With a very widespread patronymic, there are many families with the same name, but from different origins. One of the best known descendants is Jorge Afonso, sixteenth century. Those who use the surname Afonso come from a family of historical and noble value. Afonso means "ready for the nobility", "noble inclination, aptitude" or "apt to be noble."

Family from Galicia, very ancient, whose most remote ancestor that is known is Diogo Peres Galego, knight of the House of Santa Marta de Ortigueira. It is not known the connection of these first Galicians with those who came later. Afonso G. de Andrade, Galician nobleman and cousin of the Count of Ourém, João Fernandes Andeiro, went to Portugal, marrying Dona Maria Anes Ribeira, wife of the first Count of Marialva.
Dom Vasco Fernandes Coutinho, had a generation that soon abandoned the surname of G. and followed the surname Galego and also followed the surname of Andrade.