Basse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Basse was most likely taken on by someone who was a person of small stature having derived from the Old English word bas, meaning short. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the French word bas which has the same meaning. 1
Early Origins of the Basse family
The surname Basse was first found in Leicestershire where "Bass is a Leicestershire name. Basse occurred in Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire in the 13th century. Edward Bashe held the manor of Botelers in Prittlewell parish, Essex, in the reign of Elizabeth." 2
Further north in Scotland, ancient records there found the name in Aberbuthenoth where "Andrew de Bas who was one of the jurors in a dispute regarding the Kirketun of Aberbuthenoth" in 1206. Apparently, he derived his name from Bass in Aberdeenshire. 3 Bass Isle is found in the parish of North Berwick, county of Haddington. 4
Early History of the Basse family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Basse research. Another 37 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1583, 1653, 1698, 1699 and 1725 are included under the topic Early Basse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Basse Spelling Variations
Huguenot surnames were only slightly Anglicized, and they remain to this day a distinct group of surnames in England. Nevertheless, Huguenot surnames have been subject to numerous spelling alterations since the names emerged in France. French surnames have a variety of spelling variations because the French language has changed drastically over the centuries. French was developed from the vernacular Latin of the Roman Empire. It is divided into three historic and linguistic periods: Old French, which developed before the 14th century; Middle French, which was used between the 14th and 16th centuries; and Modern French, which was used after the 16th century and continues to be in use today. In all of these periods, the French language was heavily influenced by other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when the barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heaviliy from the Italian language during the Renaissance. Huguenot names have numerous variations. The name may be spelled Bass, Bassin, Bassen and others.
Early Notables of the Basse family
Notable in the family at this time was
- William Basse (c.1583-1653), an English poet from Thame, Oxfordshire, a follower of Edmund Spenser and it best known for his eulogy he wrote about Shakespeare. 5
- Jeremiah Basse (died 1725), was 5th Governor of East & West New Jersey (1698-1699.)
Basse Ranking
In France, the name Basse is the 7,358th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 6
Basse migration to the United States +
Early records show that people bearing the name Basse arrived in North America quite early:
Basse Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Natt Basse, aged 40, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 7
- Capt. Nathaniell Basse, aged 35, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 aboard the ship "Furtherance" 7
- Samwell Basse, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 7
- William Basse, who landed in Virginia in 1623 7
- Nathaniel Basse, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 7
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Basse Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Alexander Basse, who arrived in Virginia in 1725 7
- Hannah Basse, who arrived in Virginia in 1725 7
Basse Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Ludwig Lewis Basse, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1844
- Pastor Hein. Basse, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "York"
- Mrs. Fredericke Charl. Basse, (nee Qunitel), German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "York"
- Miss Bertha Basse, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "York"
- Miss Emma Basse, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "York"
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Basse migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Basse Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- W. Basse, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Abberton" in 1849 8
Contemporary Notables of the name Basse (post 1700) +
- Baron Dettmar Basse (1762-1836), French diplomat during the Napoleonic wars, he emigrated to Pennsylvania where he purchased 10,000 acres in preparations of a town to be named after his daughter Zelienople
- Maurits Basse (1868-1944), Belgian writer and teacher
- Fred Basse, former Adelaide Zoo Council President
Citations +
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The ABBERTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Abberton.htm