Explore the Family Name Litton
The meaning of Litton
English: habitational name from Litton (Derbyshire, Dorset, Somerset and Yorkshire), Leyton (Essex), or perhaps Liddaton Green in Bentor or Leddon in Welcombe (both Devon). The Derbyshire and Yorkshire placenames probably derive from Old English hlith ‘slope’ + tūn ‘farmstead, estate’. The Devon, Dorset, and Somerset places take their names from rivers named with Old English hlȳde ‘the loud one, noisy stream’ + Old English tūn. The Essex place takes its name from the river Lea (of uncertain origin) + Old English tūn.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Litton in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Litton's popularity experienced a slight shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Litton was ranked 6992nd in terms of frequency, with 4420 individuals carrying the name. This equates to approximately 1.64 people per 100,000. By 2010, however, the ranking had dipped slightly to 7308th, despite an increase in the count to 4564. This represents a decrease in proportion per 100,000 to 1.55, marking a -5.49% change.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,992 | #7,308 | -4.52% |
| Count | 4,420 | 4,564 | 3.26% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.64 | 1.55 | -5.49% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Litton
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals a diverse array of backgrounds associated with the surname Litton. As of 2000, the vast majority of individuals identified as White (94.80%), followed by Hispanic and Black (both at 1.58%). There were also smaller proportions identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (0.61%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (0.32%), with a small percentage (1.11%) identifying with two or more races. By 2010, there were minor changes noted in the ethnic identity of individuals with this surname; while a majority still identified as White (93.51%), there were slight increases in those identifying as Hispanic (2.10%), Black (1.80%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.79%) and those of two or more races (1.47%). The percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively stable at 0.33%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.8% | 93.51% | -1.36% |
| Hispanic | 1.58% | 2.1% | 32.91% |
| Black | 1.58% | 1.8% | 13.92% |
| Two or More Races | 1.11% | 1.47% | 32.43% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.61% | 0.79% | 29.51% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.32% | 0.33% | 3.13% |
Litton 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 Litton is British & Irish, which comprises 60.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (23.2%) and Scandinavian (2.9%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Japanese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 60.8% |
| French & German | 23.2% |
| Scandinavian | 2.9% |
| Other | 13.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Litton
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 Litton have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 92.50% |
What Litton 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 Litton is R-L1, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L1 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and IJ-M429, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hobbs, Ricketts, Worthy, Buxton, Smallwood, Holt, Bell, Needham, Oakley, Atkins.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Litton surname are: H1, J1c, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the nomadic Tuareg of the Sahara
Though haplogroup H1 rarely reaches high frequencies beyond western Europe, over 60% of eastern Tuareg in Libya belong to haplogroup H1. The Tuareg call themselves the Imazghan, meaning “free people.” They are an isolated, semi-nomadic people who inhabit the West-Central Sahara and are known today for a distinctive dark blue turban worn by the men, and for their long history as gatekeepers of the desert.How did women carrying H1 make it all the way from western Europe to this isolated community? They likely migrated from Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar into Morocco after the Last Ice Age, where they were assimilated into the Berbers of the Mediterranean coast. Then, about 5,000 years ago, the Sahara shifted from a period of relative habitable conditions to its dramatically arid desert environment. This shift may have caused migrations throughout the Sahara, prompting the ancient Tuaregs to meet and mingle with the Berbers, bringing H1 lineages into their population.
What do people with the surname Litton 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.
"Litton" Surname 39.5%
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.
"Litton" Surname 21.6%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Litton" Surname 24.0%
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.
"Litton" Surname 18.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Litton?
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 Litton are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition