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

Litteral, 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 Litteral surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Litteral in America

Litteral is the 17472nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Litteral surname appeared 1,613 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Litteral.

We can also compare 2010 data for Litteral 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 Litteral

The surname LITTERAL is of English origin, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "litere," meaning "letter" or "writing," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have been individuals involved in the profession of literature, education, or scribing.

During the medieval period, the name LITTERAL was predominantly found in the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, and Middlesex, where it is believed to have originated. In the 13th century, the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire recorded a "William Literel," one of the earliest documented instances of this surname.

The LITTERAL name can also be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears in various spellings, such as "Litheralle" and "Lytherall." These variations highlight the inconsistencies in spelling and record-keeping during that era.

One notable bearer of the LITTERAL surname was John Litteral, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 15th century. He was a prominent figure in the city's trade guilds and served as the Master of the Mercers' Company in 1482.

In the 16th century, the LITTERAL name gained prominence in the county of Warwickshire, where a family of landowners and gentry emerged. William Litteral (1525-1592) was a respected landowner and magistrate in the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare.

Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Litteral (1587-1654), a Member of Parliament during the English Civil War. He was a staunch supporter of the Parliamentarian cause and played a significant role in the battles against King Charles I's forces.

The LITTERAL surname also has connections to the American colonies, with several individuals bearing this name arriving in the 17th and 18th centuries. One such individual was John Litteral (1650-1718), who settled in Virginia and became a prosperous tobacco planter.

In the 19th century, the LITTERAL name gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of author and poet Emily Litteral (1818-1848). Her works, although not widely acclaimed during her lifetime, gained a cult following and influenced later writers of the Romantic era.

While the LITTERAL surname has its roots in England, it has since spread across the globe, with bearers of this name found in various countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Litteral

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

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 Litteral 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 Litteral 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 Litteral was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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