The locally iconic Caribbean region cuatro family and the Hawaiian ukuleles were both adapted from the cavaquinho.

Some of the most important players and composers of the Brazilian instrument are Waldir Azevedo, Paulinho da Viola, and Mauro Diniz.

The ukulele is an iconic element of Hawaiian popular music, which spread to the continental United States in the early 20th century.

[9] It was developed from the braguinha and rajão, brought to Hawaii in the late 19th century by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira Island.

[10] The machete was introduced into Hawaii by Augusto Dias, Manuel Nunes, and João Fernandes in 1879, which further influenced the development of the ukulele.

[11] The cuatro is a family of larger 4-stringed instruments derived from the cavaquinho that are popular in Latin-American countries in and around the Caribbean.