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João Gonçalves ZARCO was the first person entitled to use surname CÂMARA, according to a decree issued on the 4th of July of 1460 by King Dom Afonso V of Portugal . As a sailor, he discovered the Isle of Madeira where he named a certain locality "Câmara de Lobos" due to a number of seawolves hidden in a cave. Dom Afonso's decree designated ZARCO to the office of Captain of Madeira, changing his name to João Gonçalves Zarco da Câmara de Lobos. The usage shortened his family name to Gonçalves da Câmara, which was then passed to his descendants. His original surname ZARCO, meaning "person with blue eyes", could be of jewish origin.
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