Dear Caroline,Greetings!The name would probably have been Raposo da Costaand
you should certainly continue to search for your ancestry. But I would like to
save you from disappointment. Ihave been researching Azorean genealogies for at
least 25 years and I have takenon many research projects over the years. As
part of my research I have becomevery familiar with Azorean nobility. The title
of Duke was never conferred uponany Azorean (except for non-Azoreans who helped
D. Maria II take back Terceir in the struggle with her uncle D. Miguel.)
Marquês was considered the most prestigious of Azorean titles.Other titles
included Conde, Visconde, Barão. Rarely did these propertied noblesemigrate.
(The Barão das Laranjeiras did re-locate to Brazil and died there,but was
brought back for burial). In only other two cases did I find noblemen(Visconde
de Vale da Costa; lived in theUS, and that is because he was appointed
Portuguese Consul to Boston and didnot return to Portugal and the Visconde de
Porto Martim who emigrated toBrazil) who emigrated; neither one was from S.
Miguel. Vale da Costa hasdescendants in the Framingham area.Most nobles would
have been granted a coat of armsalthough there are some exceptions. Those
coats-of-arms are all detailed andillustrated in Tombo Heráldico dos
Açores:Cartas de Brasão de Armas – Heráldica Episcopal, António Ornelas Mendes
andJorge Forjaz, (Caixa Económica da Misericórdia, Angra do Heroísmo: 2014.)
Thereis no Raposo da Costa from S. Miguel in the book. An exhaustive sourcefor
all Portuguese noble titles is Afonso Eduardo Martins Zúquete, António
Sérgioand António Machado de Faria, Nobreza dePortugal e do Brazil, Editorial
Enciclopédia, Lisbon: 1961.Over the last 30 yearsI have met many, many Azorean
Americans who have been told that theirgrandfather or great grandfather was a
titled nobleman, or the illegitimate sonof one. In a half dozen cases I have
found that those claims (legitimate orillegitimate) were true. Many Azorean
Americanfamilies have these family legends, my own family included.
Unfortunately, theyare legends, albeit sometimes with a tiny grain of truth. I
tell you all ofthis only to spare you chasing a red-herring. But by all means,
research yourancestry. You never know what you will find and no doubt your
family history isas fascinating as that of any nobleman’s family.Let me know if
I canhelp.John Miranda Raposo
On Sunday, February 12, 2017 3:39 PM, Reposo De Costa
<chrsjnknsc.2...@gmail.com> wrote:
We are researching our ancestors Manuel Reposo/Reposa DeCosta from the Azore
Islands who migrated to the Hawaiian Islands. Head of household was Manuel,
wife's name was Maria. Our grandmother Maria Raposa/Raposa Decosta was born in
around 1898 in Hawaii. Our grandmother had a family crest which indicated that
my uncle was a Duke, my grandmother died and we could not find the
papers/crest. We are wondering what royal family are we related to. The
family crest was passed down to our Uncle, who then was called a Duke. Any
information on this would be much appreciated. Thank you.
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