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

Velilla, 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 Velilla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Velilla in America

Velilla is the 47356th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Velilla surname appeared 448 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 Velilla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Velilla 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 Velilla

The surname Velilla originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "vela," which means "candle" or "vigil." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a church or monastery where candles were kept burning.

The earliest known record of the Velilla surname dates back to the 13th century in the region of Aragon, located in northeastern Spain. It is possible that the name is derived from the town of Velilla de Ebro, which is located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the Velilla surname was Pedro Velilla, who was a prominent merchant in the city of Zaragoza in the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Juan Velilla, a Catholic priest and scholar who lived in the 15th century and wrote several theological texts.

In the 16th century, the Velilla surname spread to other parts of Spain, including Castile and Andalusia. During this time, the name was also found in various records, such as baptismal and marriage registers.

One of the most famous individuals with the Velilla surname was Diego Velilla de Velasco, a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Armada during the Anglo-Spanish War in the late 16th century. He was born in 1559 and died in 1620.

Another noteworthy individual was María Velilla, a Spanish nun and mystic who lived in the 17th century. She was known for her religious writings and her work with the poor and sick.

In the 18th century, the Velilla surname was found in various parts of the Spanish colonies in the Americas, including Mexico, Peru, and Colombia. One prominent figure from this time was José Velilla y Santayana, a Spanish-born priest and philosopher who lived in Mexico from 1767 to 1840.

Throughout history, the Velilla surname has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, scholars, military officers, and religious figures. While the name originated in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including Latin America and other Spanish-speaking regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Velilla

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

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

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

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