Show ContentsVelasco History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In Spain, the earliest forms of hereditary surnames were patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. The patronymic Velasco is such a name, having been derived from the medieval given name Velasco. This name was in turn derived from the Basque word "bela," which means "crow," and the diminutive suffix sko.

Early Origins of the Velasco family

The surname Velasco was first found in Castile, where the name originated in Visigothic times.

Early History of the Velasco family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Velasco research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1110, 1607 and 1661 are included under the topic Early Velasco History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Velasco Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Blas, Blasco, Blásquez, Blasquez, Velázquez, Velazquez, Vásquez, Vasquez, Vázquez, Vazquez, Velasco, Vélez, Velez, Velasquez and many more.

Early Notables of the Velasco family

Prominent among members of the family

  • José Miguel Velasco, nineteenth century President of Colombia. Michele Blasco (1607-1661) was an Italian painter and architect, active in his native Sicily. He was born in Sciacca to family originally...

Velasco Ranking

In the United States, the name Velasco is the 2,164th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. [1] However, in France, the name Velasco is ranked the 8,138th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. [2]


United States Velasco migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Velasco Settlers in United States in the 16th Century
  • Bartolomé Velasco, who immigrated to Peru in 1561
  • Antonio Velasco, to Hispaniola in 1563
  • Francisco Velasco, to New Granada in 1565
  • Toribio Velasco, to Cartagena in 1565
  • Diego Velasco, to New Spain in 1565
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Velasco Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Melchor Velasco, who landed in America in 1812 [3]
  • Bernal Velasco, who landed in America in 1812 [3]
  • Pedro Velasco, who landed in America in 1817 [3]
  • Miguel De Velasco, who arrived in America in 1828 [3]
  • Juan De Velasco, who arrived in America in 1828 [3]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Velasco (post 1700) +

  • Pedro "Pete" Velasco Jr. (1937-2023), American gold and silver medalist volleyball player who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics and in the 1968 Summer Olympics
  • Oscar A. Velasco, American Republican politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from California 37th District, 2002; Candidate for Mayor of Carson, California, 2004 [4]
  • Manuela Velasco (b. 1975), Spanish film actress
  • Luis Antonio Belisario Velasco Baraona (1936-2023), Chilean politician and lawyer, Minister of the Interior (2006–2010)
  • Roel Velasco (b. 1972), retired Filipino boxer
  • Presbitero Velasco Jr. (b. 1948), incumbent Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
  • Miguel Alemán Velasco (b. 1932), Mexican politician, businessman and philanthropist
  • María Elena Velasco (b. 1940), Mexican actress and film director
  • Mansueto Velasco (b. 1974), Filipino Olympic silver medalist in boxing
  • José María Velasco Gómez (1840-1912), Mexican painter
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

St. Francis Dam
  • Mr. Librado Velasco, Mexican born American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 24) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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