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Vélez is a surname of Spanish origin. Although it has been suggested that it could be derived from Basque, it is, in fact, a patronym from the medieval name Vela, which itself is derived from Vigila (Wigila), a Germanic name used by the Visigoths. In its earliest usage, the surname took the forms of Vigílaz and Vélaz. (Source: [https://en.wikipedia.org/])
This Spanish and Portuguese surname is of pre 5th century German origins. Recorded in the forms of Vela, Velez, Vella, Villareal, and sometimes Villa, the derivation is a short form of the original 'Vigila', a popular baptismal name used by the tribes of the Visigoth. It has been suggested that some name holders at least may themselves have a Roman (Latin) origin, and their surname descends from the word vigilia. This was used as a description for a guard, one who kept 'vigilant'. (Source: [https://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/Velez])
1 Spanish (Vélez): patronymic from the personal name Vela . 2 Spanish (Vélez): habitational name from any of various places in Andalusia called Vélez. 3 Portuguese (Velez, Velêz): unexplained. It may be a habitational name from Vellés in Salamanca. (Source: [https://www.familysearch.org/en/surname?surname=velez])