Little Surname
Approximately 194,502 people bear this surname
Little Surname Definition:
This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the little'; compare Bigg, Small, and Long. Sometimes affixed as a sobriquet on the least of two bearing the same name.
Johannes de Bland, et uxor, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.
Johannes de Bland, littill, 1379: ibid.
Read More About This SurnameLittle Surname Distribution Map
| Place | Incidence | Frequency | Rank in Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 132,987 | 1:2,726 | 276 |
| England | 20,476 | 1:2,721 | 360 |
| Australia | 13,380 | 1:2,018 | 257 |
| Canada | 12,157 | 1:3,031 | 381 |
| Scotland | 4,451 | 1:1,203 | 204 |
| New Zealand | 2,412 | 1:1,877 | 248 |
| South Africa | 1,328 | 1:40,796 | 5,237 |
| Northern Ireland | 1,002 | 1:1,841 | 382 |
| Ireland | 924 | 1:5,096 | 831 |
| Iran | 732 | 1:104,894 | 10,141 |
| Wales | 716 | 1:4,322 | 473 |
| Jamaica | 713 | 1:4,025 | 561 |
| Saudi Arabia | 437 | 1:70,608 | 10,708 |
| India | 274 | 1:2,799,509 | 86,005 |
| Thailand | 237 | 1:298,052 | 51,367 |
| Germany | 143 | 1:562,975 | 46,225 |
| Spain | 137 | 1:341,256 | 19,726 |
| China | 129 | 1:10,599,392 | 660 |
| France | 92 | 1:721,986 | 90,334 |
| Barbados | 85 | 1:3,382 | 480 |
| Brazil | 76 | 1:2,816,768 | 83,410 |
| Venezuela | 73 | 1:413,754 | 8,457 |
| Argentina | 69 | 1:619,470 | 43,674 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 69 | 1:1,633 | 337 |
| Malaysia | 68 | 1:433,739 | 22,323 |
| Kuwait | 58 | 1:65,529 | 7,566 |
| Netherlands | 57 | 1:296,266 | 35,624 |
| Zimbabwe | 56 | 1:275,683 | 28,626 |
| Dominican Republic | 54 | 1:193,202 | 7,170 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 53 | 1:25,735 | 2,796 |
| Belgium | 52 | 1:221,089 | 28,230 |
| Jersey | 51 | 1:1,945 | 315 |
| Bahamas | 49 | 1:7,995 | 667 |
| Indonesia | 43 | 1:3,075,563 | 171,061 |
| Chile | 41 | 1:429,670 | 11,433 |
| Portugal | 38 | 1:274,164 | 10,086 |
| Italy | 34 | 1:1,798,726 | 86,050 |
| Philippines | 33 | 1:3,067,825 | 142,207 |
| Isle of Man | 32 | 1:2,682 | 546 |
| Mexico | 32 | 1:3,878,944 | 25,867 |
| Iraq | 31 | 1:1,129,731 | 13,630 |
| Denmark | 30 | 1:188,157 | 15,676 |
| Sweden | 29 | 1:339,543 | 23,803 |
| Vietnam | 29 | 1:3,194,692 | 2,295 |
| Switzerland | 28 | 1:293,318 | 23,433 |
| Norway | 23 | 1:223,578 | 24,793 |
| Hong Kong | 21 | 1:349,309 | 3,156 |
| Nigeria | 20 | 1:8,857,138 | 186,571 |
| Costa Rica | 18 | 1:265,559 | 2,987 |
| Egypt | 18 | 1:5,107,542 | 48,087 |
| Bermuda | 17 | 1:3,840 | 587 |
| Ghana | 17 | 1:1,589,452 | 11,524 |
| Japan | 17 | 1:7,520,253 | 43,528 |
| Czechia | 16 | 1:664,592 | 62,292 |
| Estonia | 15 | 1:88,120 | 15,474 |
| Singapore | 13 | 1:423,669 | 18,211 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 12 | 1:8,264 | 893 |
| Guam | 12 | 1:13,343 | 2,098 |
| Kenya | 12 | 1:3,848,325 | 40,366 |
| Panama | 12 | 1:326,022 | 7,351 |
| United Arab Emirates | 11 | 1:832,934 | 27,512 |
| Ecuador | 10 | 1:1,590,585 | 18,674 |
| Aruba | 9 | 1:11,497 | 1,511 |
| Bahrain | 9 | 1:149,845 | 5,469 |
| Iceland | 9 | 1:42,232 | 2,922 |
