Masse
A French surname that likely began as a short form of a personal name, and may also relate to a nickname or even a place-name in some cases.
The #8,741 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 82,266 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical sources point most strongly to a French personal-name origin: Bardsley notes it as a baptismal surname meaning "the son of Masse," with Masse treated as a pet form of Marcel. In French, Masse can also be connected with the common noun meaning a mass or lump, so some families may have received the name as a nickname rather than from a given name. Because the evidence is brief and the surname appears in several forms, the exact origin may differ by family line.
History
The surname is recorded in medieval English documents, including forms such as Mace and Masse, which suggests early cross-Channel use and spelling variation. Barber also treats Fr. Masse as a personal-name-based surname, supporting a French source for at least some bearers. In later centuries the name remained relatively uncommon in English-speaking countries, though it is much more familiar in French contexts.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older surname books, Masse is sometimes explained as a shortened form of Marcel, showing how many medieval surnames began as nicknames or pet forms rather than fixed family names.
From the historical record
“3. (a) Bapt. 'the son of Masse,' a nick, of Marcel. MassUia is found ikcvrise for Harcilia (A. ii. 560).”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances