth century Brazilian Converso playwright known as "The Jew"
• Arménio Adroaldo Vieira e Silva (Arménio Vieira), Portuguese journalist
• Baltasar Lopes da Silva, Cape Verdean writer
• Daniel Silva (novelist), American author
• José Gabriel Lopes da Silva (Gabriel Mariano), Cape Verdean poet and essayist
• Joseph Silva, a pseudonym of Ron Goulart
• Luís Filipe Silva, Portuguese writer

Other arts [edit]

• Frank Silva, American set dresser
• Maria José Marques da Silva, Portuguese architect

Business [edit]

• António da Silva Porto, Portuguese slave trader
• Ernest de Silva, Sri Lankan business magnate, banker, barrister and public figure
• Geoffrey da Silva, Guyanese administrator and politician
• Harsha de Silva, Sri Lankan economist and politician
• John Henry Silva, American entrepreneur, author and veteran
• José Alencar Gomes da Silva, Brazilian businessman and politician
• Ozires Silva, founder of Embraer

Fictional characters [edit]

• Silva (Shaman King), a fictional character in Shaman King
• Silva, a mystical speaking necklace in GARO
• Raoul Silva, the antagonist of the James Bond film Skyfall

History [edit]

• Bernardo Peres da Silva, first Indian governor of Portuguese India
• Lucius Flavius Silva, Roman governor of Judea who crushed Jewish resistance at Masada in 73 AD
• José Joaquim da Silva Xavier (1746–1792), known as Tiradentes, Brazilian independentist leader
• Pedro da Silva, first post courier of Canada (17th-18th century)

Media [edit]

• João Silva (photographer), South African photographer
• Martin Silva, politician and radio personality
• Tatiana Silva Braga Tavares, Miss Belgium
• Tom Silva, general contractor on the PBS show This Old House

Political [edit]

• Amaro Silva, former municipal politician in Winnipeg (Manitoba), Canada
• Aníbal Cavaco Silva, President of Portugal
• António Maria da Silva, Portuguese politician
• Artur da Costa e Silva, Brazilian military officer and politician
• Benedita da Silva, Brazilian politician
• Duminda Silva, Sri Lankan politician
• Estanislau da Silva, East Timorese politician and member of the Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor
• Francisco de Paula Vieira da Silva de Tovar, 1st Viscount of Molelos, Portuguese politician
• Golbery do Couto e Silva, Brazilian politician
• Israel Pinheiro da Silva, Brazilian politician and engineer
• Jaime Silva, former Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries of Portugal
• Jim Silva, American politician
• José Albino Silva Peneda, Portuguese politician
• José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva, Brazilian activist
• Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias, Brazilian military commander
• Luís da Silva Mouzinho de Albuquerque, Portuguese politician
• Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former President of Brazil
• Lydia Méndez Silva, Puerto Rican politician affiliated with the Popular Democratic Party
• Manuel António Vassalo e Silva, Portuguese politician
• Manuel Carvalho da Silva, coordinator of the Portuguese Labour union federation
• Marina Silva, Brazilian environmentalist and politician
• Mario Silva, Canadian politician

Religion [edit]

• Blessed Beatrice of Silva, Portuguese Dominican nun
• Clarence Richard Silva, United States Catholic bishop
• Hezekiah da Silva, Jewish author born in Livorno, Italy, and teacher in Jerusalem
• Blessed João Mendes de Silva (Amadeus of Portugal), Portuguese Hieronymite and later Franciscan
• Lynn de Silva, Sri Lankan Methodist theologian
• Raúl Silva Henríquez, Chilean cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church

Scholars [edit]

• Agostinho da Silva, Portuguese philosopher
• José Sebastião e Silva, Portuguese mathematician
• Maria Nazareth F. da Silva, Brazilian zoologist
• Maurício Rocha e Silva, Brazilian physician
• Moisés Silva, professor of biblical studies

Sports [edit]

Many people on this list are not generally known as Silva.^[4]

Auto racing [edit]

• Ayrton Senna da Silva, Brazilian Formula One triple world champion
• Ollie Silva, American auto racing driver

Beach volleyball [edit]

• Jackie Silva, Brazilian beach volleyball player
• Paulo Emilio Silva, Brazilian beach volleyball player

Cricket [edit]

• Aravinda de Silva, Sri Lankan international cricketer
• Chamara Silva, Sri Lankan international cricketer

Football [edit]

Brazil [edit]

Male international players [edit]

• Afonso Guimarães da Silva
• Alexandre da Silva Mariano
• Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva, Alexandre Pato
• Gilberto Silva,
• Gilberto da Silva Melo,
• Giovanni Silva de Oliveira,
• Heurelho da Silva Gomes, Heurelho Gomes
• Jackson Coelho Silva
• João Alves de Assis Silva, Jô
• Jorge Luís Andrade da Silva
• José Roberto da Silva Júnior, Zé Roberto
• Leônidas da Silva,
• Lucimar Ferreira da Silva, Lúcio
• Luiz Alberto da Silva Oliveira
• Mauro Silva
• Nélson de Jesus Silva, Dida (footballer born 1973)
• Nilmar Honorato da Silva, Nilmar
• Oscarino Costa Silva
• Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha, Roberto Carlos (footballer)
• Thiago Emiliano da Silva, Thiago Silva (footballer)

Female international players [edit]

• Cristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva
• Kátia, Kátia Cilene Teixeira da Silva
• Marta (footballer), Marta Vieira da Silva
• Thaís Helena da Silva

Others [edit]

