NameCensus.

UK surname

Bassil

A surname derived from the Greek word "basil" meaning "king" or "royalty."

In the 1881 census there were 100 people recorded with the Bassil surname, ranking it #19,750 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 150, ranked #23,724, down from #19,750 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Cheshunt St Mary, London parishes and Watford. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dacorum, Poole and Basingstoke and Deane.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bassil is 150 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 50.0%.

1881 census count

100

Ranked #19,750

Modern count

150

2016, ranked #23,724

Peak year

2014

150 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bassil had 100 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,750 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016, ranked #23,724.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 129 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Bassil surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bassil surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bassil surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bassil over time

The 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 53 #23,739
1861 historical 48 #27,896
1881 historical 100 #19,750
1891 historical 72 #27,804
1901 historical 106 #22,076
1911 historical 129 #19,577
1997 modern 119 #24,302
1998 modern 127 #23,940
1999 modern 125 #24,366
2000 modern 125 #24,351
2001 modern 130 #23,457
2002 modern 141 #22,794
2003 modern 139 #22,734
2004 modern 135 #23,326
2005 modern 125 #24,398
2006 modern 125 #24,611
2007 modern 126 #24,860
2008 modern 132 #24,476
2009 modern 136 #24,485
2010 modern 147 #23,809
2011 modern 148 #23,520
2012 modern 139 #24,485
2013 modern 144 #24,323
2014 modern 150 #23,864
2015 modern 146 #24,148
2016 modern 150 #23,724

Geography

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Where Bassils are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Cheshunt St Mary, London parishes, Watford, St John Hackney and St Luke. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dacorum, Poole, Basingstoke and Deane and Watford. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Cheshunt St Mary Middlesex (Exclusive Of London Districts)
2 London parishes London 1
3 Watford Hertfordshire
4 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
5 St Luke London (Central Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dacorum 012 Dacorum
2 Poole 009 Poole
3 Dacorum 006 Dacorum
4 Basingstoke and Deane 005 Basingstoke and Deane
5 Watford 001 Watford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bassil

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bassil surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bassil

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bassil, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Bassil surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Bassil household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

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Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bassil is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bassil is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bassil falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bassil is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bassil, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bassil

The surname Bassil has its origins in the Middle East and is an Arabic name derived from the word 'Basil', which means 'brave' or 'courageous'. This name is believed to have originated in Lebanon and Syria during the medieval period, around the 11th or 12th century.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Bassil can be traced back to historical records from the region, such as manuscripts and chronicles from the Crusades era. It is possible that the name was adopted by individuals who demonstrated bravery or valor during these conflicts.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name Bassil was Rashid al-Din Bassil, a Syrian scholar and historian who lived in the 13th century. He is renowned for his work 'Precious Pearls', a comprehensive history of the Mongol Empire.

Another notable figure with the surname Bassil was Ibrahim Bassil, a Lebanese politician and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants. He was born in 1970 and has played a significant role in Lebanon's political landscape in recent decades.

In the 16th century, there are records of a prominent family named Bassil residing in the town of Byblos, located in modern-day Lebanon. They were influential landowners and merchants during the Ottoman period.

The surname Bassil is also found in historical documents from the Maronite Christian community in Lebanon, suggesting that it may have been adopted by families of that faith.

During the 19th century, there are records of individuals with the surname Bassil emigrating from the Middle East to other parts of the world, such as North and South America, and Australia. This migration contributed to the spread of the name across various continents.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bassil include Salim Bassil, a Lebanese politician and current leader of the Free Patriotic Movement, and Michel Bassil, a former Minister of Telecommunications in Lebanon.

Overall, the surname Bassil has a rich history rooted in the Middle East, with its origins dating back to the medieval period. Its meaning and associations with bravery and courage have endured throughout the centuries, making it a name with a strong cultural significance in the region.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bassil families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bassil surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Hertfordshire leads with 46 Bassils recorded in 1881 and an index of 67.75x.

County Total Index
Hertfordshire 46 67.75x
Middlesex 35 3.55x
Bedfordshire 8 15.68x
Lanarkshire 3 0.94x
Warwickshire 3 1.21x
Essex 2 1.03x
Somerset 2 1.26x
Aberdeenshire 1 1.10x
Royal Navy 1 8.52x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Harpenden in Hertfordshire leads with 19 Bassils recorded in 1881 and an index of 1826.92x.

Place Total Index
Harpenden 19 1826.92x
St Luke London 14 88.61x
St Albans 9 647.48x
Hackney London 7 12.67x
Bushey 6 370.37x
Enfield 6 92.88x
Hampstead London 6 39.11x
Berkhampstead 5 326.80x
Studham 4 1428.57x
Glasgow 3 5.30x
Hemel Hempstead 3 98.04x
Luton 3 33.98x
Rugby 3 89.29x
Abbots Langley 2 198.02x
Saffron Walden 2 97.56x
Watford 2 38.02x
Bathwick 1 57.14x
Houghton Regis 1 123.46x
Islington London 1 1.05x
Pitsligo 1 114.94x
Royal Navy 1 9.97x
St Sepulchre London 1 69.44x
Weston Zoyland 1 434.78x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bassil surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Ellen 5
Emma 4
Annie 3
Elizabeth 3
Mary 3
Sarah 3
Susannah 3
Charlotte 2
Ann 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Gertrude 1
Hannah 1
Harreit 1
Harriett 1
Hellen 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Maria 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Minnie 1
Nelley 1
Olive 1
Rose 1
Susan 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bassil surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 9
George 8
Frederick 5
Edward 3
Robert 3
Arthur 2
John 2
Jonathan 2
Samuel 2
Thomas 2
Charles 1
G.W. 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Hugh 1
James 1
Witley 1

FAQ

Bassil surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bassil surname in 1881?

In 1881, 100 people were recorded with the Bassil surname. That placed it at #19,750 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bassil surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 150 in 2016. That gives Bassil a modern rank of #23,724.

What does the Bassil surname mean?

A surname derived from the Greek word "basil" meaning "king" or "royalty."

What does the Bassil map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bassil bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.