Henriques Coat of Arms Record & History

The surname Henriques is a patronymic name, which means it was originally formed by adding a suffix to the father’s first name to show lineage. In this case, the name indicates descent from someone named Henrique, a Portuguese and Spanish variation of the name Henry. By the early 18th century, families bearing this name were well-established in the region of Castile, Spain. During this period, the name was often associated with families of Sephardic Jewish ancestry who had converted to Christianity, a group historically referred to as New Christians or *conversos*. These families were frequently involved in trade, commerce, and professional life within the Spanish kingdoms. Because the name was tied to a specific lineage rather than a single geographic location, it spread across the Iberian Peninsula and eventually into the Americas as members of the family sought new opportunities in the Spanish colonies.