Basinger
An occupational surname referring to a person who made basins, bowls, or other vessels.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,833 Americans carry the last name Basinger. That puts it at #7,932 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.41 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 70,920 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Basinger surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
4.8K
1 in 70,920
Census rank
#7,932
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,171 bearers of the surname Basinger in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.41 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7932nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Basinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Basinger
The surname Basinger is of German origin, traced back to the 14th century. It is derived from the German word "Bach," meaning "stream," and the suffix "-ingen," suggesting it was originally a place name. The name likely referred to people who lived near a stream or brook.
Basinger is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, Germany, where variations like Bachinger and Bachenger were common in medieval records. One of the earliest known references to the name is in the 1390 tax records of the town of Ingolstadt, which mention a Johannes Bachinger.
In the 15th century, the name appeared in various forms in documents across southern Germany, such as the 1427 court records of Nuremberg, which listed a Hanns Bachinger. The Basinger spelling emerged in the late 16th century, with records showing a Hans Basinger in Augsburg in 1589.
The name Basinger gained wider recognition in the 17th century, with notable figures like Johann Basinger (1639-1708), a German composer and organist from Nuremberg. Another prominent individual was Joachim Basinger (1673-1745), a Lutheran theologian and professor at the University of Altdorf.
In the 18th century, the Basinger name spread beyond Germany, with immigrants carrying it to other parts of Europe and North America. One early example is Johannes Basinger (1712-1778), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the 1730s.
Other notable individuals with the Basinger surname include:
1. Wilhelm Basinger (1812-1891), a German-American architect and builder in Cincinnati, Ohio.
2. Gottlieb Basinger (1845-1920), a German-American farmer and legislator in Indiana.
3. Kim Basinger (born 1953), an American actress and former fashion model, known for her roles in films like "9½ Weeks" and "L.A. Confidential."
4. Kurt Basinger (born 1958), an American professional baseball player who played for the Chicago White Sox and Milwaukee Brewers.
5. Jeanine Basinger (born 1936), an American film scholar and professor at Wesleyan University, known for her work on Hollywood cinema.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Basinger
Among Census respondents with the surname Basinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Basinger bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Basinger surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races1.0%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
- Black or African American0.3%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Basinger surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,932 | #7,932 | 0.0% |
| Count | 4,171 | 4,171 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.41 | 1.41 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Basinger bearers went from 4,171 to 4,171 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #7,932 to #7,932.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Basinger
FAQ
Basinger surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Basinger?
The surname Basinger holds position #7,932 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 4,833 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.41 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Basinger surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Basinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.