2000
#36,917
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 570
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.21
Very Rare Last name
Velo
A surname likely derived from the Italian word "velo" meaning veil or sail.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 838 Americans carry the last name Velo. That puts it at #33,538 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 409,015 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Velo surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
838
1 in 409,015
Census rank
#33,538
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
731
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 731 bearers of the surname Velo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 33538th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Velo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 60.3%. The next largest groups are White (33.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Velo
The surname Velo traces its origins to Italy, with the earliest records dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "velo," meaning "veil" or "sail," suggesting that the name may have been associated with professions or trades related to textiles or maritime activities.
One of the earliest known references to the surname Velo can be found in the historical records of the Republic of Venice, where a merchant named Giovanni Velo was documented in 1487. This record provides insight into the possible roots of the name in the thriving maritime and trade centers of Italy during the Renaissance period.
In the 16th century, the Velo family gained prominence in the city of Padua, where they were known for their involvement in the textile industry. Records from this time indicate that a branch of the family, led by Matteo Velo, established a successful weaving business, contributing to the region's renowned textile production.
As the surname spread across Italy, variations in spelling emerged, including Vello, Velli, and Vela. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings in the past, often influenced by regional dialects and scribal preferences.
Notable individuals bearing the surname Velo throughout history include:
1. Pietro Velo (1499-1572), a renowned Venetian architect who designed several notable buildings in Venice, including the Church of San Giorgio dei Greci.
2. Girolamo Velo (1558-1630), an Italian painter and engraver from Padua, known for his religious artwork and portraiture.
3. Giulia Velo (1648-1722), a celebrated Italian operatic soprano who performed in many of the major opera houses of Europe during the Baroque era.
4. Carlo Velo (1784-1859), an Italian mathematician and engineer who made significant contributions to the field of hydraulics and the design of water distribution systems.
5. Antonio Velo (1892-1967), an Italian sculptor and artist known for his monumental public works and sculptures adorning several churches and public buildings in Rome and Milan.
While the surname Velo has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to various parts of the world, carried by Italian immigrants and their descendants. However, the detailed history and earliest recorded instances of this surname remain firmly rooted in the Italian peninsula, reflecting the rich cultural and professional traditions associated with this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Velo
Among Census respondents with the surname Velo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 60.3%. The next largest groups are White (33.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Velo bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Velo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino60.3% · 441
- White33.1% · 242
- Asian and Pacific Islander5.5% · 40
- Black or African American0.4% · 3
- Two or more races0.4% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Velo
Velo appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#32,676
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 703
+133 bearers (+23.3%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Up 4,241 places
2020
#33,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 731
+28 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Down 862 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #36,917 | 570 | 0.21 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #32,676 | 703 | 0.24 | +133 bearers (+23.3%) | Up 4,241 places |
| 2020 | #33,538 | 731 | 0.24 | +28 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 862 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Velo surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #32,676 | #33,538 | -2.6% |
| Count | 703 | 731 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.24 | 0.24 | 1.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Velo bearers went from 703 to 731 (+4.0% change). The surname moved down 862 positions in the national ranking, going from #32,676 to #33,538.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Velo
FAQ
Velo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Velo?
Name Census estimates that about 838 living Americans carry the surname Velo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 409,015 residents.
How common is Velo?
Velo ranks #33,538 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.24 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 731 people with the surname Velo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (838), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.24 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Velo.
Has Velo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Velo went from 703 recorded bearers to 731. That is an increase of 28 (+4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #32,676 to #33,538.
What does the Census say about the background of Velo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Velo, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 60.3%. The next largest groups are White (33.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (5.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Velo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.3% (441 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Velo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (60.3%), White (33.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (5.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Velo (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Velo mean?
A surname likely derived from the Italian word "velo" meaning veil or sail. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Velo (0.24 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Velo?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.