veiga

Veiga is a term used in Portuguese and Galician to denote a geographic valley or floodplain, typically a flat, fertile strip along a river. The word derives from Latin vallis through the Galician-Portuguese lexicon and is cognate with the Spanish vega, meaning meadow or floodplain. In geography and land description, veiga refers to low-lying, arable land often bounded by hills.

Geography and toponymy: Veiga and its variants are common in Iberia. Numerous places in Portugal and Galicia bear the name Veiga or A Veiga, including municipalities, parishes, and small localities. In Galicia, institutions or geographic features may appear as "A Veiga" or simply "Veiga," reflecting historic land divisions and valley geography.

Surname: Veiga is a widespread Iberian surname, especially in Portugal and Brazil. It is typically toponymic, deriving from a place called Veiga or from a description of valley lands. The surname appears in various forms in official records and modern media, often without indicating a precise geographic origin today.

Notable people: The name is held by numerous individuals in public life, including politicians, athletes, and artists across Portuguese-speaking countries. The diversity of bearers reflects the surname’s broad geographic distribution.

See also: Vega, A Veiga, and other related toponyms and surnames.