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
• 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 (1880–1915), (Eleanor Velasco Thornton), 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, Spanish road bicycle racer
• 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 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
• 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
• Velasco Sánchez (fl. 1153–1181), Iberian nobleman who held various political and military offices