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

Vela, 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 Vela surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vela in America

Vela is the 1396th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vela surname appeared 25,414 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname Vela.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vela 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 Vela

The surname Vela originated in Italy during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Italian word "vela," which means "sail" or "canvas." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked with sails or canvas, such as a sailor or a sailmaker.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Vela date back to the 13th century in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Lombardy, and Veneto. These areas were known for their maritime trade and activities, which could explain the connection to the nautical term "vela."

In the 14th century, the name Vela appeared in several historical documents, such as tax records and property deeds. One notable example is the mention of a Venetian merchant named Giovanni Vela in a trade agreement with the Republic of Genoa in 1327.

During the Renaissance period, the Vela family gained prominence in the city of Naples. Francesco Vela (1490-1560) was a renowned painter and architect who contributed to the design of several churches and palaces in Naples and its surrounding areas.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Vela family settled in Spain, where the name was adapted to "Vela." One of the earliest recorded individuals with this spelling was Juan Vela (1620-1692), a Spanish military officer who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands.

Another notable figure with the surname Vela was Vincenzo Vela (1820-1891), a Swiss sculptor from the canton of Ticino. He is best known for his marble sculpture "The Dying Napoleon," which was completed in 1865 and is now housed in the Galleria d'Arte Moderna in Milan.

In the 19th century, the Vela family established itself in the United States, with many immigrants arriving from Italy and Spain. One prominent American with this surname was Rubén Vela (1885-1961), a Mexican-American civil rights activist and labor leader who fought for the rights of farm workers in Texas.

Throughout history, the surname Vela has been associated with various occupations, including sailors, merchants, artists, military personnel, and civil rights leaders. Its origins in the Italian word for "sail" have given it a distinct maritime connection, reflecting the importance of seafaring and trade in the regions where the name first emerged.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vela

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

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 Vela 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 Vela 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 Vela was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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