Avelino, I cannot understand your reasoning. What does someone's caste has to do with someone's surname?
Also, surely you did not think that all Costas descend from the first white Portuguese settler that travelled to India with Vasco da Gama, right? The first hindus who were baptised usually took the surname of the priests or celebrants that baptised them. Hence, you will have Costas who were Hindu Brahmins before being baptised. I may be wrong but I believe that majority of Goan Costas are Goans by origin and do not have Portuguese blood in them. To be honest, I have not come across any Goan Costas who can tell they descend from a Portuguese Costa. In fact the families that are known as "descendentes" (descend from the Portuguese) in Goa are not many. From the top of my head I can think of these: Lobato-Faria, Fragoso, Aquino, Camelo, Correa-Mendes. There are some more though. These can tell for sure they descend from the Portuguese and are usually known as "descendentes" (in Portuguese). Other families might also descend from the Portuguese but it becomes difficult to trace unless you manage to track the whole family tree until the first baptised. Best regards Paulo Colaco Dias. PS: Please do not involve me in any caste related discussion. I am not interested. > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf > Of D'Souza, Avelino > Sent: 04 August 2005 05:55 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Goanet]Costas are Brahmins, and so Indians by origin? > > The story that has been doing the rounds for centuries now is that the > first Costa settler in India had sailed to the subcontinent in the > company of Vasco da Gama. > But there is also information that the Costas are Brahmins, and so > Indians by origin. > We have no documentary evidence in support of either statement; we only > know that, at the close of the sixteenth century, the Costa family lived > in the fortress of Rachol and several of its members held posts that > were the preserve of blue-blooded Brahmins only. > How can one reconcile these two theories? > > More at, > > http://www.28costavin.com/fam%20note%201.htm > > > > Avelino > Bastora/Kuwait >
