Conversions to Christianity in Ilhas (Tiswadi) taluka were carried out mainly by the Portuguese priests from 1510 onwards. When the Portuguese added Bardez and Salcete to their possession by 1543 conversions in both these talukas were , i think, mostly done by the Spaniards. :Portugal had ceased to exist as an independent nation in 1580 when it was annexed by Spain who ruled over Portugal till 1640.
Most Catholic surnames in Bardez and Salcete are somewhat similar but in Ilhas there are quite a number of rare surnames which i presume, to be of Portuguese origin . A list of these surnames follows: Arez, Barracho, Boadita, Bocarro, Caiado, Camara, Carmello, Cordo, Cortes, Creado, Drego, Esteves, Estrocio, Felizardo, Ferros, Fialho, Flores, Florindo, Fortes, Frois Freitas, Gurjao, Horta, Leite, Lemos, Marchon, Matos, Moreno, Morreira, Mota, Negredo, Novais, Palha, Paiva, Parras, Pedroso, Picardo, Peixote, Po, Pontes, Povo, Ramos, Reveredo, Sapeco, Serrao, Souto, Taveira, Tavora, Toscano and Varella.
