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

Litts, 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 Litts surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Litts in America

Litts is the 44193rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Litts surname appeared 487 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Litts.

We can also compare 2010 data for Litts 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 Litts

The surname Litts has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period around the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "lite," which means "little" or "small." The name was likely originally used as a nickname or descriptor for someone of small stature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Litts can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the year 1260, where a William Litel is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Litel," further reinforces the connection to the Old English word "lite."

In the 14th century, records from the Court Rolls of Wakefield in Yorkshire include references to a John Littelson, suggesting that the surname may have evolved from a patronymic form, meaning "son of little."

The Litts surname appears to have been concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Lancashire, during its early years. This is evidenced by the presence of the name in local tax records and parish registers from those regions.

One notable figure bearing the Litts surname was Sir John Litts, a member of the English gentry who lived in the late 15th century. He was a prominent landowner in Yorkshire and served as a member of parliament for the borough of Northallerton.

In the 16th century, the Litts surname appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Essex, where a Thomas Littis is recorded as a resident of the parish of Great Waltham.

Another historically significant individual with the Litts surname was Robert Litts, a merchant and ship owner from Hull, who lived in the late 17th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the thriving maritime trade of the time.

The Litts surname also has connections to place names in England. For instance, the village of Littleborough in Greater Manchester may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in that region.

While not as prominent as some other English surnames, the Litts name has left its mark on various historical records and documents, serving as a testament to its enduring legacy over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Litts

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

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

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

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