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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


Similar surnames: Vass, Biss, Pass, Buss, Wass, Fass, Basa, Bast, Lass, Boss

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Where is the Bass family from?

You can see how Bass families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Bass family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Bass families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 164 Bass families living in Ontario. This was about 60% of all the recorded Bass's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Bass families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Bass 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 Bass ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Income were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Bass. 47% of Bass men worked as a Farmer and 28% of Bass women worked as an Income. Some less common occupations for Americans named Bass were Farmers Son and Book Keeper. .

View Census Data for Bass | 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
    47%
  • Labourer
    12%
  • Laborer
    7%
  • Farmers Son
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Income
    28%
  • Student
    28%
  • Teacher
    28%
  • Book Keeper
    19%
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What Bass family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 262,000 census records available for the last name Bass. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Bass census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Bass

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Bass. 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.

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Draft Cards

There are 51,000 military records available for the last name Bass. For the veterans among your Bass ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Bass lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Bass life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Bass in 1943 was 28, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Bass

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