Alma History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Portugal
Scotland

The surname Alma is of local origin, that is, it is a surname derived from the place of origin of the initial bearer. In this case, the surname is derived from one of several places so named in Portugal (northeast area). The name is derived from the Arabic words "al ma'ida," meaning a plateau. One of the earliest records of the surname is that of one Jose Fernandez de Almeida who founded a town of the same name in 1258.

Early Origins of the Alma family

The surname Alma was first found in the town of Viseu, which is today known as Mangualde, a municipality in the subregion of Dão-Lafões in the central region of Portugal. Jose Fernandez de Almeida founded Azurara of Beira from 1223-1245. He was the 5th Lord of Pinheiro and Canela. The village of Almeida in the seventeenth century came to be called Almeidinha. One of the most notable of the name at this time was D. Francisco de Almeida, Viceroy.

Early History of the Alma family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Alma research. Another 41 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1223, 1245, 1450, 1480, 1508, 1510, 1572, 1580, 1646, 1653, 1722 and 1752 are included under the topic Early Alma History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alma Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Almeida, De Almeida, Almaida and others.

Early Notables of the Alma family

Prominent members of the family include Lourenço de Almeida (c.1480-1508), a Portuguese explorer and military commander; Dom Francisco de Almeida (c.1450-1510), better known as "the Great Dom Francisco", he was a Portuguese nobleman, soldier and explorer; Lourenço de Almeida (c.1480-1508) was a Portuguese explorer and military commander; Manuel de Almeida (1580-1646), missionary to India, Ethiopia and Eritrea, he built a number of churches and monasteries; Francisco...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Alma Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Alma migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Alma Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mae Alma, aged 50, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1848 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Alma (post 1700) +

Alma Shealey Adams (b. 1946), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina (2014-)
Alma Rosenbeck, American actress, known for Capital (2022) and Grand-Ecart (2018)
Alma Julia Hightower, American vocalist, musician and music teacher
Alma Inga Kristina Sarri (1934-2021), Swedish actress, mother of actor Olle Sarri
Mrs. Alma Gauine McGing M.B.E., British recipient of Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for voluntary political service 2
Mrs. Alma Mary Loughrey O.B.E. (b. 1936), Irish former Director of Early Years Organisation for Children, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Children in Early Years Education in Northern Ireland 3
Alma Weaver Byrd (1924-2017), American politician, Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives (1991-1998)
Alma Delia Fuentes (1937-2017), Mexican actress of film, television, and theatre
Alma Redlinger (1924-2017), Romanian painter and illustrator
Alma Pedroza (1917-1999), American Democratic Party politician, Opera singer, Democratic National Convention, 1960

Historic Events for the Alma family +

RMS Titanic

Mr. Mustafa Nasr Alma (d. 1912), aged 20, Lebanese Third Class passenger from Tebnine who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 4

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62310, 4 July 2019 | London Gazette, The Gazette, June 2018, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62310/supplement/B1
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html