Find out how popular the last name Valásquez is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Valásquez.

Valásquez, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Valásquez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Valásquez in America

Valásquez is the 65593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Valásquez surname appeared 302 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Valásquez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Valásquez to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Valásquez

The surname Valesquez has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from the Spanish place name "Velázquez," which is believed to have come from the Latin word "velatis," meaning "veiled" or "covered."

During the Reconquista, the Christian conquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors, many Spanish surnames emerged from the names of towns and villages that were reclaimed by the Christian forces. Velázquez was likely one such place name that gave rise to the surname Valesquez.

In the 13th century, the Valesquez surname appeared in various historical records, including the Libro de las Behetrías, an important document from the reign of King Alfonso X of Castile. This document recorded the names of landowners and their properties, suggesting that some families bearing the Valesquez name held significant wealth and status during that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Valesquez surname was Diego Valesquez de Cuéllar, a Spanish conquistador born around 1465. He was a prominent figure in the Spanish colonization of the Americas and served as the first governor of Cuba from 1511 to 1524.

Another notable figure was Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Valesquez, better known as Diego Velázquez (1599-1660), one of the most celebrated painters in the Spanish Golden Age. His masterpieces, such as "Las Meninas" and "The Surrender of Breda," are considered among the finest works of Western art.

In the 16th century, a branch of the Valesquez family settled in Portugal, where the name evolved into the Portuguese variant "Vasques" or "Vásquez." One notable bearer of this variant was the Portuguese explorer and navigator João Vásquez de Almada (1460-1515), who played a significant role in the Age of Discovery.

During the Spanish colonial period in the Americas, the Valesquez surname spread to various regions, including Mexico, where a prominent family with this name held significant influence. One member of this family was José María Valesquez (1798-1859), a Mexican politician and military officer who served as the interim president of Mexico in 1855.

Another individual of note was Juan Valesquez de León (1624-1691), a Spanish explorer and governor of Florida who led several expeditions into the interior of North America and established settlements in present-day Texas and Louisiana.

Throughout its history, the Valesquez surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including conquistadors, artists, explorers, and political figures. Despite variations in spelling, the name has maintained its Spanish roots and continues to be a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the Iberian Peninsula.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Valásquez

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Valásquez.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Valásquez was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Valásquez has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Valásquez was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Valásquez, please contact us.

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