Bass
Usually a nickname for a short or stout person, from a French word meaning “low” or “short.”
The #589 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,412 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Bass is generally explained as a nickname surname from Old French bas, meaning “low,” “short,” or “shallow.” In this sense it was likely first used of someone of short stature, or more broadly someone seen as “low” or squat in build. The surname was later reinforced in English by forms such as Basse and by the French surname Le Bas.
History
The name appears early in medieval English records in spellings such as Basse. Historical surname books note it as well established in England and compare it with French Le Bas and related forms. Some bearers may also reflect later French immigration, especially after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same French root appears in several related surnames, including Le Bas and Bassett, both of which also point to a “low” or diminutive sense.
From the historical record
“BASS Ba8B.~NiciL *of low stature,' short and stout, corresponding to the French * le Bas.' Nicholas Baaae, co; Sonu^ i Edw. Ill : Kirby'n Quest, p. aTi. Hugh Basse, ca Bncks, 1273. A. John Basse, co. Oxf- ibid.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)