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

Velasco, 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 Velasco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Velasco in America

Velasco is the 1061st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Velasco surname appeared 33,078 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Velasco.

We can also compare 2010 data for Velasco 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 Velasco

The surname Velasco originated in Spain, specifically in the region of Castile. It dates back to the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Basque word "belatz," which means "raven" or "crow," and the suffix "-co," which is a diminutive form.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Velasco name can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval manuscript from the 14th century. This document mentions individuals with the surname Velasco holding properties in the region of Castile.

The Velasco family was a prominent noble house in Spain during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period. One of the most notable figures was Pedro Fernández de Velasco, who lived from 1425 to 1492. He was a powerful nobleman and served as the Constable of Castile during the reign of King Henry IV.

Another prominent individual was Íñigo Fernández de Velasco, who lived from 1462 to 1528. He was the 2nd Duke of Frías and played a significant role in the political affairs of Spain during the reigns of Ferdinand II of Aragon and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

In the 16th century, the Velasco family had strong connections with the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Juan de Velasco y Vázquez, born around 1540, was a Spanish conquistador and served as the governor of Cumaná, a region in present-day Venezuela.

The Velasco surname also has a connection to the Philippines. Miguel López de Legazpi, born around 1502, was a Spanish explorer and the first governor-general of the Philippines. His mother's maiden name was Velasco.

Throughout history, the Velasco name has been associated with various noble families, military figures, and influential individuals in Spain and its former colonies. While the name has evolved over time with slight spelling variations, it has maintained its roots and significance in Spanish history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Velasco

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

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

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

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