De Silva
A surname meaning “of the forest” or “from the woods,” especially common in Portuguese- and Sri Lankan/Goan-descended families.
The #7,075 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 65,260 Americans shares it.
Etymology
De Silva is a Romance-language surname built from Portuguese de, meaning “of” or “from,” and Silva, from Latin silva, “forest” or “woodland.” In origin it was typically a locational or status-style name for someone associated with a wooded place, or simply a family name formed from a place-name or estate name. In many modern families it also reflects Portuguese colonial naming traditions, especially in Sri Lanka, Goa, and other Lusophone communities.
History
The name is long established in Portugal and later spread widely through Portuguese expansion overseas. It became especially common in South Asia among Christian families in Sri Lanka and Goa, where Portuguese surnames were adopted and adapted in local usage. In English-language records it is often written as one word, DeSilva, though the spaced form De Silva is also common.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Silva is one of the most widespread surnames in the Portuguese-speaking world, so De Silva is part of a very large family of related names.