Andrade

The first mention of this small territory is to be found in the documentation of the monastery of San Xoán de Caaveiro (18 km away), and belong chronologically to the 9th century.

It was part of the region of Pruzos, which was created as an administrative and ecclesiastical territory of Kingdom of Galicia in the sixth century by King Teodomiro (reigned 559–570) through a document written in Latin called Parrochiale suevum, Parochiale suevorum or Theodomiri Divisio.

[3] The surname Andrade is found predominantly in Portugal and Spain, and in countries of Latin America, Italy, Equatorial Guinea and East Timor, Goa, Philippines, and Karnataka in India.

Later the family would obtain the title of Counts of Vilalba under the Catholic Monarchs gaining full control over the entire Terra Chá Region in today's Lugo Province.

This moment marked the initial starting point that placed his relatives Freire as the main lineage of the northern area of the current Galician province of A Coruña.

Castle of Andrade, Galicia
Tomb of the knight Fernan Perez d'Andrade (d. 1387 CE), Betanzos , Galicia. Note the family coat of arms.
Tower of the ancient pazo (manor) of the Andrade, Pontedeume , Galicia
Coat of arms as borne by the Duchess of Franco
Coat of arms of the Spanish Andrade family