Find out how popular the last name Doolittle is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Doolittle.

Doolittle, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Doolittle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Doolittle in America

Doolittle is the 5080th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Doolittle surname appeared 6,893 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Doolittle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Doolittle to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Doolittle

The surname Doolittle is of English origin, originating in the 13th century. It is derived from the Middle English words "do" meaning to act or perform, and "little" meaning small or insignificant. The name was likely given as a nickname to someone who was considered lazy or idle, perhaps implying they did little work.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Hundredorum Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, where it is listed as "Willelmus Dolittle". The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327 also mention a "Johanne Doulittle". These early spellings show the variations in how the name was written at the time.

The Doolittle surname is found in various historical records throughout the centuries. In the 16th century, there are mentions of a John Doolittle in the Parish Registers of St. Margaret's, Westminster, in 1580. The Visitation of Oxfordshire in 1634 also references a Thomas Doolittle who was born in 1630.

One notable bearer of the name was Seth Doolittle (1621-1688), an early settler in New England and a founder of the town of Wallingford, Connecticut. Another was Benjamin Doolittle (1695-1749), a Congregational minister and author from Massachusetts.

In the 18th century, Amos Doolittle (1754-1832) was an American engraver and silversmith known for his work on the first copperplate engravings printed in the United States. Reuben Doolittle (1773-1858) was a prominent businessman and landowner in New York.

Moving into the 19th century, Hezekiah Doolittle (1800-1874) was a notable lawyer and judge in New York, while Everett Doolittle (1846-1929) was a successful businessman and banker in Minnesota.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the Doolittle surname throughout history, showcasing its English roots and its presence across various locations and professions over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Doolittle

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Doolittle.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Doolittle was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Doolittle has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Doolittle was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Doolittle, please contact us.

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