Silva (or da Silva) is a common surname in the Portuguese language, namely in Portugal; it is also widespread in regions of the former Portuguese Empire in America, Asia, including India and Sri Lanka. Da Silva is also the fifth most common surname in the French Département Val-de-Marne and it ranked 19th for the number of births between 1966 - 1990 in France.
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 de Silva, married a descendant of the noble House of Aragon, before the foundation of Portugal as a sovereign state, in the late 11th century.
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Famous quotes containing the word silva:
“Everyone was tired with the old style politicians and their flowery rhetoric. I just told them there are tough times ahead, but that they would be less tough with me in charge.”
—Anibal Cavaco Silva (b. 1939)