Little is a

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

in the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the is ...

. The name is derived from the

Middle English Middle English (abbreviated to ME) is a form of the English language that was spoken after the Norman conquest of 1066, until the late 15th century. The English language underwent distinct variations and developments following the Old English p ...

''littel'' and the

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...

''lȳtel'', which means "little." In some cases, the name was originally a

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

for a little man. In other cases, the name was used to distinguish the younger of two bearers of the same personal name. Early records of the name include: ''Litle'', in 972; ''Litle'', in about 1095; and ''le Lytle'', in 1296.. The surname has absorbed several non English-language surnames. For example, ''Little'' is sometimes a translation of the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

''Ó Beagáin'', meaning "descendant of ''Beagán''." ''Little'' can also be a translation of the French ''

Petit Petite or petite may refer to: *Petit (crater), a small, bowl-shaped lunar crater on Mare Spumans * ''Petit'' (EP), a 1995 EP by Japanese singer-songwriter Ua * Petit (typography), another name for brevier-size type *Petit four * Petit Gâteau *P ...

'' and ''Lepetit'', as well as other surnames in various languages with the same meaning ("little"),, which cited: , for the surname "Little". especially the German name Klein during World War II.

People

Names held by several people

Academics

* Elaine Marjory Little (1884–1974), Australian pathologist * Elbert Luther Little, (1907–2004), American botanist * Ian Little (economist), (1918–2012), British economist *Stephen Little (born 1954), American Asian art scholar, museum administrator and artist

Businesspeople

Arthur Dehon Little Arthur Dehon Little (December 15, 1863 – August 1, 1935) was an American chemist and chemical engineer. He founded the consulting company Arthur D. Little and was instrumental in developing chemical engineering at the Massachusetts Insti ...

(1863–1935), American chemical engineer, founder of consulting company Arthur D. Little *

Jacob Little Jacob Little (March 17, 1794 – March 28, 1865) was an early 19th-century Wall Street investor and the first and one of the greatest speculators in the history of the stock market, known at the time as the "Great Bear of Wall Street". Lit ...

(1794–1865), American investor * William Brian Little (1942–2000), American investor

Performers

* Ann Little (1891–1984), American silent film actress *

Booker Little Booker Little Jr. (April 2, 1938 – October 5, 1961)
– accessed June 2010 was an American

(1938–1961), American jazz trumpeter *

Carlo Little Carl O'Neil Little (17 December 1938 – 6 August 2005), better known by his stage name Carlo Little, was a rock and roll drummer, based in the London nightclub scene in the 1960s. He played in an early version of the Rolling Stones. Little ...

(1938–2005), British rock and roll drummer *

Cleavon Little Cleavon Jake Little (June 1, 1939 – October 22, 1992) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He began his career in the late 1960s on the stage. In 1970, he starred in the Broadway production of '' Purlie'', for which he earned both ...

(1939–1992), American film and theatre actor *

Jane Little (musician) Jane Little (; February 2, 1929 – May 15, 2016) was an American classical double bass player, known for her exceptionally long tenure with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Early life Jane Findley was a native of Atlanta, Georgia. Her mother wa ...

, American musician; bassist in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra *

Ralf Little Ralf Alastair John Little (born 8 February 1980) is an English actor, writer, presenter, narrator and former semi-professional footballer, working mainly in television comedy. He played Antony Royle in ''The Royle Family'' and Jonny Keogh in ...

(born 1980), English actor and comedian *

Rich Little Richard Caruthers Little (born November 26, 1938) is a Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor. Sometimes known as the "Man of a Thousand Voices", Little has recorded nine comedy albums and made numerous television appearances, including ...

(born 1938), Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor *

Syd Little Syd Little (born Cyril John Mead; 19 December 1942) is an English comedian who was the straight man in the double act Little and Large, with Eddie Large. Life and career Born in Blackpool, Little was raised in Manchester. After leaving Yew T ...

(born 1942), English comedian *

Tasmin Little Tasmin Little (born 13 May 1965) is an English classical violinist. She is a concerto soloist and also performs as a recitalist and chamber musician. She has released numerous albums, winning the Critics Award at the Classic Brit Awards in 2011 ...

(born 1965), English violinist

Politicians

Betty Little Elizabeth O'Connor Little (born September 28, 1940) is a former New York State Senator. A member of the Republican Party, she was first elected in 2002. She served in the 45th Senate District, which includes all or part of Clinton, Essex, F ...

(born 1940), New York senator * Joseph James Little (1841–1913), US representative from New York, printer and publisher *

Patrick Little Patrick John Little (17 June 1884 – 16 May 1963) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician. A founder-member of the party, he served in a number of cabinet positions, most notably as the country's longest-serving Minister for Posts and Telegraphs. ...

(1884–1963), Irish politician * Russell M. Little (1809–1891), New York politician * Zeb Little, a Democratic member of the

Alabama Senate The Alabama State Senate is the upper house of the Alabama Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alabama. The body is composed of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, with each district conta ...

Sportspeople

Brendon Little Brendon David Little (born August 11, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Chicago Cubs organization. He made his Major League Baseball debut with the Cubs in 2022. Amateur career Little graduated from Conestoga High School i ...

(born 1996), American baseball player *

Chad Little Chad Little (born April 29, 1963) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He holds a degree in marketing from Washington State University and a J.D. degree from Gonzaga University. While attending Washington State University, ...

(born 1963), NASCAR driver *

Emily Little Emily Little (born 29 March 1994) is an Australian artistic gymnast. She won a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the team women's artistic gymnastic events. She was chosen to represent Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Person ...

(born 1994), Australian gymnast *

Floyd Little Floyd Douglas Little (July 4, 1942 – January 1, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Denver Broncos, initially in the American Football League (AFL) and later the National Football League (NFL). He ...

