Surname Littell - Meaning and Origin
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Littell: What does the surname Littell mean?
The surname Littell is of French origin and it is derived from the Old French word "litel," which means "small or little." This was often used as a nickname for someone who was small in terms of physical stature or was the youngest in their family. It is possible that the surname Littell was an Anglicized version of a similar French surname. The surname evolved over time and has several variations including Lytell, Lyttle, and Little. Like many surnames, the meaning can vary within different cultures and regions. However, in most cases, it is believed to be associated with one's physical size or order of birth.
Order DNA origin analysisLittell: Where does the name Littell come from?
The surname Littell is of Anglo-Saxon origin and it is particularly associated with England. It was first found in Cambridgeshire, Eastern England. This surname is derived from the Old English "lytel," meaning "small" or "little," often used as a nickname for a person of small stature. It also used to describe someone who was the younger of two bearers of the same personal name.
The Littell name can also be traced back to locations named "Little" across England reflecting the residence of the original bearers. For instance, there are numerous places named Little in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Essex.
Today, it continues to be most common in English-speaking countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. In the United States, the surname is most prevalent in states such as Kentucky. Despite this, compared to other surnames, Littell is fairly uncommon, ranked as the 13091st most common surname in the US as of the 2000 census.
Variations of the surname Littell
The surname Littell, usually associated with Anglo-Saxon origin, has morphed into various spellings and variants throughout centuries depending on the region and language influence. These possible variants and spellings include:
Litel, Litle, Lytel, Lytle, Lyttle, Littel, Littles, Little, Liddle, Lyddle, Littel, and even Leutzel in German-speaking regions.
The derivation of the name appears to be from the Olde English "lytel", which means "little" or "short". This may have originally been a nickname for a short person, but it is more likely to have been a residential name for someone who lived at a small cottage or holding.
For further expansion of the name, considering any families that adopted the name as a surname, there's a possibility of variations that include prefixes or suffixes such as "Mc" or "son", as in McLittell or Littellson.
Please note, surname variations can differ greatly and this is not an exhaustive list. The variations can depend upon many factors, including the passing down of oral traditions, language evolution, and regional dialects.
Famous people with the name Littell
- Robert Littell: American novelist
- Simon Littell: British academic and author
- Jonathan Littell: French-American writer
- Gerry Littell: English footballer
- Paul Littell: American politician
- Leszek Littell: Polish sculptor
- Neil Littell: American aviator
- Rachael Littell: American actress
- Victor Littell: American boxer
- Bill Littell: American Major League Baseball pitcher