It was originally visited by Basque, English, French and Portuguese migratory fishermen, and permanently settled in the late 1700's by William Henry of Waterford Country, Ireland.
Portugal Cove South was settled by the Molloy's from Trepassey and the O'Leary's from Renews from the 1800-1850s. From 1850 to 1890, the Coombs, Power and Ward families arrived. From 1900-1950, more families arrived from the small coastal communities of Long Beach and the Drook, which are now abandoned communities.