Portuguese Uruguayans

{{Short description|Uruguayans of Portuguese birth or descent}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}

{{Infobox ethnic group

| group = Portuguese Uruguayans
{{small|Luso-uruguaianos}}

| image =

| population = 13,000

| popplace = Colonia de Sacramento

| langs = Spanish, Uruguayan Portuguese, Portuñol

| rels = Predominantly Latin Catholicism

| related = {{hlist| Brazilians in Uruguay, Spanish Uruguayans, Italian Uruguayans }} }}

Portuguese Uruguayans are Uruguayans of full or partial Portuguese ancestry, many of whom are of Azorean descent.{{Cite web |title=Portugueses no Uruguai. São Carlos de Maldonado. 1764 |url=https://www.esteditora.com.br/PortuguesesnoUruguaiSaoCarlosdeMaldonado1764 |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=www.esteditora.com.br}}

The Portuguese arrived in Uruguay around the time of the Spanish colonial period. Many of them were sailors, conquistadors, clergy, and members of the military. Later Portuguese arrivals included pirates in conflict with Spanish leadership; Colonia del Sacramento, established by the Portuguese in 1680,{{Cite web |title=A Fundação da Colônia do Sacramento |url=https://www.multirio.rj.gov.br/historia/modulo01/fund_sacramento.html}} which eventually turned into a regional center of smuggling, is a notable example of those ages.

Another source of Portuguese immigration into Uruguay were Brazilians of Portuguese descent, who crossed the border into the country ever since it became independent.

During the second half of the 19th century and part of the 20th, several additional Portuguese immigrants arrived; the last wave was during 1930–1965.[http://www.fhuce.edu.uy/jornadas/IIJornadasInvestigacion/PONENCIAS/BLANCO.PDF Our last Lusitanians] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029221147/http://www.fhuce.edu.uy/jornadas/IIJornadasInvestigacion/PONENCIAS/BLANCO.PDF |date=2013-10-29 }} {{in lang|es}}{{Cite web |title=Portugueses no Uruguai |url=https://ciencia.iscte-iul.pt/publications/portugueses-no-uruguai-redes-retratos-e-relatos/18250}}

The most recent figure is from the 2011 Uruguayan census, which revealed 367 people who declared Portugal as their country of birth{{cite web |url=http://www.ine.gub.uy/biblioteca/Inmigrantes%20Internacionales%20y%20Retornados%20en%20Uruguay.pdf |title=Immigration to Uruguay |publisher=INE |accessdate=6 March 2013 }} {{in lang|es}} while in 2019 the UN estimated 579 Portuguese-born people living in the country.{{Cite web |title=Uruguay – Inmigración 2019 {{!}} Datosmacro.com |url=https://datosmacro.expansion.com/demografia/migracion/inmigracion/uruguay |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=datosmacro.expansion.com |language=es}}

However, as of 2021, 3,069{{cite web |title=Observatório da Emigração |url=http://observatorioemigracao.pt/np4/paises.html?id=231}} Portuguese citizens have registered as residing in Uruguay within Portuguese authorities. This figure is higher than the data collected in the Uruguayan latest census or the one provided by the UN since many Portuguese citizens may have been born elsewhere, thus not counting as "born in Portugal".

Actual figures may be higher because it is not mandatory for Portuguese citizens to notify their embassy upon moving abroad. In addition to Portuguese citizens, there are also many luso-descendants (lusodescendentes) whose numbers are hard to estimate.{{Cite web |title=Perguntas frequentes |url=https://montreal.consuladoportugal.mne.gov.pt/pt/assuntos-consulares/perguntas-frequentes |access-date=2023-03-29 |website=Consulado Geral de Portugal em Montreal |language=pt-pt}}