Little (surname)
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| Gender | Unisex |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | English |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Old English (OE), Middle English (ME) |
| Word/name | lȳtel (OE), littel (ME) |
| Meaning | "little" |
Little is a surname in the English language. The name is ultimately derived from the Middle English littel,[1] and the Old English lȳtel, which mean "little".[2] In some cases the name was originally a nickname for a little man. In other cases, the name was used to distinguish the younger of two bearers of the same personal name.[1] Early records of the name include: Litle, in 972; Litle, in about 1095; and le Lytle, in 1296.[2] The surname has absorbed several non English-language surnames. For example, Little is sometimes a translation of the Irish Ó Beagáin, meaning "descendant of Beagán". Little can also be a translation of the French Petit and Lepetit, as well as other surnames in various languages with the same meaning ("little"),[1] especially the German name Klein during World War II.
People
- Andrew Little (disambiguation), several people
- Angela Little (disambiguation), several people
- Ann Little (1891–1984), American silent film actress
- Anna Little (disambiguation), several people
- Annie Little, American singer
- Arthur Dehon Little (1863–1935), American chemical engineer, founder of consulting company Arthur D. Little
- Bentley Little (born 1960), American author
- Betty Little (born 1940), New York senator
- Booker Little (1938–1961), American jazz trumpeter
- Brian Little (disambiguation), several people
- Bryan Little (disambiguation), several people
- Carlo Little (1938–2005), British rock and roll drummer
- Chad Little (born 1963), NASCAR driver
- Cleavon Little (1939–1992), American film and theatre actor
- David Little (disambiguation), several people
- Donald Little, Canadian judge
- Elaine Marjory Little (1884–1974), Australian pathologist
- Emily Little (born 1994), Australian gymnast
- Elbert Luther Little, (1907 - 2004), American botanist
- Floyd Little (born 1942), American professional footballer
- Frances Little (1863–1941), pseudonym of American author Fannie Caldwell
- Frank Little (disambiguation), several people
- George Little (disambiguation), several people
- Gerry P. Little, New Jersey politician
- Grady Little (born 1950), former Major League Baseball manager
- Henry Little (disambiguation), several people
- Ian Little, record producer
- Ian Little (footballer) (born 1973), Scottish football player and manager
- Jack Little (disambiguation), several people
- James Little (disambiguation), several people
- Jason Little (disambiguation), several people
- Jean Little (born 1932), Canadian author
- Joan Little (born 1953), African-America acquitted of murder
- John Little (disambiguation), several people
- Joseph James Little (1841–1913), US representative from New York, printer and publisher
- Ken Little (born 1947), modernist American sculptor
- Lawson Little (1910–1968), American professional golfer
- Lewis Henry Little (1817–1862), Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War
- Malcolm Little (1925–1965), better known as Malcolm X
- Mark Little (disambiguation), several people
- Neil Little (born 1971), Canadian former ice hockey player
- Nicky Little (born 1976), Fijian rugby union player
- Ralf Little (born 1980), English actor and comedian
- Rich Little (born 1938), Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor
- Richard Little (disambiguation), several people
- Ricky Little (born 1989), Scottish footballer
- Robert Little (disambiguation), several people
- Russell M. Little (1809–1891), New York politician
- Sally Little (born 1951), South African LPGA Golfer and multiple winner
- Stephen Little (born 1954), American Asian art scholar, museum administrator and artist
- Steve Little (disambiguation), several people
- Syd Little (born 1942), English comedian
- Tandy Little (born 1921), American politician
- Tasmin Little (born 1965), English violinist
- Thomas Little (disambiguation), several people
- Tony Little (born 1956), American TV fitness personality
- Walter Little (disambiguation), several people
- William Little (disambiguation), several people
- Zarah Little (born 1981), American actress
Fictional characters
- Bingo Little, in P. G. Wodehouse stories
- Stuart Little, fictional mouse in many of E. B. White's short stories, and in some films
See also
- Clan Little, a Scottish Border clan
- Chicken Little (2005 film)
- List of people known as the Little
- Lyttle, a surname
References
- ^ a b c Learn about the family history of your surname, Ancestry.com, retrieved 22 February 2011, which cited: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4, for the surname "Little".
- ^ a b Reaney, Percy Hilde (1995), Wilson, Richard Middlewood (ed.), A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 281, ISBN 0-19-863146-4.
This page lists people with the surname Little.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.