Velčić last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Velčić

A surname of Croatian origin possibly derived from the word "velik" meaning "great" or "large".

Velčić, 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 Velčić surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Velčić in America

Velčić is the 148244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Velčić surname appeared 102 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Velčić.

The history of the last name Velčić

The surname Velcich is believed to have its origins in the regions surrounding the Adriatic Sea, specifically in the areas that comprise modern-day Croatia and Italy. The name is predominantly traced back to the coastal Dalmatian region, known historically for its rugged landscapes, seafaring culture, and complex histories of various empires. The surname likely emerged in the late Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century, when the naming conventions started to crystallize.

The etymology of Velcich is not entirely clear. It is speculated to be derived from local Slavic or Latin roots, reflecting the diverse cultural influences in Dalmatia. One possibility is that it originates from the Slavic root "velik," meaning "great" or "large." The suffix "-ich" is a common Slavic patronymic form, indicating "son of," which was often used to denote lineage or ancestry. Thus, Velcich could originally have meant "son of the great one" or something similar.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Velcich are found in the meticulously kept Venetian records from the Republic of Venice, which controlled parts of Dalmatia from the 13th to the 18th centuries. These archives include maritime logs, property documents, and census lists where the surname Velcich occasionally appears, indicating involvement in trade, navigation, or local governance.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Velcich is Marco Velcich, mentioned in a Venetian document dated 1423 as a ship captain engaged in trade between Dalmatia and Venice. Another notable person is Ivan Velcich, who appears in a land transaction record from Split in 1567, indicating a degree of wealth and property ownership.

In the 17th century, Antonio Velcich emerged as a minor noble and local leader in the town of Trogir. Born in 1602 and dying in 1671, his contributions to local governance and support of the Venetian administration are recorded in municipal annals, reflecting the family’s integration into the political fabric of the region.

By the 19th century, notable figures with the surname included Francesco Velcich, a Dalmatian writer and historian born in 1824 and died in 1885. He is known for his works documenting local folklore and history, contributing significantly to the cultural heritage of Dalmatia.

Another prominent figure is Dr. Katarina Velcich, an early 20th-century physician born in 1889 and died in 1947, known for her medical practice in Rijeka. She was one of the few women in the region to earn a medical degree at the time, reflecting social changes and the progress of women's education.

Throughout history, the surname Velcich has been associated with various roles, from maritime activities and land ownership to contributions in literature and medicine, reflecting a rich heritage rooted in the Dalmatian coast's historical and cultural tapestry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Velčić

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Velčić was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 98.04% 100
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 0.00% 0

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

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Velčić last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 2, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/velcich-surname-popularity/.

"Velčić last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/velcich-surname-popularity/. Accessed 2 August, 2025

Velčić last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/velcich-surname-popularity/.

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