Its origin starts with the Visigoth [3] Kings and the name was first used in the 11th century, by Lord
Egas Gomes de Sousa, heir to the house and to several royal lineages. There are three main lineages of this noble house, but we shall only focus on the one represented to left (Sousa of Arronches).[citation needed]
The family head is the
Duke of Lafões. Some[who?] say that there isn't a single noble man (or woman) in Portugal that does not have the blood of the Sousas. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Garcia Homem de Sousa, which was dated 1420, christened at
Funchal, Portugal, during the reign of King
John I of Portugal. The House of Sousa played a significant role in the creation of the
Portuguese Empire.
Martim Afonso de Sousa was the first captain - major of Brazil ("capitão-mor da armada e da terra do Brasil", with powers equivalent to those of a governor),[4]Tomé de Sousa was the first formal Governor General of Brazil,
Pedro Lopes de Sousa was the 1st
Governor of
Portuguese Ceylon and Thome de Sousa Arronches was a Captain of the
Portuguese Navy in the
Portuguese India Armadas.[5]
The family motto (Better to break than to bend).[citation needed]
André de Sousa, 23º Lord of House of Sousa * c. 1515
D. António de Sousa Chichorro (1520)
Manuel de Sousa
D. Matias de Sousa (1550)
Diogo Lopes de Sousa, 2nd Count of Miranda * c. 1595
D. Pedro de Sousa Chichorro
Henrique de Sousa Tavares, first Marquis of Arronches * 1626
D. Maria de Sousa e Mesquita
D. António Sousa Chíchorro balio "ad honorem".
Mariana Luísa Francisca de Sousa Tavares Mascarenhas e Silva, 2nd Marquess of Arronches * 1672
Luísa Casimira de Sousa Nassau and
Ligne, duchess of Lafões * 1694
Coat of arms
The field of the shield is divided in four quarters (quarterly or party per cross) with the royal arms of Portugal in the first and fourth quarters, and the arms of Sousa, a quartet of silver crescents (Argent) over a field of red (Gules), in the second and third quarters. This grouping known as the Sousa of Arronches (because of the title of Lords of Arronches), is still borne by many of the noble houses of Portugal, like the
Dukes of Palmela.[citation needed]