Explore the Family Name Vela
The meaning of Vela
1. Spanish: possibly from a pre-Roman personal name, Vela (compare Basque bela, vela ‘raven’). More likely perhaps, it may be a byname from vela meaning either ‘sail’ or ‘watchman’ (compare 4 below). 2. Spanish: habitational name from a place called Vela (in Córdoba province) or La Vela (in Murcia), probably named with vela ‘guard’. 3. Italian and Portuguese: habitational name from any of the places called Vela in Italy and Portugal. 4. Italian and Croatian: nickname or metonymic occupational name for a sailor or for a sailmaker, from Italian vela ‘sail’. 5. Czech: from a pet form of either of two Slavic personal names, Velislav or Velimir, based on the element vel (from Old Slavic velьjь) ‘big, great’, also ‘significant’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Juan, Carlos, Raul, Manuel, Ricardo, Roberto, Ruben, Jesus, Luis, Guadalupe, Ramon.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Vela in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Vela increased in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Vela was ranked 1,603rd most common surname, but by 2010 it had risen to the 1,396th position, marking a 12.91% climb. Furthermore, the count of individuals bearing the Vela surname also saw a significant surge. There were 20,569 individuals with this surname in 2000 which grew to 25,414 by 2010, a substantial boost of 23.55%. This increase is reflected in the proportion per 100k people, which went up from 7.62 in 2000 to 8.62 in 2010 — an increase of 13.12%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,603 | #1,396 | 12.91% |
| Count | 20,569 | 25,414 | 23.55% |
| Proportion per 100k | 7.62 | 8.62 | 13.12% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Vela
The Decennial U.S. Census data also reveals some interesting shifts in ethnic identity associated with the surname Vela. The largest ethnicity group remained Hispanic, accounting for over 91% of the individuals both in 2000 and 2010, despite a slight decrease of 0.08%. The percentage of individuals identifying as White saw a small increase, going from 7.45% to 7.62%, while those associating with Asian/Pacific Islander and Black ethnicities also saw rises of 16.33% and 12.00% respectively. However, the percentages of individuals identifying with two or more races and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups experienced drops of 40.48% and 17.39% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 91.16% | 91.09% | -0.08% |
| White | 7.45% | 7.62% | 2.28% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.49% | 0.57% | 16.33% |
| Black | 0.25% | 0.28% | 12% |
| Two or More Races | 0.42% | 0.25% | -40.48% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.23% | 0.19% | -17.39% |
Vela ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Vela is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 38.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Indigenous American (29.2%) and British & Irish (11.6%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Italian, Eastern European, Greek & Balkan, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 38.1% |
| Indigenous American | 29.2% |
| British & Irish | 11.6% |
| Other | 21.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Vela
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Vela have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Aguascalientes, Mexico | 73.50% |
| Mexico City, Mexico | 73.50% |
| Zacatecas, Mexico | 73.50% |
| Veracruz, Mexico | 73.50% |
| Tamaulipas, Mexico | 73.50% |
What Vela haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Vela is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include J-CTS5368 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Trevino, Prieto, Baca, Ochoa, Armstrong, Valenzuela, Ryan, Padilla, Nunes, Rubio.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Vela surname are: A2, H, B2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans
Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.
What do people with the surname Vela have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Vela" Surname 35.0%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Vela" Surname 25.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Vela" Surname 21.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Vela" Surname 15.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Vela?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Vela are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition