Menezes, sometimes Meneses, was originally a Portuguese toponymic surname which originated in Montes Torozos, a region in Tierra de Campos, northeast of Valladolid and southeast of Palencia. The ancestor of the Meneses lineage was Tello Pérez de Meneses. The family wealth and power grew remarkably in the 13th and 14th centuries, through several marriages with the Castilian and Portuguese royal families. As a surname, Menezes/Meneses may refer to: People Alex Meneses, United States actress and model Alexandre Menezes, Brazilian guitarist Alfred Menezes, Canadian cryptographer Antonio Martínez de Meneses, Spanish playwright Antônio Meneses (born 1957), Brazilian cellist Armando Menezes (1902–1983), Goan poet, writer, academic and civil servant Artur Menezes (born 1997), Brazilian blues and blues rock guitarist, singer and songwriter Christianne Meneses Jacobs, United States writer, editor, and teacher Daiana Menezes (born 1987), Brazilian actress, model and television host Francisco Meneses Osorio, Spanish painter Glória Menezes (born 1934), Brazilian actress Gonzalo de Céspedes y Meneses, Spanish novelist Guillermo Meneses, Venezuelan writer Heloísa Pinheiro, Brazilian real-life "Girl from Ipanema" Holdemar Menezes, Brazilian writer Icarius De Menezes, Brazilian creative director Ivan Menezes, Indian-born American/British business executive Jean Charles de Menezes, Brazilian killed by London police officers who mistook him for a terrorist João Costa Menezes, Portuguese actor and filmmaker Jorge de Menezes, Portuguese explorer Luís de Menezes Bragança (1878–1938), Indian journalist, writer, politician and anti-colonial activist Mai Meneses, Spanish singer-songwriter Manuel Menezes, Indian business executive, chairman of the Indian Railway Board Margareth Menezes, Brazilian singer Monsueto Menezes, Brazilian sambista, singer, composer and drummer Paulo Barreto Menezes (1925–2016), Brazilian civil engineer and politician Philadelpho Menezes, Brazilian poet, visual poet, pioneer of new media poetry Simone Menezes, Brazilian conductor Tobias Barreto de Meneses (1839–1889), Brazilian critic, poet, jurist Tyler Menezes, Canadian-American computer programmer and businessperson Victor Menezes, United States engineer Vidaluz Meneses (1944–2016), Nicaraguan librarian, poet, dean, and social activist Politics António Luís de Meneses, 1st Marquis of Marialva (1596–1675), Portuguese general in the Portuguese Restoration War António José Severim de Noronha, 1st Duke of Terceira (1792–1860), Portuguese soldier and statesman Aristide Menezes, political figure in Guinea-Bissau Carlos Alberto Menezes Direito, Brazilian judge of the Supreme Federal Court Duarte de Menezes (1488–1539), Portuguese nobleman and colonial officer Duarte de Menezes, 3rd Count of Viana (1414–1464), Portuguese nobleman and military figure Fernando de Magalhães e Menezes, Portuguese colonial administrator and Chief of Staff in 1891 Fradique de Menezes, Former President of São Tomé and Príncipe Francisco