2000
#17,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,515
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.56
Rare Last name
Bassi
An occupational surname derived from the Italian word "basso" meaning "short" or "low".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,308 Americans carry the last name Bassi. That puts it at #14,300 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 148,507 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Bassi surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Bassi with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 148,507
Census rank
#14,300
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,013 bearers of the surname Bassi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14300th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Bassi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 47.8%. The next largest groups are White (42.8%) and Hispanic (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Bassi
The surname Bassi is of Italian origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval era. This name is believed to have derived from the Italian word "basso," which means "low" or "short." It was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone of small stature or short height.
The earliest known records of the Bassi surname can be found in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, and Lombardy. One of the earliest documented instances dates back to the 13th century, when a certain Guido Bassi was mentioned in a document from the city of Modena in 1265.
In the 14th century, the Bassi family gained prominence in the city of Bologna. Guido Bassi, a renowned jurist and professor of law, lived during this time and was highly respected for his contributions to the field of jurisprudence. Another notable figure was Giovanni Battista Bassi, a celebrated painter from the 16th century who was renowned for his religious works and frescoes adorning churches in Bologna and other Italian cities.
The Bassi surname also has a connection to place names. In some instances, it may have originated from locations such as Basso, a small village in the province of Brescia, or Bassano del Grappa, a town in the Veneto region, known for its ceramic production.
Over the centuries, the Bassi surname has been associated with various notable individuals. One such example is Ferdinando Bassi, an Italian botanist and professor who lived from 1710 to 1776. He made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and was a member of the prestigious Accademia delle Scienze di Bologna.
Another prominent figure was Giuseppe Bassi, an Italian composer and conductor who lived from 1792 to 1856. He gained recognition for his operas and instrumental works, and served as the director of the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, one of the most prestigious opera houses in Italy.
In the field of literature, the surname is associated with the Italian writer and journalist Adolfo Bassi, who lived from 1862 to 1916. He was known for his novels, short stories, and articles that explored social and political themes of his time.
The Bassi surname has also been carried by individuals in other fields, such as Ugo Bassi, an Italian patriot and priest who lived from 1801 to 1849. He played a significant role in the Italian Risorgimento, the movement for the unification of Italy, and was eventually executed for his involvement in the revolutionary efforts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Bassi
Among Census respondents with the surname Bassi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 47.8%. The next largest groups are White (42.8%) and Hispanic (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Bassi bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Bassi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander47.8% · 963
- White42.8% · 862
- Hispanic or Latino6.7% · 134
- Two or more races1.8% · 37
- Black or African American0.7% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Bassi
Bassi appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#17,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,666
+151 bearers (+10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.56
Rank movement Up 174 places
2020
#14,300
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,013
+347 bearers (+20.8%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Up 2,747 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #17,221 | 1,515 | 0.56 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,047 | 1,666 | 0.56 | +151 bearers (+10.0%) | Up 174 places |
| 2020 | #14,300 | 2,013 | 0.67 | +347 bearers (+20.8%) | Up 2,747 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Bassi surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,047 | #14,300 | 16.1% |
| Count | 1,666 | 2,013 | 20.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.56 | 0.67 | 20.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Bassi bearers went from 1,666 to 2,013 (+20.8% change). The surname moved up 2,747 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,047 to #14,300.
FAQ
Bassi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Bassi?
Name Census estimates that about 2,308 living Americans carry the surname Bassi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 148,507 residents.
How common is Bassi?
Bassi ranks #14,300 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,013 people with the surname Bassi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,308), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.67 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Bassi.
Has Bassi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Bassi went from 1,666 recorded bearers to 2,013. That is an increase of 347 (+20.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #17,047 to #14,300.
What does the Census say about the background of Bassi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Bassi, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 47.8%. The next largest groups are White (42.8%) and Hispanic (6.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Bassi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 47.8% (963 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Bassi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (47.8%), White (42.8%), Hispanic (6.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Bassi (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Bassi mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Italian word "basso" meaning "short" or "low". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Bassi (0.67 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Bassi?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.