| Qatar | 9 | 1:262,000 | 30,726 |
| Myanmar | 8 | 1:6,492,248 | 1,288 |
| Algeria | 7 | 1:5,518,793 | 51,529 |
| Cook Islands | 7 | 1:2,597 | 656 |
| Pakistan | 7 | 1:25,520,555 | 84,222 |
| South Korea | 7 | 1:7,320,037 | 1,243 |
| United States Virgin Islands | 7 | 1:15,768 | 2,111 |
| Gibraltar | 6 | 1:5,659 | 991 |
| Romania | 6 | 1:3,346,312 | 56,696 |
| Austria | 5 | 1:1,703,087 | 89,702 |
| Bangladesh | 5 | 1:31,871,355 | 17,304 |
| Greece | 5 | 1:2,215,958 | 91,893 |
| Oman | 5 | 1:737,594 | 6,889 |
| Poland | 5 | 1:7,601,750 | 167,855 |
| Uganda | 5 | 1:7,807,856 | 134,263 |
| Uruguay | 5 | 1:686,352 | 29,886 |
| Afghanistan | 4 | 1:8,038,296 | 30,874 |
| Botswana | 4 | 1:546,732 | 22,624 |
| Cameroon | 4 | 1:5,192,267 | 135,173 |
| Finland | 4 | 1:1,374,176 | 50,379 |
| Grenada | 4 | 1:27,134 | 1,180 |
| Guernsey | 4 | 1:16,110 | 1,225 |
| Morocco | 4 | 1:8,619,025 | 73,251 |
| Bolivia | 3 | 1:3,538,811 | 11,393 |
| Cambodia | 3 | 1:5,162,382 | 10,688 |
| Georgia | 3 | 1:1,248,515 | 28,066 |
| Hungary | 3 | 1:3,272,092 | 62,568 |
| Latvia | 3 | 1:683,349 | 34,074 |
| Lebanon | 3 | 1:1,879,028 | 22,073 |
| Norfolk Island | 3 | 1:765 | 177 |
| Peru | 3 | 1:10,594,708 | 45,902 |
| Saint Lucia | 3 | 1:59,594 | 2,472 |
| Taiwan | 3 | 1:7,814,915 | 41,694 |
| Tanzania | 3 | 1:17,647,204 | 107,932 |
| Angola | 2 | 1:13,494,607 | 11,780 |
| Cyprus | 2 | 1:442,438 | 9,493 |
| Israel | 2 | 1:4,278,817 | 136,311 |
| Ivory Coast | 2 | 1:11,535,616 | 61,806 |
| Jordan | 2 | 1:4,421,218 | 22,351 |
| Lithuania | 2 | 1:1,517,294 | 35,813 |
| Nepal | 2 | 1:14,240,478 | 17,812 |
| Puerto Rico | 2 | 1:1,775,070 | 6,602 |
| Slovakia | 2 | 1:2,668,225 | 118,680 |
| Sudan | 2 | 1:18,755,098 | 14,167 |
| Syria | 2 | 1:9,650,511 | 17,817 |
| Armenia | 1 | 1:2,930,180 | 22,770 |
| Azerbaijan | 1 | 1:9,649,122 | 47,873 |
| Belize | 1 | 1:355,474 | 3,977 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | 1:3,536,402 | 19,532 |
| British Virgin Islands | 1 | 1:31,594 | 1,029 |
| Cayman Islands | 1 | 1:63,893 | 2,384 |
| Chad | 1 | 1:13,592,199 | 13,092 |
| Colombia | 1 | 1:47,774,072 | 44,230 |
| Croatia | 1 | 1:4,228,604 | 99,289 |
| El Salvador | 1 | 1:6,343,888 | 8,415 |
| Fiji | 1 | 1:894,391 | 4,568 |
| Gabon | 1 | 1:1,889,194 | 6,814 |
| Guatemala | 1 | 1:16,082,668 | 12,169 |
| Honduras | 1 | 1:8,816,442 | 9,272 |
| Liberia | 1 | 1:4,408,535 | 47,110 |
| Luxembourg | 1 | 1:580,542 | 15,155 |
| North Macedonia | 1 | 1:2,101,472 | 31,546 |
| Malawi | 1 | 1:17,119,109 | 34,144 |
| Malta | 1 | 1:430,272 | 3,380 |
| Moldova | 1 | 1:3,561,368 | 78,271 |
| Mongolia | 1 | 1:2,825,289 | 17,010 |
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | 1:8,153,717 | 181,784 |
| Russia | 1 | 1:144,123,056 | 881,408 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 | 1:55,199 | 1,294 |
| Saint Martin | 1 | 1:35,156 | 229 |
| Serbia | 1 | 1:7,144,948 | 38,459 |
| Sierra Leone | 1 | 1:7,089,631 | 1,533 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 1:20,808,560 | 18,521 |
| Swaziland | 1 | 1:1,298,199 | 1,718 |
| Tonga | 1 | 1:107,313 | 791 |
| Turkey | 1 | 1:77,821,422 | 191,047 |
| Ukraine | 1 | 1:45,522,696 | 503,646 |
