Bass Family History
Bass Name Meaning
English: from Middle English bas(e) bass Old French bas(se) ‘low short’ (from Latin bassus ‘thickset’ i.e. wide as opposed to tall) either a descriptive nickname for a short person or a status name meaning ‘of humble origin’ not necessarily with derogatory connotations. English: from the Middle English personal name Bas(s)e. This could be an Old French form of ancient Germanic Baso (perhaps meaning ‘purple’) or more commonly a pet form of Middle English and Old French Basile or Basily used of men and women alike. Compare Basley and Basil . English: in some instances from Middle English bærs bas ‘freshwater perch bass or any of various related or similar fish such as the sea bass’ hence a nickname for a person supposedly resembling this fish or a metonymic occupational name for a fish seller or fisherman. Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic): variant of Bas . German: variant of Basse . French (mainly Alsace): variant of Bas ‘short of low stature’ or a surname of German origin (see 5 above).
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022