João Fernandes Lavrador

Timeline

1. 1401–1498Portugal · Portugal'Lavrador' means 'farmer', reflecting his non-noble origins; in the late 15th century he was active in Portuguese coastal and seafaring communities, gradually joining ocean voyages and becoming a member of exploration parties funded by the crown and merchants.
2. 1498–1501Labrador coast · LabradorAccording to Portuguese and Spanish sources he took part in or led voyages along the northeast coast of North America, and the lands along the coast were later named 'Labrador' after his surname 'Lavrador'. This was closely tied to contemporary Portuguese territorial claims in the North Atlantic and the division of spheres with Spain.
3. 1501North Atlantic · North AtlanticAfter 1501 direct sources on Lavrador are extremely scarce, and whether he continued seafaring or returned home cannot be confirmed; later reconstructions of his life rely mainly on place-name transmission and indirect documents, and scholarly discussion of his voyage details continues.