Explore the Family Name Littlejohn
The meaning of Littlejohn
1. Scottish and English: nickname from Middle English litel ‘little’ (Old English lȳtel) + the Middle English personal name John. The nickname may have been used ironically for a giant, as with the outlaw character Little John in 17th-century tales and ballads of Robin Hood (though he is no giant in 15th-century texts). 2. In some cases also an Americanized form (translation into English) of French Petitjean.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Littlejohn in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Littlejohn took a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 2893 in terms of prevalence, but by 2010 it had dropped slightly to rank 2976, representing a negative change of 2.87%. However, the actual count of people with this surname increased during this time frame from 11,383 to 12,047, an increase of 5.83%. The proportion per 100,000 people also decreased slightly from 4.22 to 4.08.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,893 | #2,976 | -2.87% |
| Count | 11,383 | 12,047 | 5.83% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.22 | 4.08 | -3.32% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Littlejohn
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Littlejohn underwent some changes as well, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, whites made up the largest portion of individuals with this surname at 46.14%, followed closely by blacks at 46.73%. By 2010, the percentage of blacks had slightly increased to 47.34% while whites had decreased to 43.50%. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and two or more races also saw significant increases, going from 0.39% to 0.43% and 3.02% to 4.32% respectively. Meanwhile, there were increases in those who identified as Hispanic from 1.47% to 2.26%. The percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Natives with the surname Littlejohn slightly decreased from 2.26% to 2.14%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 46.73% | 47.34% | 1.31% |
| White | 46.14% | 43.5% | -5.72% |
| Two or More Races | 3.02% | 4.32% | 43.05% |
| Hispanic | 1.47% | 2.26% | 53.74% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.26% | 2.14% | -5.31% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.39% | 0.43% | 10.26% |
Littlejohn ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Littlejohn is British & Irish, which comprises 47.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (18.3%) and Nigerian (8.8%). Additional ancestries include Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, Scandinavian, Angolan & Congolese, Italian, and Eastern European.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 47.7% |
| French & German | 18.3% |
| Nigerian | 8.8% |
| Other | 25.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Littlejohn
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Littlejohn have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 74.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 74.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 74.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 74.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 72.70% |
What Littlejohn haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Littlejohn is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-Z209 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Whitney, Bullard, Shelby, Vickers, Kendrick, Willey, Perrin, Prince, Gee, Moon.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Littlejohn surname are: M, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Littlejohn have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Littlejohn" Surname 55.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Littlejohn" Surname 42.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Littlejohn" Surname 25.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Littlejohn" Surname 15.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Littlejohn?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Littlejohn are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition