João_Fernandes_Lavrador
João Fernandes Lavrador
Portuguese explorer
João Fernandes Lavrador (1453–1501) (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuˈɐ̃w fɨɾˈnɐ̃dɨʒ lɐvɾɐˈðoɾ]) was a Portuguese explorer of the late 15th century. He was one of the first modern explorers of the Northeast coasts of North America, including the large Labrador peninsula, which was named after him by European settlers in eastern Canada. The popular dog breed Labrador Retriever is named after the peninsula and thus by effect also bears his name.