Monteiro

Monteiro is a Portuguese surname derived from the Latin word 'montarius', meaning 'of the mountain' or 'mountain dweller'. It likely originated as a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near or on a mountain. Over time, it became a hereditary surname and is now common in Portugal and Brazil.

The surname's prevalence in Portugal and its former colonies, particularly Brazil, reflects the historical expansion of the Portuguese language and culture. While primarily a surname, it has occasionally been adopted as a given name, though this is less common.