While on different quest I came upon this thread and was compelled to reply as a result of the poor choice of word associated with 'Violante'... although not a very common name in general it is quite common in very specific areas throughout the world, I would like to send out a warm hello to all the 'violante cousins' whose roots originated in the beautiful ocean front town Foz do Arelho, Portugal...
Yes we are many spread throught the world and we are descendents from 'salt of the earth' ancestors who worked the lands and the waters in this region... My fathers side of the family came from the Violante and the Serrenho and on my mothers side from the Tomaz, the Conceicao and the Violante...
Families were large in the early 1900's and some from our family emigrated to Brazil, Africa, USA and Canada after the 2nd world war...
In our family, my father was the trailblazer and the first of the brothers (4 brothers & 2 sisters) to leave Portugal in 1958 and headed to Mozambique, Africa and from there came to Toronto, Canada where my mother and I joined him in 1968. Shortly afterwards he arranged for a brother and two sisters to emigrate, the other brothers chose to stay in Portugal.
On my mothers side some sisters emigrated to Brazil (Sao Paulo), Africa (Angola) and USA (Atlantic Coast)...
Best Wishes and Warm Regards to all the Violante, Tomaz, Serrenho, Conceicao... and everyone else that takes the time to read this short note