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

Velardez, 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 Velardez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Velardez in America

Velardez is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Velardez surname appeared 150 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 Velardez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Velardez 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 Velardez

The surname Velardez has its origins in Spain, with roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the medieval Spanish word "velardo," which meant "to keep watch" or "to guard." The name likely referred to a person who held the occupation of a watchman or a guard, possibly in a castle or other fortified structure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Velardez can be found in the Cartulario de San Millán de la Cogolla, a medieval manuscript from the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain. This document, dated around 1180, mentions an individual named Rodrigo Velardez, who may have been a local landowner or a person of some importance in the region.

During the 13th century, the name Velardez appeared in various historical records, such as the Libro de la Montería, a hunting treatise commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile in the 14th century. This document mentions a place called "Velardiz," which may have been named after a person with the surname Velardez or a similar variation.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Velardez was Juan Velardez, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of the Canary Islands in the 15th century. He was born around 1450 and played a significant role in the subjugation of the indigenous Guanche people on the island of Tenerife.

In the 16th century, the name Velardez gained prominence with the exploits of Francisco Velardez, a Spanish conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés in the conquest of Mexico. Velardez was among the first Spanish settlers in the region and played a crucial role in the establishment of Spanish colonial rule in the region.

Another notable figure with the surname Velardez was Diego Velardez de Ávila, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who served as the governor of the province of New Andalusia (present-day Paria Peninsula in Venezuela) in the late 16th century. He was born around 1540 and played a significant role in the exploration and colonization of the region.

During the 17th century, the name Velardez continued to be present in various historical records, particularly in Spain and its colonies in the Americas. One notable individual from this period was Pedro Velardez de Ávila, a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of the Philippine Islands from 1664 to 1668.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Velardez

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

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

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

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