João Fernandes Lavrador

João Fernandes Lavrador was a Portuguese explorer of the late 15th century. He was one of the first modern explorers of the Northeast coasts of North America, including the large Labrador peninsula, which was named after him by European settlers in eastern Canada. The popular dog breed Labrador Retriever is named after the peninsula and thus in effect also bears his name.

Expeditions

Lavrador was granted a patent by King Manuel I in 1498 that gave him the right to explore the part of the Atlantic Ocean as set out in the Treaty of Tordesillas.
Together with Pero de Barcelos, Lavrador first sighted what is now known as Labrador in 1498. Lavrador also charted the coasts of Southwestern Greenland and of adjacent Northeastern North America around 1498; he reported on these observations and gave notice of them in Europe. The areas are believed to have been named island of the Labrador and land of the Labrador, respectively, after him.
Upon his return from Greenland, Lavrador sailed to Bristol. He received a patent for exploration from King Henry VII. In 1501 Lavrador set sail for discovery of lands in the name of England. He was never heard from again.