Hi Rui,

I understand some of the inquisition archives are catalogued so I am going to send a query under the Barniro and Barneiro name, also Abaneiro and a few other variants I have seen. Then too I've seen Beniro and Neira and Neiro. It's clear the Beniro name probably isn't immediately connected but the Neira and Neiro could either be an original name or shortened in the New World. I'm going to to do send a query with the Olivares variants too. I'll let you know what happens. The tip to check post-expulsion census records may also help. Did you read it on this thread?

I have found the address of the other person who was seeking the Rodrigues Rivera connection and will email her. I think however that hers is a double surname. I did do some checking on my Rodrigo Ribera name; it is the name of the man who married a sibling of my direct line. I learned that Rivera first came from Ribera on a Spanish surname origin site. The masculine versions like Ribeiro and Ribero apparently also come from this surname later on. I'll have to find the link again. As far as Rodrigues as a first name, it appears that Rodrigue was originally a first name, then became Roderigo and Rodrigo. The link for that is http://www.genealogie.org/famille/Rodrigue/english/surname_t.... At any rate, the first Rodrigo de Rivera I have seen is a reference to monies paid out by Queen Isabel in the 15th century.

Cheers,
Donalyn