[3] A more recent hypothesis is that the toponym Tábua derives from the Vulgar Latin word "tabula," meaning "board" or "plank," potentially referring to a flat region.

VIATOR / L. A. D. D."[3] Lastly, "tabua" is also the common name for Typha angustifolia, an aquatic or semi-terrestrial herbaceous plant with a rhizome that thrives in wetlands, lagoons, and waterways.

This plant is known for invading shallow waters and causing rapid obstructions, and it is abundant along the banks of the Mondego River, which could also be a plausible origin for the toponym Tábua.

[3] Archaeological evidence suggests that the region of Tábua has been inhabited since at least the Roman times, with findings including ceramic artifacts, inscriptions and remnants of bridges and roads.

[3] In the 12th century, Tábua was granted as an honra (noble domain) to the "da Cunha" family in the Inquirições (inquiries) by Theresa of Portugal, daughter of King Afonso I.