The first converts to Christianity in Goa were native Goan women who married Portuguese men that arrived with Afonso de Albuquerque.

[11] The process of Christianisation was simultaneously accompanied by "Lusitanisation", as the Christian converts typically assumed a Portuguese veneer.

Converts usually adopted the surnames of the Portuguese priest, governor, soldier or layman who stood as godfather for their baptism ceremony.

[12] For instance, the Boletim do Instituto Vasco da Gama lists the new names of some of the prominent ganvkars (Konkani: Freeholders): Rama Prabhu, the son of Dado Vithal Prabhu from Benaulim, Salcette became Francisco Fernandes, while Mahabal Pai, the son of Nara Pai, became Manuel Fernandes in 1596.

In 1595, Vittu Prabhu became Irmão de Diego Soares and the son of Raulu Kamat became Manuel Pinto in Aldona, Bardez.

Ram Kamat of Punola became Duarte Lobo in 1601, while Tados Irmaose of Anjuna became João de Souza in 1658.

The converts from the Kshatriya and even some Vaishya Vani castes became Chardos (Konkani word for Kshatriya); remaining Vaishyas became Gauddos; and converts from the Shudra castes as well as the previously Dalit and adivasi groups became Sudirs (Konkani word for Shudra).

This is caused by a combination of permanent emigration of native Goans from Goa to cosmopolitan Indian cities (e.g. Mumbai, Bangalore) and foreign countries,[19] combined with mass immigration of non-Goans from the rest of India since the 20th century, which has made Goans a virtual minority in the state.

[22] The Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman carries the title Patriarch of the East Indies.