UK surname
An ornamental surname derived from the Old French word "baisselle" meaning "trellis."
In the 1881 census there were 25 people recorded with the Bassell surname, ranking it #30,077 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7, ranked #37,967, down from #30,077 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bassell is 198 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 72.0%.
1881 census count
25
Ranked #30,077
Modern count
7
2016, ranked #37,967
Peak year
1861
198 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Bassell surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Bassell surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 89 | #18,446 |
| 1861 | historical | 198 | #12,114 |
| 1881 | historical | 25 | #30,077 |
| 1891 | historical | 143 | #18,920 |
| 1901 | historical | 30 | #30,724 |
| 1911 | historical | 44 | #28,454 |
| 1997 | modern | 7 | #37,533 |
| 1998 | modern | 9 | #37,189 |
| 1999 | modern | 9 | #37,217 |
| 2000 | modern | 6 | #37,624 |
| 2001 | modern | 6 | #37,456 |
| 2002 | modern | 5 | #37,723 |
| 2003 | modern | 5 | #37,750 |
| 2004 | modern | 6 | #37,655 |
| 2005 | modern | 5 | #37,885 |
| 2006 | modern | 4 | #38,130 |
| 2007 | modern | 4 | #38,169 |
| 2008 | modern | 4 | #38,216 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 6 | #38,024 |
| 2011 | modern | 7 | #37,865 |
| 2012 | modern | 7 | #37,854 |
| 2013 | modern | 7 | #37,909 |
| 2014 | modern | 7 | #37,929 |
| 2015 | modern | 7 | #37,920 |
| 2016 | modern | 7 | #37,967 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth, St John Hackney and Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 4 | St John Hackney | London (North Districts) |
| 5 | Croydon, Battersea (Penge), Sanderstead | Surrey |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Bassell surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bassell, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Bassell surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Bassell household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Bassell is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bassell is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Bassell, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Bassell has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon cultures of Britain. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "bæcc" and "heal," which together roughly translate to "ridge of land." This likely indicates that the earliest bearers of this surname lived near or on a prominent ridge or hill.
The earliest known record of the Bassell surname dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Baccheale." This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in certain regions of England by the late 11th century.
During the Middle Ages, variations of the spelling included Bachell, Bachele, and Bachelder. These alternative forms were common due to the inconsistent spelling conventions of the time. The modern spelling of "Bassell" became more standardized by the 17th century.
One notable early bearer of the name was Sir John Bassell, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Worcestershire, England, in the 13th century. Records indicate that he was born around 1220 and died in 1292.
Another historical figure was Thomas Bassell, a successful merchant and alderman in the city of London during the late 15th century. He was born in 1447 and passed away in 1511.
In the 16th century, a branch of the Bassell family settled in the village of Ridge, located in the county of Hertfordshire. This may have been a reference to the name's original meaning, as the village is situated atop a prominent ridge.
In the realm of literature, one of the earliest known references to the surname appears in Geoffrey Chaucer's famous work, "The Canterbury Tales," written in the late 14th century. One of the characters is referred to as "Bassell the Reeve."
Another noteworthy individual was Sir Edward Bassell, a prominent English military officer who served during the English Civil War in the 17th century. He was born in 1615 and died in battle in 1649.
Throughout its history, the Bassell surname has been associated with various locations in England, including Worcestershire, Hertfordshire, and London, reflecting the name's widespread distribution across different regions of the country.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bassell surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 11 Bassells recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.51x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 11 | 4.51x |
| Surrey | 6 | 5.05x |
| Somerset | 3 | 7.65x |
| Cheshire | 2 | 3.72x |
| Sussex | 1 | 2.43x |
| Warwickshire | 1 | 1.63x |
| Worcestershire | 1 | 3.14x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bedminster in Somerset leads with 3 Bassells recorded in 1881 and an index of 81.30x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Bedminster | 3 | 81.30x |
| Islington London | 3 | 12.70x |
| Poulton Cum Seacombe | 2 | 322.58x |
| Shoreditch London | 2 | 18.94x |
| Southwark St George Martyr | 2 | 40.82x |
| Southwark St Saviour | 2 | 160.00x |
| St Andrew Holborn London | 2 | 190.48x |
| Brighton | 1 | 12.06x |
| Croydon | 1 | 15.17x |
| Great Malvern | 1 | 151.52x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 7.32x |
| Hampstead London | 1 | 26.39x |
| Rotherhithe | 1 | 33.22x |
| St George Bloomsbury | 1 | 71.43x |
| Whitechapel London | 1 | 41.67x |
| Wolvey | 1 | 1428.57x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bassell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bassell surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bassell households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 2 |
| Charwoman | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Cook (D) | 1 |
| Cordwainer Journeyman | 1 |
| Farm Servant (Indoor) | 1 |
| Farrier | 1 |
| Fur Sewer | 1 |
| Genl Porter | 1 |
| Housemaid Dom | 1 |
| Ivory Turner | 1 |
| Laborer | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Ladies Outfitter Assistant (Mill) | 1 |
| Master Mariner | 1 |
| Nursemaid | 1 |
| Sanitary Engineer (Civil) | 1 |
| Stoker In Gas Works | 1 |
| Undertaker | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 25 people were recorded with the Bassell surname. That placed it at #30,077 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 7 in 2016. That gives Bassell a modern rank of #37,967.
An ornamental surname derived from the Old French word "baisselle" meaning "trellis."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bassell bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.