Diaspora

The Macanese Diaspora in 2024

The Red Dots indicate concentrations of Macanese and Luso-Asians based on survey results and recent on-line contacts.

Based on new research and an extrapolation of data from recent surveys, the current population of Macanese and other related Luso- Asians around the world is estimated at more than 1.6 million. There are Macanese (see our definition) now living in over 35 regions and countries, including Macau, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Timor, Mozambique, Australia, Brazil, the United States, Canada, Portugal, England, Germany and France. According to demographic research, approximately 70% live outside Asia.

(The map illustrates where some of those communities may be located based on data received from on-line responses.)

Portuguese genealogist Dr. Jorge Forjaz has identified over 60,000 Macanese and more than 500 family names. Several thousand more names were added to Forjaz’s 1996 edition, published in 2017. Other researchers in Europe and Southeast Asia, citing archival data from Goa, Malaysia, Thailand, Timor, and the Philippines, suggest that number may include at least 1,000 more family names, given the historical prevalence of inter-marriage among Luso-Asians and other ethnic groups. Using a representative sample from surveys conducted in 2012, 2013, and 2020 by this research group, a key question about immediate and extended family size (illustrated below) led to an estimate of the Macanese population.

The results of the 2020 survey are LINKED HERE. The 2024 Macanese survey is now OPEN.

Macanese and Luso-Asian Projects on the Web and Social Media

Far East Currents – YouTube Channel
All videos produced for the Portuguese and Macanese Studies Project

Published Articles listed on Academia.edu
Long format articles, often revisions from the blog, with footnotes

Alianca Internacional Macaense – International Macanese Alliance
Business organization registered in Macau – Partner with Far East Currents

Macaenses Identidades E Memórias
Information sponsored by Portuguese scholars at the University of Lisbon’s Instituto do Oriente and CRIA-Centro em Rede de Investigação em Antropologia

Robert Francis Leitao –- Video – Macanese Database on Ancestry.com
Gateway video by genealogist who created an interactive database (75K + names)

Macanese Families
Shortened website version of Portuguese genealogist Jorge Forjaz’s research (Limited records after 1800. Requires sign-up and documentation to access.)

Macanese Library
Facebook page for Macanese Families website

Memoria de Macau – The Macau Memory Project – Sponsored by Fundacao Macau
“Macao Memory” is a large-scale cultural conservation project presented by China and carried out by the Macao Foundation.

Cronicas Macaenses
Rogério PD Luz’s blog-foto-magazine from Brazil

Hong Kong in the Colonial Era
“This group is for video footage, photos, stories and memorabilia from Hong Kong before July 1997. Welcome to the time machine!”

Hong Kong Past – The Early Years
Nostalgic site for expats – 7,000+members

Hong Kong in the ’60s
“… an inclusive, eclectic and multi-cultural group who are linked by an interest in or knowledge of Hong Kong in the 1960’s.”

Hong Kong in the 1970s/80s
“Living in HK back then was an incredibly unique experience for many of us – this is a group dedicated to that special era.”

Family and Friends from Shanghai and Hong Kong
“Family & Friends from Shanghai and Hong Kong, … also from all who lived in China.”

Macau and it’s Portuguese influence
“I created the Casa de Macau Australia group (since archived) to bring people interested in all things Macau together to share and showcase this country.”

港澳 雙城記 A tale of two Cities – Hong Kong and Macau
“Two colonies and now two SARs, each has its own very special historical era and both of them rely on each other to a certain extend.”

Macau Community
“In this Group we discuss and promote the interests of expats, foreigners, and residents living in Macau.”

Indo-Portuguese History
“A non-political, non-religious, non-caste forum” (which) welcomes everyone with a sincere interest in cultural interactions between the peoples of Europe and the peoples of Asia and Eastern Africa.

Portuguese in Asia # 葡萄牙人在亞洲
“Sharing photos and information on the footprint of Portuguese in Asia”

Maddy’s Ramblings – The Story of the Ehrenfels at Goa
Blog account of World War II in India

Eurasian Association – Singapore
“To enrich the legacy of our cohesive and vibrant Eurasian community that is integrated with … a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural Singapore.”

IPOR – Instituto Portuges do Oriente
“To Preserve and disseminate the Portuguese language and culture in the East, with a view to the continuity and deepening of intercultural dialogue;”

Projecto Memoria Macaense
“To Macaense Memory”

Macau Antigo – Old Macau – 美麗的舊澳門不能不看
“A blog about Old Macau !”

澳門皮影協會 – Associação de Teatro de Sombras de Macau
“Macau Shadow Play Association is a private collective and non-profit organization with the objective to promote and divulge the old Shadow Play art around the world.”

Fundação Macao (Macao Foundation)
The Foundation (funded by 1.6% of Macau’s annual gaming revenues),
“… aims to promote, develop and study cultural, social, economic, educational, scientific, academic and philanthropic actions”.

Mixed Race Studies
“… an open group for scholars interested in mixed race studies to connect with each other and with community workers and cultural producers.”

CCM – International Macanese Associations

Conselho das Comunidades Macaenses (CCM – The Macanese Communities Council – Macau)
CCM was created in 2001 and funded by Fundacao Macao to govern and support several Casa de Macau diaspora groups (see below)

2019 “Encontro” News (Triannual Meetings of the Casas in Macau)
Most recent information about the 2019 “meetings” of international communities, including videos, images, and articles.

2004-2019 “Encontro” Attendance Data (Diaspora and Locals)
Participation numbers and other information for past meetings