Working through my Portuguese family tree, today I’ve decided to post on the Ferreira/Ferreira Grota line. This line hails from the Ribeira Grande district of Sao Miguel Island.
As with most Porttuguese lines in the 1700s, the surname descends from the maternal line rather than the paternal line. My oldest ancestor is Jacintha Ferreira, a native of Estrela, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Island, Azores. She married Manoel Rebello, also from Estrela.
They had two sons, Joao and Narcisco. Both of them used the surname “Ferreira Grota”. I’m not sure why they chose to add Grota to their name. The definition is “a deep valley”, “glen”, “water erosion on a hill or riverbank”. Perhaps the term refers to the part of Estrela that they lived in–a description of the area. If their were many Ferreira’s in Estrela, they would be known as “the Ferreira’s from the valley (or glen)”.
Joao married Catarina de Jesus 19 Sep 1774, Estrela. I have no information on Catarina.
Narcisco married Ana de Jesus 8 Jul 1787, Estrela. Ana was the daughter of Joseph da Costa and Barbara do Espirito Santo. This family also came from Estrela.
I descend from Narciso. His daughter, Jacintha Rosa Ferreira, is my Gr Gr Gr Grandmother. I have not found any reference to Jacintha as “Ferreira Grota” (only as Ferreira), though her brother’s used “Ferreira Grota”.
Jacintha married Jacintho Pacheco of Fenais da Vera Cruz (aka Fenais d’Ajuda). Their grandchildren would make their way to Hawaii and spread Pacheco’s throughout the land (or so it seemed!)
Ahnentafel of Jacintho PACHECO – 4 Jun 2011 (My Great Great Grandfather)
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First Generation
1. Jacintho PACHECO: born about 1830 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; died between 1876 and 1882 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl..
Second Generation
2. Joao PACHECO: born about 1795 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; married on 24 Apr 1815 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl..
3. Jacintha Rosa FERREIRA: born about 1795 in Fenais da Vera Cruz (Ajuda), Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel Isl.; died before 6 Jul 1876.
Third Generation
6. Narciso Jose Ferreira GROTA: born in Estrela, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel, Açores; married on 8 Jul 1787 in Estrela, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel, Açores; died before 1834.
7. Ana de JESUS: born on 7 Apr 1769 in Estrela, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel, Acores; died before 1834.
Fourth Generation
12. Joao Ferreira GROTA: born in Estrela, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel, Açores; married on 16 Aug 1749 in Conceicao, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel, Açores.
13. Maria da SILVA: born in Conceicao, Ribeira Grande, Sao Miguel, Açores; died before 1783.
Fifth Generation
24. Manuel REBELO: born in Estrela, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel, Açores.
25. Julia FERREIRA: born in Estrela, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel, Açores.