2000
#525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 57,163
First available Census row
Per 100,000 21.19
Uncommon Last name
Velasquez
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of various places named Velasco or Velázquez.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 89,713 Americans carry the last name Velasquez. That puts it at #405 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 26.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,821 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Velasquez 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Velasquez with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
90K
1 in 3,821
Census rank
#405
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
26.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
78K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 78,234 bearers of the surname Velasquez in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 26.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 405th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Velasquez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Velasquez
The surname Velasquez is of Spanish origin, originating in the 13th century. It is derived from the Spanish words "vela" meaning "candle" and "asco" meaning "disgust", referring to a person who made or sold candles. The name may have also been given as a nickname to someone who disliked candles or had an unpleasant association with them.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Spanish records and manuscripts from the regions of Castile and Andalusia. It is believed that the Velasquez family may have had its roots in the town of Velascáliz, located in the province of Soria, which could be a variation or derivative of the surname.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname was Diego Velasquez (1599-1660), a renowned Spanish painter of the Baroque period who was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV of Spain. His masterpieces include "Las Meninas" and "The Surrender of Breda".
Another notable figure was Blas Velasquez (1750-1819), a Spanish priest and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of Mexican flora. He is credited with discovering and naming several plant species native to Mexico.
In the realm of literature, Luis Velasquez (1922-2014) was a prominent Venezuelan poet and essayist, known for his works that explored themes of identity, social justice, and the human condition.
Mariana Velasquez (1779-1836), a Colombian patriot and revolutionary, played a crucial role in the independence movement of Colombia from Spanish rule. She is remembered for her unwavering commitment to the cause of freedom.
Lastly, Ramón Velasquez (1916-2008), a Mexican painter and muralist, was renowned for his vibrant and expressive murals that depicted the struggles and resilience of the Mexican people.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Velasquez throughout history, contributing to various fields and leaving a lasting impact on their respective societies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Velasquez
Among Census respondents with the surname Velasquez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Velasquez 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 Velasquez surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino91.5% · 71,593
- White5.1% · 3,988
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 1,488
- Black or African American0.6% · 488
- Two or more races0.4% · 341
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 336
Timeline
Historical Census data for Velasquez
Velasquez 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
#398
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 80,364
+23,201 bearers (+40.6%)
Per 100,000 27.24
Rank movement Up 127 places
2020
#405
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 78,234
-2,130 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 26.17
Rank movement Down 7 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #525 | 57,163 | 21.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #398 | 80,364 | 27.24 | +23,201 bearers (+40.6%) | Up 127 places |
| 2020 | #405 | 78,234 | 26.17 | -2,130 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 7 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 Velasquez 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 | #398 | #405 | -1.8% |
| Count | 80,364 | 78,234 | -2.7% |
| Per 100K | 27.24 | 26.17 | -3.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Velasquez bearers went from 80,364 to 78,234 (-2.7% change). The surname moved down 7 positions in the national ranking, going from #398 to #405.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Velasquez
FAQ
Velasquez surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Velasquez?
Name Census estimates that about 89,713 living Americans carry the surname Velasquez. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,821 residents.
How common is Velasquez?
Velasquez ranks #405 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 26.17 per 100,000 residents, which is about 26 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 78,234 people with the surname Velasquez. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (89,713), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 26.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 26.17 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 26 of them to have the surname Velasquez.
Has Velasquez become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Velasquez went from 80,364 recorded bearers to 78,234. That is a decrease of 2,130 (-2.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #398 to #405.
What does the Census say about the background of Velasquez?
Among Census respondents with the surname Velasquez, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 91.5%. The next largest groups are White (5.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Velasquez in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (71,593 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Velasquez appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (91.5%), White (5.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Velasquez (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 Velasquez mean?
A Spanish habitational surname referring to someone from any of various places named Velasco or Velázquez. 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 Velasquez (26.17 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 have the surname Velasquez?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.