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Little Family History

Little Surname Meaning

English: nickname for a small man (if not ironic) or distinguishing epithet for the younger of two bearers of the same personal name from Middle English littel Old English lȳtel (see Light ). Irish: translation into English of Gaelic Ó Beagáin ‘descendant of Beagán’ (see Began ). Americanized form (translation into English) of any of various European surnames meaning ‘little’ e.g. French Petit Polish Mały (see Maly ). Native American: translation into English (and shortening) of a personal name based on (or just composed of) a word meaning ‘little’ such as Navajo Hastiin Yázhí ‘Little Man’ (see Yazzie ). Compare Littleman and Shorty

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Littler, Tuttle, Litle, Spittle, Littles, Lyttle, Lile, Kettle, Litt

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Where is the Little family from?

You can see how Little families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Little family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Little families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 208 Little families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 13% of all the recorded Little's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Little families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Little surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Little

What did your Little ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Little | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Farmer
17%
Laborer
17%
Salesman
4%
Truck Driver
3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Maid
7%
Housewife
7%
Housekeeper
6%
Teacher
6%

Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Little family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 743,000 census records available for the last name Little. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Little census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Little
Passenger Lists
There are 72,000 immigration records available for the last name Little. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Little immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 112,000 military records available for the last name Little. For the veterans among your Little ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Little military records

Census Records

There are 743,000 census records available for the last name Little. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Little census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Little

Passenger Lists

There are 72,000 immigration records available for the last name Little. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Little immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 112,000 military records available for the last name Little. For the veterans among your Little ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Little military records

You've only scratched the surface of Little family history

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What is the average Little lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Little life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Little in 1941 was 32, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Little

Browse profiles of historical people with the Little last name