Portuguese Uruguayans

Portuguese Uruguayans are Uruguayans of full or partial Portuguese ancestry, many of whom are of Azorean descent.[1]

The Portuguese arrived in Uruguay around the time of the Spanish colonial period. Many of them were sailors, conquistadors, clergy, and members of the military. Later Portuguese arrivals included pirates in conflict with Spanish leadership; Colonia del Sacramento, established by the Portuguese in 1680,[2] which eventually turned into a regional center of smuggling, is a notable example of those ages.

Another source of Portuguese immigration into Uruguay were Brazilians of Portuguese descent, who crossed the border into the country ever since it became independent.

During the second half of the 19th century and part of the 20th, several additional Portuguese immigrants arrived; the last wave was during 1930–1965.[3][4]

The most recent figure is from the 2011 Uruguayan census, which revealed 367 people who declared Portugal as their country of birth[5] while in 2019 the UN estimated 579 Portuguese-born people living in the country.[6]

However, as of 2021, 3,069[7] Portuguese citizens have registered as residing in Uruguay within Portuguese authorities. This figure is higher than the data collected in the Uruguayan latest census or the one provided by the UN since many Portuguese citizens may have born elsewhere, thus not counting as "born in Portugal".

It is worth noting that actual figures may be higher since it is not mandatory for Portuguese citizens to notify their embassy upon moving abroad. In addition to Portuguese citizens, there are also many luso-descendants (lusodescendentes) whose numbers are hard to estimate.[8]