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

Velazco, 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 Velazco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Velazco in America

Velazco is the 9854th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Velazco surname appeared 3,282 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Velazco.

We can also compare 2010 data for Velazco 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 Velazco

The surname Velazco has its origins in Spain, dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Spanish words "velaz" and "co," which translate to "watchful" and "son of," respectively. This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who was a watchful or vigilant individual.

The name Velazco was particularly prevalent in the regions of Castile and Andalusia, where it is believed to have first emerged. Early records show variations in spelling, such as Velasco and Belasco, which were common during that time period.

One of the earliest known references to the name Velazco can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrias, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 14th century. This document, which detailed the noble families and their holdings, mentions individuals bearing the surname Velazco.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Juan de Velazco was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who participated in the conquest of Peru alongside Francisco Pizarro. He was born in Cuéllar, Spain, in the late 15th century and died in Peru in the mid-16th century.

Another notable individual with the surname Velazco was Diego Velazco de Avila, a Spanish conquistador and explorer who played a role in the conquest of Chile in the 16th century. He was born in Avila, Spain, in the early 1500s and died in Chile in the latter half of the century.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook Miguel de Cervantes' famous work, "Don Quixote." In this novel, published in the early 17th century, a character named Velazco is mentioned as a member of the Duke's household.

During the 17th century, a notable figure named Pedro de Velazco y Angulo was a Spanish nobleman and military leader who served as the Governor of the Philippines from 1677 to 1678. He was born in Burgos, Spain, in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, a prominent individual named José Velazco y Angulo was a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Spanish East Florida from 1763 to 1768. He was born in Spain in the early 18th century.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Velazco throughout history, showcasing its rich heritage and connection to Spain's past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Velazco

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

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

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

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