Two daughters, Maria Rita and Maria José, from his marriage with Celeste Rodrigues.
Four grandchildren (via his daughter Rita): Diogo Varela Silva (b.1971), Maria Alves do Rio (b.1975), Filipa Alves do Rio (b.1978) and Ana Cardoso Pinto (b.1992).
Had two stepchildren from Simone de Oliveira previous relation: Maria Eduarda and
António Pedro.
In the 1950s opened a Fado House in Lisbon, called A Viela, with his wife Celeste, who was the sister of singer Amália Rodrigues, and a Fado singer herself.