(1942–2021), American football player *

Grady Little William Grady Little (born March 3, 1950) is a former manager in Major League Baseball, currently working in the front office of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He managed the Boston Red Sox from 2002 to 2003 and the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2006 to 2007 ...

(born 1950), former Major League Baseball manager * Ian Little (footballer) (born 1973), Scottish football player and manager *

Kim Little Kim Alison Little (born 29 June 1990) is a Scottish footballer who plays as a midfielder for and captains Arsenal of the English FA WSL. Before her retirement from international duty in 2021, Little was vice-captain of the Scotland women's nat ...

(born 1990), Scottish association footballer *

Lawson Little William Lawson Little Jr. (June 23, 1910 – February 1, 1968) was an American professional golfer who also had a distinguished amateur career. Little was born in Newport, Rhode Island, and lived much of his early life in the San Francisco area, ...

(1910–1968), American professional golfer *

Nassir Little Nassir Shamai Little (born February 11, 2000) is an American professional basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Little finished his high school career as one of the top-ranked players in hi ...

(born 2000), American basketball player * Neil Little (born 1971), Canadian former ice hockey player *

Nicky Little Nicky Tyrone Little (born 13 September 1976) in Tokoroa, New Zealand, is a rugby union footballer. He plays at fly-half. He is a nephew of All Blacks centre Walter Little, but represents Fiji at international level. Career He has scored 652 p ...

(born 1976), Fijian rugby union player * Ricky Little (born 1989), Scottish footballer *

Sally Little Sally Little (born 12 October 1951) is a South African-born professional golfer. She became a member of the LPGA Tour in 1971 and won 15 LPGA Tour events, including two major championship, during her career. In 2016, she became the first female ...

(born 1951), South African LPGA golfer * Sam Little (golfer) (born 1975), English professional golfer *

Tori Groves-Little Tori Groves-Little (born 13 October 2000) is an Australian rules footballer who played for Brisbane and for Gold Coast in the AFL Women's competition (AFLW). Early life Groves-Little grew up in Logan, Queensland and attended Beenleigh State ...

(born 2000), Australian rules footballer * Walker Little (born 1999), American football player

Writers

Bentley Little Bentley Little (born 1960 in Mesa, Arizona) is an American author of horror fiction. Publishing an average of a novel a year since 1990, Little avoids publicity and rarely does promotional work or interviews for his writing. Early life Little i ...

(born 1960), American author * Frances Little (1863–1941), pseudonym of American author Fannie Caldwell *

Jane Little Jane Emma Little (born 1972) is an English broadcaster and writer. Biography Born in Kendal, Kendal, Cumbria, then in the county of South Westmorland Rural District, Westmorland, she read Theology and Religious Studies at King's College, Cambri ...

(born 1972), English broadcaster and writer *

Jean Little Jean Little, CM (January 2, 1932 – April 6, 2020) was an award-winning Canadian writer of over 50 books. Her work mainly consisted of children's literature, but she also wrote two autobiographies: ''Little by Little'' and ''Stars Come Out Wit ...

(1932–2020), Canadian author

Others

* Alice Little, (born 1990), Irish–American sex-worker and advocate *

Donald Little The Court of King's Bench of Manitoba (french: Cour du Banc du Roi du Manitoba)—or the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba, depending on Monarchy in Manitoba, the monarch—is the Court system of Canada#Provincial and territorial superior tria ...

, Canadian judge *

Joan Little Joan Little (pronounced "Jo Ann") (born 1953) is an African-American woman who was charged with the 1974 murder of Clarence Alligood, a white prison guard at Beaufort County Jail in Washington, North Carolina, who attempted to rape Little bef ...

(born 1953), African-American acquitted of murder *

Ken Little Ken Dawson Little is a modernist San Antonio-based sculptor who was born in Canyon, Texas in 1947. After graduating from Texas Tech University in 1970 with a BFA in painting, he received an MFA from the University of Utah in 1972. There, his ...

(born 1947), modernist American sculptor *

Lewis Henry Little Lewis Henry Little (March 19, 1817 – September 19, 1862) was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War. He served mainly in the Western Theater and was killed in action during the ...

(1817–1862), Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War *

Malcolm X Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of Is ...

(born Malcolm Little, 1925–1965), Afro-American civil rights leader and Nation of Islam minister *

Samuel Little Samuel Little (born Samuel McDowell; June 7, 1940 – December 30, 2020) was an American serial killer who confessed to murdering 93 women between 1970 and 2005. In 2014 he was convicted of the murders of Linda Alford, Guadalupe Duarte Apodaca, ...

(1940–2020), American serial killer *

Tony Little Tony Little (born September 16, 1956) is an American television fitness personality and businessman, who is best known for his fitness infomercial products. Little is a certified personal trainer and identifies himself as "America's Personal T ...

(born 1956), American TV fitness personality

Fictional characters

Bingo Little Richard P. "Bingo" Little is a recurring fictional character in the comedic Jeeves and Drones Club stories of English writer P. G. Wodehouse, being a friend of Jeeves's master Bertie Wooster and a member of the Drones Club. In his early appear ...

, in P. G. Wodehouse stories * Chicken Little, also known as

Henny Penny "Henny Penny", more commonly known in the United States as "Chicken Little" and sometimes as "Chicken Licken", is a European folk tale with a moral in the form of a cumulative tale about a chicken who believes that the world is coming to an end ...

or Chicken Licken *

Stuart Little ''Stuart Little'' is a 1945 American children's novel by E. B. White. It was White's first children's book, and it is now widely recognized as a classic in children's literature. ''Stuart Little'' was illustrated by the subsequently award-winnin ...

, fictional mouse in many of E. B. White's short stories, and in some films

References

{{Surname English-language surnames Surnames from nicknames