Velasco
Coat of arms | |
| Language | Basque, Spanish |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Meaning | patronymic of Vela |
| Region of origin | Basque Country, Spain |
| Other names | |
| Variant forms | Vasco, Vasquez, Velásquez |
Velasco (also Belasco or Belasko) is a Basque family name. According to the academy of Basque language, it is derived from the Visigothic name 'Vela' (Vigila) and the Basque suffix –sco.[1] The name also made its way into Portuguese as Vasco.
Notable people with the surname include:
- The Castilian noble house of Velasco, rulers of the Dukedom of Frías
- Velasco Sánchez (fl. 1153–1181), Iberian nobleman who held various political and military offices
- Alberto Contador Velasco (born 1982), Spanish professional road bicycle racer
- Álvaro Velasco (golfer) (born 1981), Spanish professional golfer
- Álvaro Velasco (weightlifter) (born 1971), Colombian weightlifter
- Ana de Velasco y Girón (1585–1607), mother of John IV of Portugal
- Andrés Velasco (born 1961), Chilean economist and former Finance Minister
- Camile Velasco (born 1985), Filipino–American singer
- Concha Velasco (1939–2023), Spanish actress
- Cris Velasco (born 1980), American film and video game composer
- Diablo Velasco (1919–1999), Mexican trainer of professional wrestlers
- Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco (1510–1564), sixth viceroy of Peru
- Domingo Antonio Velasco, 18th–century Italian painter
- Eleanor Thornton (Eleanor Velasco Thornton; 1880–1915), model for the Rolls–Royce hood ornament, Spirit of Ecstasy
- Epimaco Velasco (1935–2014), Filipino politician
- Félix Díaz Velasco (1868–1945), Mexican politician and general
- Gabriela Velasco (1941–2019), Chilean actress and television presenter
- Gaspar de Borja y Velasco (1580–1645), Spanish Cardinal, metropolitan of Toledo
- Iván Velasco (born 1980), Spanish road bicycle racer
- J. Xavier Velasco, Mexican filmmaker, writer and director of the 2025 film Crocodiles
- Jaime Castillo Velasco (1914–2003), Chilean politician
- José Manso de Velasco, 1st Count of Superunda (1688–1767), Governor of Chile and Viceroy of Peru
- José María Velasco Gómez (1840–1912), Mexican painter
- José María Velasco Ibarra (1893–1979), Ecuadorian president, five times elected by popular vote
- José María Cervantes y Velasco (c. 1785 – 1856), Mexican army officer
- José Miguel de Velasco (1795–1859), Bolivian president
- Jose R. Velasco (1916–2007), Filipino plant physiologist and agricultural chemist
- Juan Pablo Velasco, Bolivian businessman
- Juan Velasco Alvarado (1910–1977), Peruvian general, ruler of Peru 1968–1975
- Juan Velasco (footballer) (Juan Velasco Damas, born 1977), Spanish footballer
- Juan de Velasco (1727–1796), Jesuit priest
- Juan Zambudio Velasco (1921–2004), Spanish football goalkeeper
- Julio Velasco (born 1952), Argentine volleyball coach
- Luís de Velasco (1511–1564), Spanish nobleman, Viceroy of New Spain
- Luis de Velasco, 1st Marquess of Salinas del Río Pisuerga (c. 1534 – 1617), Spanish nobleman, Viceroy of New Spain and of Peru
- Luis de Velasco y Velasco, 2nd Count of Salazar (1559–1625), Spanish nobleman, commander in the Eighty Years' War
- Luis Vicente de Velasco (1711–1762), commander in the Royal Spanish Navy
- Manuel de Velasco y Tejada, Spanish admiral at the Battle of Vigo Bay (1702)
- Manuela Velasco (born 1975), Spanish film actress
- María Elena Velasco (1940–2015), Mexican actress and film director
- Miguel Alemán Velasco (born 1932), Mexican politician, businessman and philanthropist
- Omar Apolonio Velasco (born 1997), American singer-songwriter who performs as Omar Apollo
- Onyok Velasco (Mansueto Velasco Jr., born 1974), Filipino Olympic silver medalist in boxing
- Pedro Donoso Velasco (1944–2001), Chilean chess master
- Presbitero Velasco Jr. (born 1948), incumbent Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
- Roel Velasco (born 1972), retired Filipino boxer
- Tomás de Torrejón y Velasco (1644-1728), Spanish composer based in Peru
- Verónica Ruiz de Velasco (born 1968), Mexican painter
- Vicente Manuel de Céspedes y Velasco (died 1794), Spanish governor of Santiago de Cuba and of West Florida
- Brandon Velasco lll (died 2003),