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

Velásquez, 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 Velásquez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Velásquez in America

Velásquez is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Velásquez surname appeared 101 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 Velásquez.

The history of the last name Velásquez

The surname Velesquez is of Spanish origin, originating from the region of Castile, Spain in the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "veleño," meaning a person from the town of Veles. This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive surname given to someone who hailed from or resided in the town of Veles.

Early records show variations in the spelling of the name, with "Velesque" and "Velesquiz" being among the earliest known forms. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 1492 census of the town of Seville, where a certain Juan Velesquez is listed as a resident.

In the 16th century, the name gained prominence with the exploits of Diego Velesquez, a Spanish conquistador who led the conquest of Cuba and became the island's first governor. Born in 1465 in Cuéllar, Spain, Diego Velesquez played a pivotal role in the Spanish colonization of the Americas and was instrumental in the establishment of the city of Havana.

Another notable bearer of the name was Juan Velesquez de León, a Spanish explorer and governor of Puerto Rico in the late 16th century. Born in Seville in 1550, he led several expeditions to Florida and the Bahamas, and his legacy includes the founding of several settlements in the region.

In the realm of art, Francisco Velesquez was a renowned Spanish painter who lived in the 17th century. Born in Seville in 1599, he was a master of the Baroque style and is best known for his religious and mythological paintings, many of which can be found in churches and museums throughout Spain.

Moving into the 18th century, José Velesquez was a Spanish military officer who played a significant role in the Napoleonic Wars. Born in Cádiz in 1775, he rose through the ranks to become a general in the Spanish army and fought against the French forces during the Peninsular War.

Finally, in the 19th century, Miguel Velesquez was a celebrated Spanish novelist and poet. Born in Madrid in 1830, he was a prominent figure in the Romantic literary movement and is remembered for his vivid descriptions of Spanish culture and society in his works.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Velásquez

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

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

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

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