<P> For the children, some bear only the last surnames of the parents . For example, Carlos da Silva Gonçalves and Ana Luísa de Albuquerque Pereira (Gonçalves) (in case she adopted her husband's name after marriage) would have a child named Lucas Pereira Gonçalves . However, the child may have any other combination of the parents' surnames, according to euphony, social significance or other reasons . </P> <P> In ancient times a patronymic was commonly used--surnames like Gonçalves ("son of Gonçalo"), Fernandes ("son of Fernando"), Nunes ("son of Nuno"), Soares ("son of Soeiro"), Sanches ("son of Sancho"), Henriques ("son of Henrique"), Rodrigues ("son of Rodrigo") which along with many others are still in regular use as very prevalent family names . </P> <P> In Medieval times, Portuguese nobility started to use one of their estates' names or the name of the town or village they ruled as their surname, just after their patronymic . Soeiro Mendes da Maia bore a name "Soeiro", a patronymic "Mendes" ("son of Hermenegildo--shortened to Mendo") and the name of the town he ruled "Maia". He was often referred to in 12th - century documents as "Soeiro Mendes, senhor da Maia", Soeiro Mendes, lord of Maia . Noblewomen also bore patronymics and surnames in the same manner and never bore their husband's surname . First - born males bore their father's surname, other children bore either both or only one of them at their will . </P> <P> Only during the Early Modern Age, lower - class males started to use at least one surname; married lower - class women usually took up their spouse's surname, since they rarely ever used one beforehand . After the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, Portuguese authorities realized the benefits of enforcing the use and registry of surnames . Henceforth, they became mandatory, although the rules for their use were very liberal . </P>

When did we start using surnames in the uk