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Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco (Brazil)

by André Pires Godinho

About the Flag
About Fernando de Noronha

About the Flag of Fernando de Noronha

On the scroll on the central device are the letters "1809-BRASIL-1942," [see correction below--ed.] and on the rim of the circle "FERNANDO DE NORONHA."
Dirk Schönberger, 14 August 1999

The year in the motto is 1503 and not 1809.
André Pires Godinho, 15 February 2003

About Fernando de Noronha

Fernando de Noronha was a separate territory, which included Atol das Rocas, and the rocks São Pedro and São Paulo, until it was incorprated into Pernambuco State in 1988.
Herman De Wael, 7 March 1999

These islands were named after their discoverer, Fernão de Loronha (not a typo, see below) in 1500-something. (This was a real "discovery," by the way, since the island was uninhabited and well away from the shore.) The island's name was later modernized to the current form, but the original Loronha guy was really called that. As the story goes, his father was from the Asturian town of Noroña and took its name when he settled in Portugal, changing the initial letter to avoid confusion with the real Noronha family. (A second version says that his godfather was a real Noronha and he took his surname when baptized, having been born a Jew).

What is certain is that Fernão de Loronha, a sailing ship captain and merchant, was granted arms when in England and in 1506 got permission to use them in Portugal (confirmed in 1524 and 1532). These were, in the Portuguese version, per pale argent and vert, two roses dimidiating as many fleurs-de-lis, in dexter canton a dove volant argent. The same dove served as the crest.
António Martins, 17 August 1999

The area is 26 sq km and the population 2,051.
André Pires Godinho, 15 February 2003