• Adaílton da Silva Santos
• Adriano Pereira da Silva
• Aílton Gonçalves da Silva
• Airton Ferreira da Silva (Airton Pavilhão)
• Alan Osório da Costa Silva
• André Luiz Silva do Nascimento
• Antônio da Silva (footballer)
• David Da Silva
• Deivson Rogério da Silva (Bobô (footballer born 1985))
• Diego da Silva Costa
• Elisérgio da Silva (Serginho Baiano)
• Elpídio Silva
• Fábio da Silva Alves
• Fábio do Nascimento Silva
• Fábio Ferreira da Silva
• Fábio Pereira da Silva
• Hugo Veloso Oliveira Silva
• Jefferson Teixeira Silva (Jefferson Luis)
• Johnathan Aparecido da Silva
• José Fábio da Silva
• Josualdo Alves da Silva Oliveira
• Lauro Antonio Ferreira da Silva
• Lucenilde Pereira da Silva
• Luciano José Pereira da Silva
• Luís Cláudio Carvalho da Silva
• Manoel de Oliveira da Silva Júnior
• Márcio Pereira da Silva
• Marcos Roberto da Silva Barbosa
• Marcus Lima Silva
• Michael Anderson Pereira da Silva
• Otacilio Jales da Silva
• Paulo Sérgio Oliveira da Silva
• Rafael Pereira da Silva (footballer born 1980)
• Rafael Pereira da Silva (footballer born 1990)
• Renan Teixeira da Silva
• Sérgio Severino da Silva
• Tiago Silva dos Santos
• Ueslei Raimundo Pereira da Silva
• Vitor Silva Assis de Oliveira Júnior (Vitor Júnior)
• Victor Silva
• Wender Coelho da Silva (Teco (footballer))
• Wéverton Pereira da Silva
• William da Silva Barbosa

Croatia [edit]

• Eduardo da Silva

Equatorial Guinea [edit]

• Emmanuel Danilo Clementino Silva (Danilo Clementino)

Paraguay [edit]

• Anthony Domingo Silva
• Paulo da Silva

Portugal [edit]

• Adrien Silva
• Anthony da Silva
• António Conceição da Silva Oliveira
• Carlos da Silva
• Daniel da Silva Soares
• David Mendes da Silva
• Edson Rolando Silva Sousa
• Eusébio da Silva Ferreira
• José Carlos da Silva José
• José Manuel da Silva Fernandes (Zé Manel (footballer))
• João Nuno da Silva Cardoso Lucas (João Lucas)
• João Paulo da Silva Gouveia Morais
• José Paulo Sousa da Silva
• João Pedro da Silva Pereira (João Pereira (Portuguese footballer))
• Lourenço da Silva (Luís Lourenço)
• Mário Silva (footballer)
• Paulo da Silva (Paulo César da Silva Barrios)
• Paulo Monteiro (Paulo Armando da Silva Monteiro)
• Ricardo Emídio Ramalho Silva

Spain [edit]

• David Silva
• Donato Gama da Silva
• Fernando Macedo da Silva

Uruguay [edit]

• Bruno Silva
• Darío Silva
• Martín Silva
• Néstor Silva
• Santiago Silva
• Tomás Silva

Managers and referees [edit]

• Carlos Silva Valente, Portuguese football referee
• Fred Silva, United States American-football official
• Telê Santana da Silva, Brazilian football manager
• Vanderlei Luxemburgo da Silva, Brazilian football coach

Martial arts [edit]

• Anderson Silva, Brazilian MMA fighter
• Antonio Silva (fighter), Brazilian MMA fighter
• Assuerio Silva, Brazilian MMA fighter
• Edinanci Silva, Brazilian judoka
• Erick Silva, Brazilian MMA fighter
• Giant Silva (Paulo César da Silva), Brazilian MMA fighter
• Jay Silva, Brazilian MMA fighter
• Jussier da Silva, Brazilian MMA fighter
• Thiago Silva (fighter), Brazilian MMA fighter
• Wanderlei Silva, Brazilian MMA fighter

Track and field [edit]

• Adhemar da Silva, Brazilian athlete
• Anísio Silva, Brazilian triple jumper
• Carlos Silva (hurdler) (born 1974), Portuguese hurdler
• Fábio Gomes da Silva, pole vaulter
• Fatima Silva, Portuguese long-distance runner
• Joaquim Silva, Portuguese long-distance runner
• Osmiro Silva, Brazilian long-distance runner
• Pedro da Silva (athlete), Brazilian decathlete
• Rui Silva, Portuguese Olympic athlete
• Vânia Silva, Portuguese hammer thrower

Other sports [edit]

• Carlos Silva, Venezuelan baseball player
• Daniel Silva (golfer), Portuguese golfer
• Emanuel Silva, Portuguese flatwater canoeist
• Eurico Rosa da Silva, Brazilian-born Canadian jockey
• Fabiola da Silva, Brazilian inline skater
• Filipe da Silva, Portuguese basketball player
• Garth da Silva, New Zealand boxer
• Jamie Silva, American football safety
• John da Silva, New Zealand wrestler and boxer
• Luís Mena e Silva, Portuguese horse rider
• Maria Paula Silva, Brazilian basketball player
• Neuza Silva, Portuguese professional tennis player
• Raquel Silva, Brazilian volleyball player

Others [edit]

• Eugenia Silva, Spanish model
• João Marques Silva, Portuguese researcher
• José da Silva Pais, Portuguese soldier
• José Silva (parapsychologist), Portuguese-American parapsychologist
• Maria Olívia da Silva, Brazil's oldest living person
• Moises Teixeira da Silva, Brazilian robber
• Steven Silva, American chef

See also [edit]

References [edit]

This page or section lists people with the surname Silva. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.