Almeida

Almeida is both a Portuguese surname and a place name. The surname is toponymic, typically originating from families whose ancestors came from places named Almeida in Portugal and the broader Iberian Peninsula, and it remains common in Portuguese-speaking countries.

In Portugal, Almeida refers to a municipality in the Guarda District in the central-northern part of the country, near the border with Spain. The town’s historic core is dominated by the Fortress of Almeida, a large star-shaped fortification built to defend the frontier in the early modern era. The fortress, together with surrounding walls, exemplifies defensive architecture of its period and remains a regional landmark and tourist site.

As a surname, Almeida is widely found in Portugal, Brazil and other Lusophone communities, often signaling genealogical links to a former place of origin. Notable individuals with the surname include Joaquim de Almeida, a Portuguese-born actor known for work in film and television.