Recorded in various forms including Bassendean, Bassindale, Bassingdale, Basindale, Dassindale and probably other, this is an Anglo-Scottish surname. It is locational from either the village of Bassendean in Berwickshire, Scotland, or from just over the border at Bassenfell, in Cumberland. Failing either of these two sources, then the origination is probably from a 'lost' medieval village, in the same area. From the 15th century onwards, and with the cessation of the 'Border' wars between England and Scotland, the whole area became a great sheep farm. As this type of farming required few workers, and as the need to maintain fighting men had gone, many villages were literally closed down, and their inhabitants forced to look elsewhere for work. In so doing they took or were given, as their surname, the name of their former village, or often a 'sounds like' form of the correct spelling. Examples of the surname recordings include Eusebius Basindale of South Cave, Yorkshire, on May 4th 1740. He had two other sons called Thomas and Joseph, and a cousin called Edward, and it may be from this family that many present day name-holders descend. The first recorded spelling of the family name is probably that of Alexander Bassendyne. This was was dated May 25th 1613, at Berwick on Tweed, Scotland, during the reign of King James 1st of England and V1 of Scotland, 1587 - 1625. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.