Velasquez
A Spanish surname from Velasco, ultimately tied to an old Basque personal name meaning “crow.”
The #398 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 3,842 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Velasquez is a Spanish surname formed as a patronymic or family-name variant of Velasco, with the ending -ez marking descent or affiliation in Spanish naming. The older name Velasco is generally taken to come from a Basque personal name, often explained from elements linked with 'crow' or a related bird-name. In short, the surname points back to an ancestral given name rather than to a place or occupation.
History
The name is long established in Spain and became especially prominent through noble and historical families, including the well-known painter Diego Velázquez. The spelling without the accent, Velasquez, is common in the Hispanic world and especially in the Americas, where it often reflects simplified orthography in records. The surname also appears in many variant forms in older sources, showing that its spelling was not fully standardized for centuries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The famous 17th-century painter Diego Velázquez helped make this surname one of the best-known Spanish names in art history.
From the historical record
“monarch" retired. At the general election of 1852 Mr. Stir- ling was elected M.P. for the county of Perth, and in 1855 published the Life of Velasquez, the famous Spanish painter. In October 1857, he was appointed one of a commission to inquire into the expediency of uniting the two universities of Aberdeen. In…”
— The Scottish Nation, vol. 3