# Little (surname)

Little is a surname in the English language. The name is derived from the Middle English littel and the Old English lȳtel, which means "little". In some cases, the name was originally a nickname 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 Ó Beagáin, meaning "descendant of Beagán". Little can also be a translation of the French Petit and Lepetit, as well as other surnames in various languages with the same meaning ("little"), especially the German name Klein during World War II.

## People
### Names held by several people

* Andrew Little (disambiguation), several people
* Angela Little (disambiguation), several people
* Anna Little (disambiguation), several people
* Brian Little (disambiguation), several people
* Bryan Little (disambiguation), several people
* David Little (disambiguation), several people
* Frank Little (disambiguation), several people
* George Little (disambiguation), several people
* Henry Little (disambiguation), several people
* Jack Little (disambiguation), several people
* James Little (disambiguation), several people
* Jason Little (disambiguation), several people
* John Little (disambiguation), several people
* Mark Little (disambiguation), several people
* Richard Little (disambiguation), several people
* Robert Little (disambiguation), several people
* Steve Little (disambiguation), several people
* Thomas Little (disambiguation), several people
* Walter Little (disambiguation), several people
* William Little (disambiguation), 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 (1863–1935), American chemical engineer, founder of consulting company Arthur D. Little
* Jacob Little (1794–1865), American investor
* William Brian Little (1942–2000), American investor

### Performers

* Ann Little (1891–1984), American silent film actress
* Booker Little (1938–1961), American jazz trumpeter
* Carlo Little (1938–2005), British rock and roll drummer
* Cleavon Little (1939–1992), American film and theatre actor
* Jane Little (musician), American musician; bassist in the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
* Ralf Little (born 1980), English actor and comedian
* Rich Little (born 1938), Canadian-American impressionist and voice actor
* Syd Little (born 1942), English comedian
* Tasmin Little (born 1965), English violinist

### Politicians

* Betty Little (born 1940), New York senator
* Brad Little (Born 1954), American politician
* John Mays Little (died 1950), American politician
* Joseph James Little (1841–1913), US representative from New York, printer and publisher
* Mitch Little, American politician
* Patrick Little (1884–1963), Irish politician
* Russell M. Little (1809–1891), New York politician
* Zeb Little, a Democratic member of the Alabama Senate

### Sportspeople

* Alan Little (1955–2024), English footballer
* Brendon Little (born 1996), American baseball player
* Cam Little (born 2003), American football player
* Chad Little (born 1963), NASCAR driver
* Emily Little (born 1994), Australian gymnast
* Floyd Little (1942–2021), American football player
* Grady Little (born 1950), former Major League Baseball manager
* Ian Little (footballer) (born 1973), Scottish football player and manager
* Kim Little (born 1990), Scottish association footballer
* Lawson Little (1910–1968), American professional golfer
* Nassir Little (born 2000), American basketball player
* Neil Little (born 1971), Canadian former ice hockey player
* Nicky Little (born 1976), Fijian rugby union player
* Ricky Little (born 1989), Scottish footballer
* Sally Little (born 1951), South African LPGA golfer
* Sam Little (golfer) (born 1975), English professional golfer
* Tori Groves-Little (born 2000), Australian rules footballer
* Walker Little (born 1999), American football player

### Writers

* Bentley Little (born 1960), American author
* Frances Little (1863–1941), pseudonym of American author Fannie Caldwell
* Jane Little (born 1972), English broadcaster and writer
* Jean Little (1932–2020), Canadian author

### Others

* Alice Little, (born 1990), Irish–American sex-worker and advocate
* Donald Little, Canadian judge
* Joan Little (born 1953), African-American acquitted of murder
* Ken Little (born 1947), modernist American sculptor
* Lewis Henry Little (1817–1862), Confederate brigadier general during the American Civil War
* Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, 1925–1965), Afro-American civil rights leader and Nation of Islam minister
* Samuel Little (1940–2020), American serial killer
* Tony Little (born 1956), American TV fitness personality

## Fictional characters

* Bingo Little, in P. G. Wodehouse stories
* Chicken Little, also known as Henny Penny or Chicken Licken
* Stuart Little, fictional mouse in many of E. B. White's short stories, and in some films