Basa Family History

Spanish (of Basque origin): topographic name from Basque baso ‘wood’, ‘forest’. Catalan: variant spelling of Bassa, a topographic name from Catalan bassa ‘pool’, ‘pond’. Hungarian: from the old secular personal name Basa, or from Bazsa, a pet form of the ecclesiastical name Bazsil, from Greek Basileios (see Basil). In some cases the Hungarian family name could be a derivative of the Turkish basa (see Basha), probably as a nickname for a self-important person or someone who had dealings with the Turkish authorities or occupying forces. Polish: metonymic occupational name for a musician, from basa, dialect form of basy ‘musical instrument’. Balkan (Muslim): variant of Turkish Pasha.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press