Henriques family

Henriques is a Portuguese surname meaning Son of Henrique (Henry). The Henriques family has many branches, each with a somewhat different surname. In 16th century Portugal, dozens of New Christian families used the name singly or in combination with others, such as Henriques de Castro, Cohen Henriques Eanes, Henriques de Souza, Henriques Faro, Mendes Henriques, Gabay Henriques, Lopes Henriques, Gomes Henriques, Henriques da Costa, Henriques da Granada, Henriques Coelho, and many more. Once they left Portugal and reverted to Judaism, they took more Jewish first names and often inserted Jewish tribal designations, such as Cohen and Israel, just before "Henriques", such as Cohen Henriques and Israel Henriques.

Nevertheless, the Henriques family that fled Portugal during and after the Spanish Inquisition are all descended or related to the patriarch of the family, Henriques Dias Milao-Caceres.

The Henriques family descend from the Jews of Spain, who fled from religious persecution to Portugal in 1492. Although led to believe they would be permitted to practice Judaism freely in Portugal, they were forcibly converted to Catholicism upon their arrival. These "Marranos", or "New Christians", continued to strongly relate to their Jewish origins and married each other. Their descendants became assimilated, participating in and contributing to the economic life of Portugal and its empire. Some were elevated to the peerage for their patriotism.

Henriques Dias Milao-Caceres (1528-1609) was a wealthy Catholic businessman from Lisbon who was arrested by the Spanish Inquisition during the Iberian Union on charges of not having paid taxes, having dealings with the Jews, and for having attempted to flee the country before trial. Most of his family and entourage who had not managed to leave the country on time, had also been arrested and interrogated by the Inquisition. At the age of 82, Henriques Dias Milao-Caceres was sentenced to death, along with his manservant, who was believed to have converted secretly to Judaism, and a female member of his family. They were burned at the stake on the 5th of April, 1609. The rest of the family members, lives spared, witnessed the execution and subsequently took on the surname Henriques in his memory, thus beginning the family we know today. Those who adopted the surname include Henriques's son, Paulo (Moses) de Milao; his daughter Beatriz (married to Alvaro Dinis Yachia Eanes); and his grandson, Reuben Eanes (son of Beatriz).

The Israel Henriques family included several prominent Sephardic Jewish benefactors of Portuguese descent during the 17th century in Great Britain.

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