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Bassett Family History

Bassett Surname Meaning

English (of Norman origin): from Old French basset ‘of low stature’ a diminutive of basse ‘low short’ either a nickname for a short person or a status name for someone of humble origins.

Altered form of French Bessette 1 or Besset (see Bessette).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Bassett family from?

You can see how Bassett families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bassett family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bassett families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 155 Bassett families living in Ontario. This was about 65% of all the recorded Bassett's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Bassett families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bassett surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Bassett ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Operator were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Bassett. 30% of Bassett men worked as a Farmer and 22% of Bassett women worked as an Operator. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bassett were Laborer and Teacher.

View Census Data for Bassett | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    30%
  • Labourer
    12%
  • Carpenter
    10%
  • Laborer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Operator
    22%
  • Housekeeper
    16%
  • Saleslady
    16%
  • Teacher
    16%

What Bassett family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 213,000 census records available for the last name Bassett. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bassett census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Bassett

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Bassett. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Bassett immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 30,000 military records available for the last name Bassett. For the veterans among your Bassett ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Bassett military records

You've only scratched the surface of Bassett family history

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What is the average Bassett lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Bassett life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Bassett in 1941 was 60, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bassett

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Bassett ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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