| Place | Incidence | Frequency | Rank in Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 1,796 | 1:2,467 | 469 |
| Place | Incidence | Frequency | Rank in Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 11,097 | 1:2,197 | 314 |
| Scotland | 2,928 | 1:1,278 | 228 |
| Wales | 128 | 1:12,253 | 745 |
| Isle of Man | 28 | 1:1,938 | 257 |
| Guernsey | 12 | 1:2,721 | 462 |
| Jersey | 3 | 1:17,294 | 2,528 |
| Place | Incidence | Frequency | Rank in Area |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 25,409 | 1:1,976 | 206 |
Little (6,763) may also be a first name.
Little Surname Meaning
From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history
This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the little'; compare Bigg, Small, and Long. Sometimes affixed as a sobriquet on the least of two bearing the same name.
Johannes de Bland, et uxor, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.
Johannes de Bland, littill, 1379: ibid.
Johannes Tailliour, parws (i.e. parvus), 1379: ibid.
Johannes Tailliour, de Hyle, 1379: ibid.
William le Letle, Oxfordshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.
Wiscard Litil, Huntingdonshire, ibid.
John le Litle, Berkshire, ibid.
Julian Litel, Cambridgeshire, ibid.
1544-5. Simon Bedell and Margaret Litell, widow: Marriage Lic. (Faculty Office).
1619. Baptised — John, s. Davye Little: St. James, Clerkenwell.
A descriptive name, in Latin documents rendered parvus, 'little, small.' French petit (of unknown origin) is also used in old documents as an equivalent. Hugo parvus, clericus regis, in reign of William the Lion (Melros, p. 32). Hugo parvus, burgess of Dundee, c. 1202 (RAA., I, p. 96). R. parvus, chaplain, witnessed a charter in favor of the Hospital of Soltre, between 1214—40 (Soltre, p. 19). John Litill served on an inquest at Lanark, 1313 (Bain, III, 1420). An agreement was made between the abbot of Scone and Robertus dictus Lytil, 1332 (CSR., I, p. 105). In 1351 Martin Litill, who witnessed a charter by William, dominus vallis de Ledell, of the lands of Abirdowyr in Fife (RHM., II, p. 56), is probably Martin Lytill who in 1358 possessed the land of Cardvyn (ER., I, p. 563). Nichol Litil was one of the 'borowis for the earl of Douglas's bounds of the West March, 1368 (Bain, IV, 512). Adam Lityll was a tenant of the Douglas in the barony of Kilbucho, 1376 (RHM., II, p. 16). Duncan Petit was chancellor of the church of Aberdeen, 1426 (RMS., II, 54), and Johannes Petit, vicar of Lestalrig, 1448, appears also as J. Litill (Soltre, intro., p. xliv). The bequest of Clemens Litill in 1580 was the foundation of the library of Edinburgh University. The Littles occupied the lower part of Upper Eskdale and a portion of Ewesdale, and were recorded in 1587 as one of the unruly clans in the West March (APS., III, p. 466). Armstrong (Liddesdale, p. 184) gives the following additional forms of the name from public records: Litle, Littell, Littill Lytil, Lytle, Lyttille; plural: Litillis, Litles, Littilles, Lytills, Lytils, Lytles. See also Petty. Probably in some instances altered from Liddell, which see.
