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

VELÁZQUEZ, 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 VELÁZQUEZ surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of VELÁZQUEZ in America

VELÁZQUEZ is the 140157th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The VELÁZQUEZ surname appeared 119 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 VELÁZQUEZ.

The history of the last name VELÁZQUEZ

The surname Velazquez is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in the Iberian Peninsula. It is a patronymic surname, derived from the personal name Velasco, which itself is believed to have originated from the Basque word "belatz" meaning "raven."

Velazquez first emerged as a surname in the northern regions of Spain, particularly in the regions of Castile and Leon, where it was commonly used to distinguish families and individuals. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various medieval documents, such as the Becerro de las Behetrias, a 14th-century census of landholders in Castile.

One of the most notable historical figures bearing the name Velazquez was Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez, a renowned Spanish painter who lived from 1599 to 1660. He served as the leading court painter for King Philip IV of Spain and is widely regarded as one of the greatest masters of the Spanish Golden Age of painting.

Another prominent individual with the surname Velazquez was Luis de Velazquez, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century. He played a significant role in the fall of the Aztec Empire and later served as a governor in various regions of New Spain.

In the realm of literature, Juan Velazquez de Velasco was a Spanish poet and writer from the late 16th century, known for his works in both Spanish and Latin. His most notable work, "El Filosofo," explored philosophical themes and was widely acclaimed during his lifetime.

The surname Velazquez has also been associated with various place names throughout Spain, such as Velazquez de la Ribera, a municipality in the province of Salamanca, and Velazquez de la Sierra, a village in the province of Soria.

Historically, the name Velazquez has appeared in various spellings, including Velasquez, Velasco, and Belasco, reflecting the regional variations and linguistic influences that have shaped the surname over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name VELÁZQUEZ

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

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 VELÁZQUEZ 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.

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

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

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