Map of Portugal showing where the Teves arms are recorded
The Teves arms were recorded in Portugal, c. 1706.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in Lisboa.
Lisbon was the seat of the Portuguese crown and the port its wealth came through. Families made rich by trade and by service to the king took arms, and the crown's heralds recorded them there.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Portugal in this period.
Peter II of Portugal
Sovereign of the period
Peter II of Portugal
1683–1706
Reigning in Portugal when the Teves arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Portugal
In Portugal, a coat of arms was a family possession that passed from a father to his children. Every legitimate descendant had the right to use the family shield without needing to change it. Younger branches of the family kept the original design, though they sometimes added small symbols to distinguish their specific line from the main branch.
Granting authority
The Cartório da Nobreza acted as the official body that managed and regulated noble titles and coats of arms in Portugal.
How they got arms
Families typically inherited their arms through bloodline, though they could also receive new grants from the crown for distinguished service.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the books of the Cartório da Nobreza starting in the year 1512.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Portugal.
Origin & History of the Teves Family in Portugal
The surname Teves has deep roots in the Iberian Peninsula, with historical records confirming the presence of the family in Lisbon by the year 1706. During this period, Lisbon was a bustling center of trade and culture, serving as the heart of the Portuguese Empire. Families like the Teves often played active roles in the city's urban development, working as merchants, artisans, or local administrators who helped manage the growing capital. Because the name is linked to the linguistic traditions of the region, it likely evolved from local naming customs that identified individuals by their personal traits or their ancestral origins. As the family established itself in the city, they became part of the social fabric that defined eighteenth-century Portugal, contributing to the daily life and economic stability of a nation navigating the Age of Discovery and its aftermath.
Teves Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Estêvão
Derived from the Greek name Stephanos meaning crown or garland.
This name
TevesA patronymic surname indicating descent from an ancestor named Stephen.
also spelled
Teyve
Teyvese
Teyvess
Tives
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, Registos Paroquiais de Lisboa, 1706
Freitas, Judite, A População de Lisboa no Século XVIII, 1995
Oliveira, César, História de Lisboa, 1992
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
ermineDignity and rank
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
ermineDignity and rank
mulletThe third son, and a divine quality from above