(English) Small, Short [Middle English litel, &c., Old English lýtel]
This English name is used as a synonym of Begg, Biggane, Beggane and Petty or Pettit. IF 306*
(English) The small or short man.
1. A person of diminutive stature. Like the French Le Petit, the German Klein, &c. 2. Perhaps the same as Liddell.
Little Demographics
Average Male Little Height
177 cm
Average Female Little Height
162.89 cm
Sample is predominantly from Anglosphere countries
Little Last Name Facts
Where Does The Last Name Little Come From? nationality or country of origin
The surname Little (Arabic: ليتل, Hindi: लिटिल, Marathi: िलिटल, Oriya: ଲିଟିଲ) is found in The United States more than any other country/territory. It can be rendered as a variant:. Click here to see other potential spellings of this name.
How Common Is The Last Name Little? popularity and diffusion
The surname Little is the 2,885th most common family name worldwide, borne by around 1 in 37,468 people. Little is mostly found in The Americas, where 75 percent of Little are found; 75 percent are found in North America and 74 percent are found in Anglo-North America. Little is also the 79,350th most frequently held first name world-wide, held by 6,763 people.
The surname is most commonly occurring in The United States, where it is held by 132,987 people, or 1 in 2,726. In The United States Little is most prevalent in: Texas, where 8 percent live, North Carolina, where 8 percent live and California, where 7 percent live. Apart from The United States it is found in 141 countries. It is also common in England, where 11 percent live and Australia, where 7 percent live.
Little Family Population Trend historical fluctuation
The occurrence of Little has changed through the years. In The United States the number of people bearing the Little surname increased 523 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it increased 185 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Scotland it increased 152 percent between 1881 and 2014; in Ireland it declined 49 percent between 1901 and 2014 and in Wales it increased 559 percent between 1881 and 2014.
Little Last Name Statistics demography
The religious adherence of those holding the last name is primarily Anglican (40%) in Ireland, Orthodox (62%) in Russia and Orthodox (70%) in Ukraine.
In The United States those bearing the Little surname are 13.96% more likely to be registered with the Republican Party than the national average, with 60.73% being registered with the political party.
The amount Little earn in different countries varies greatly. In Norway they earn 0.65% less than the national average, earning 343,838 kr per year; in South Africa they earn 110.84% more than the national average, earning R 501,036 per year; in United States they earn 6.92% less than the national average, earning $40,165 USD per year and in Canada they earn 2.88% more than the national average, earning $51,114 CAD per year.
Phonetically Similar Names
Little Name Transliterations
| Transliteration | ICU Latin | Percentage of Incidence |
|---|---|---|
| Little in the Marathi language | ||
| िलिटल | ilitala | - |
| Little in the Hindi language | ||
| लिटिल | litila | 71.43 |
| लिटील | litila | 28.57 |
| Little in the Oriya language | ||
| ଲିଟିଲ | litila | 53.85 |
| ଲିଟିଲ୍ | litil | 23.08 |
| ଲିଟିଲି | litili | 7.69 |
| ଲିଟଲୀ | litali | 7.69 |
| ଲିଟଲ | litala | 7.69 |
| Little in the Arabic language | ||
| ليتل | lytl | - |
Search for Another Surname
Little Reference & Research
Little FamilyTree DNA Group - A group collating DNA test results for those who bear the surname, includes results of DNA tests and discussions.
Little FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.
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Footnotes
- Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
- Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
- Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
- Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
- Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
- Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
- Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Little
- To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on FamilySearch, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis