Explore the Family Name Basset

The meaning of Basset

1. French: from a diminutive of Old French bas(se) ‘short, of low stature’ (see Bas). 2. English: variant of Bassett, a cognate of 1 above. 3. In some cases also an altered form of French Besset (see Bessette 2). Compare Bassette 1.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Basset in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Basset has seen an increase from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked at 66,073 with approximately 280 people carrying this last name, translating to a proportion of 0.1 per 100,000. A decade later, in 2010, the rank rose to 60,045 with an increased count of 336 individuals, increasing the proportion per 100,000 to 0.11. This reflects a positive change of 9.12% in rank and a 20% spike in count over the ten-year period.

	2000	2010	Change
Rank	#66,073	#60,045	9.12%
Count	280	336	20%
Proportion per 100k	0.1	0.11	10%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Basset

Concerning ethnic identity, the Basset surname is majorly associated with the White ethnicity according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, around 82.14% identified as White, however, by 2010, this percentage slightly declined to 76.19%. Additionally, there was a notable increase within the Black community, where the percentage rose from 11.79% in 2000 to 17.86% in 2010. The Hispanic community saw a slight drop from 2.86% to 2.38% over the same period. Despite the lack of representation in 2000, by 2010, some individuals who identify with two or more races also carried the Basset surname. There was no representation from the Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native communities in either year.

	2000	2010	Change
White	82.14%	76.19%	-7.24%
Black	11.79%	17.86%	51.48%
Two or More Races	0%	3.27%	0%
Hispanic	2.86%	2.38%	-16.78%
Asian/Pacific Islander	0%	0%	0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native	0%	0%	0%