Belgian Brazilians

Belgian Brazilian is a Brazilian person of full, partial, or predominantly Belgian ancestry, or a Belgian-born immigrant in Brazil.

History

Belgians have been in Brazil since colonial times. Some of the early settlers and bandeirantes from São Paulo were Belgians or had Belgian forefathers, like Cornélio de Arzam, Pedro Taques, Fernão Dias Pais Leme, and probably Jacques Félix. All these settlers and their relatives had huge descent, spanning the southern and central parts of Brazil. Today it is still common to find these surnames in the interior of São Paulo state and neighboring states, through people who are descendants of those settlers.
With the independence of the country in 1822, Belgians kept coming through immigration. Many colonies were founded during the 19th century, especially in Southern Brazil, but also in São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro.