Samuda Family History

Jamaican: of Jewish (Sephardic) and ultimately of Portuguese origin. It was brought to Jamaica from England (see below). Jewish (Sephardic): adoption of the now extinct Portuguese surname Samuda at the moment of conversion to Roman Catholicism.

After the return to Judaism (generations later during the first half of the 18th century in London), some descendants retained the name their families used in Portugal as Catholics. There is no evidence that this surname is still used by Jews.

Germanized or Americanized form of Croatian or Slovenian Zamuda. The surname Samuda is also found in Croatia, where it is very rare.