Re: Bettencourts in Biera, Sao Jorge, Azores
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In reply to:
Re: Bettencourts in Biera, Sao Jorge, Azores
David Goularte 2/09/02
Dear David
I do understand perfectly your surprise in want concerns the possible rules for the Beira people inheriting the names from their ancestors. The question is that there are no rules at all.Usualy tradition works, what means that the name they use is the name that commonly people, parents friends use to call them as a family.Among the ancestors in the upper classes the father line prevails except when the mother line is rather more important in social terms.The names we can find in Beira as well in other places in the island are for the most of the people, related to the primitiv settlers in the XV c.Of course if you find for instance a bettencourt you have a big probability to belong to that family but you must confirm with documents as sometimes the gofather gives the family name to the godson mainly when he cames from a poor or common family.That also happens with servants in big houses related to their masters.Beira is a small village belonging to Velas municipality.When you think of this as well of Portugal as a whole you must think that beeing small the relations among families is umavoidable all over the centuries so they must be relatives in spite of not knowing exactely how.
If you need any help there are professionals who can help you doing the research you need.Of course in my spare time I will give you an helping hand but nothing more than that.
regards
João Bettencourt
More Replies:
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Re: Bettencourts in Biera, Sao Jorge, Azores
David Goularte 2/11/02
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Re: Bettencourts in Biera, Sao Jorge, Azores
2/12/02
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Re: Bettencourts in Biera, Sao Jorge, Azores
William W. Forester 9/21/02
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Re: Bettencourts in Biera, Sao Jorge, Azores
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Re: Bettencourts in Biera, Sao Jorge, Azores