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

Litton, 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 Litton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Litton in America

Litton is the 7308th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Litton surname appeared 4,564 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 Litton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Litton 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 Litton

The surname Litton has its origins in England, dating back to the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "litton," which means a small settlement or a farmstead. The earliest known record of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Litun" and "Lyttun."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Litton was William de Litton, a landowner who lived in the village of Litton, Derbyshire, during the 13th century. The name is also closely associated with the village of Litton Cheney in Dorset, which was once known as "Litun" or "Lyton."

In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the surname Litton was John Litton, a prominent clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Taunton in Somerset from 1349 to 1361. Another notable individual was Sir Robert Litton, a member of the English Parliament who represented Somerset in the late 14th century.

During the 16th century, the surname Litton appeared in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1545, where it was spelled as "Lytton." In the same century, a family of landed gentry with the surname Litton was recorded in the village of Litton in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

One of the most significant figures associated with the surname Litton was Sir Edward Litton (1617-1672), an English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland from 1668 to 1672. He played a crucial role in the administration of justice during the tumultuous period following the English Civil War.

Another notable individual was Reverend Thomas Litton (1647-1719), an English clergyman and author who wrote several works on theology and religious subjects. He served as the Rector of Chelsworth in Suffolk and was a respected scholar in his time.

In the 18th century, the surname Litton continued to appear in various records, including the Parish Registers of Gloucestershire, where it was recorded as "Lytton" and "Litton." During this period, a family named Litton owned a significant estate in the village of Litton in Derbyshire, further cementing the connection between the surname and the place name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Litton

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

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

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

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