Recorded in the spellings of Cabrera, Cabral, Cabrallo, and Cabrales, this Spanish and Portuguese surname is both residential and job descriptive. It describes a person who lived at a goat farm, which in most cases would also mean a goat farmer. In most parts of the word prior to the late 19th century, goat farming was one of the most important of all occupations. The milk from goats being free from the virus in cows milk which was a major cause of the scourge diseases such as smallpox. Originally derived from the Roman (Latin) word 'capraria', like all such occupational surnames, this one was not at first hereditary, and did not become so in many regions until the 16th century or even later. Examples of the surname recording include Manuel Cabral of Trebujena, Cadiz, Spain, on February 3rd 1893, and Juan Cabrear Cabrales, who married Luisa Rodriguez at Madrid, Spain, on June 14th 1778. Other recordings are those of Gutierrez Cabrales on December 30th 1863 at Santa Catarina, Districto Federal, Mexico, and Edwarda Cabral who married Antonio Almeida at Vallejo, California, on January 24th 1921. The coat of arms has the blazon of a blue field, charged with three gold chevrons. In chief two knights spurs, and in base a crescent, all silver. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Ybanez Cabral, which was dated November 11th 1747, at Santa Vera Cruz, Districto Federal, Mexico, during the reign of King Ferdinand V1 of Spain, known as 'The wise one', 1746 - 1759. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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