Vela Family History

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).

Spanish: habitational name from a place called Vela (in Córdoba province) or La Vela (in Murcia) probably named with vela ‘guard’. Italian and Portuguese: habitational name from any of the places called Vela in Italy and Portugal.

Italian and Croatian: nickname or metonymic occupational name for a sailor or for a sailmaker from Italian vela ‘sail’.

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’.