Submitted Surnames with "little" in Meaning

Angilletta Italian
From Italian meaning "little angel".

Arquette French
From arquet meaning "little bow" or "little arch" (diminutive of arche, from Latin arcus). It was originally an occupational name for an archer, but the French word arquet(te) is also found in the sense 'market trader' (originally, perhaps, one with a stall underneath an arch)... [more]

Ayanokouji Japanese
綾 (Aya) means "design", no is a possessive particle, 小 (kou) means "small, little", and 路 (ji) means "road."

Bäumchen German
Surname of German origin meaning "little tree". It could have been used to describe someone who lived near a tree or forest.

Bermejo Spanish
Originally a nickname for a man with red hair or a ruddy complexion, from Spanish bermejo "reddish, ruddy" (itself from Latin vermiculus "little worm", from vermis "worm", since a crimson dye was obtained from the bodies of worms).

Bianchini Italian
Means "little white one"

Biondolillo Italian
Probably from Sicilian biunnuliddu "little fair one", a nickname for someone with blonde hair. Compare Biondi.

Bobrushko Ukrainian
Means "little beaver", from Ukrainian бобер (bober) "beaver".

Bocachica Spanish (Latin American)
Literally means "little mouth" in Spanish. It could have been given to someone who had a small mouth or a small jaw, or to someone who was known for having a quiet and reserved speaking style. It could also have been a nickname given to someone who had a small but sweet smile.

Brainin Jewish
Means "son of Brayne", Brayne being a short form of the Yiddish feminine name Brayndl, literally "little brown one" (cf. Breindel).

Bratushka Ukrainian, Russian (?)
Means "(younger, little) brother".

Bugiardini Italian
Means "little liar" in Italian, from bugiardo "lying, false, deceitful; liar" and the diminutive suffix -ino.

Canavan Irish (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ceanndubháin "descendant of Ceanndubhán", a byname meaning "little black-headed one", from ceann "head" combined with dubh "black" and the diminutive suffix -án.

Carbonell English
From a medieval nickname for a dark-haired or swarthy person, from Anglo-Norman carbonel, literally "little charcoal".

Casielles Asturian
From the town of Casielles, Asturias, Spain. From "casa" (house) and the suffix -ielles, a diminituve suffix, so this surname could mean "little houses".

Ceddia Italian
Uncertain etymology. Possibly related to Sicilian and Corsican aceddu "bird", from Latin aucellus "little bird".

Chaires Spanish (Mexican)
Possibly a plural form of Galician chaira "little valley or meadow" or chairo "flat" (way, terrain). Refers to a person who lived in such a place.

Cifrino Italian (Rare)
Possibly from an inflection of Italian cifrare, meaning "to monogram, to abbreviate (a name) to initials; to encode, to cypher", or perhaps a derived term meaning "little nothing". Ultimately from Arabic صِفْر (ṣifr) "empty, zero".

Corcino Spanish
Means "little deer", a diminutive of Spanish corzo "roe deer". More commonly used outside of Spain.

Cortizo Spanish
Nickname from Spanish cortito meaning "the little short one".

Culetto Italian
Means "buttocks, little ass" in Italian.

Cvijetić Serbian, Croatian
Means "little flower".

Depikolozvane Croatian
Derived from Italian del piccolo Zuan, meaning "of little Zuan".

Deschanel French
Derived from French eschamel meaning "stepladder" or des chanels meaning "from the channels, from the little jugs". An occupational nickname for a trader, it supposedly originated in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France... [more]

Dillon Irish, English
Could be an Irish form of the Breton surname de Léon, meaning "of Léon", an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Duilleáen, from the given name Dallán "little blind one", or be from a Norman French personal name derived from Ancient Germanic Dillo, possibly a byname from dil- "destroy".

Dominczyk Polish
From the Polish from "Little Lord." The suffix, -czyk generally denotes the diminutiveness of the root word.

Doneddu Italian
From Sardinian doneddu "little gift".

Doolittle English
From a nickname for a lazy man or an idler, from Middle English don "to do, to perform" and litel "little, small". A famous bearer of the name was American military general Jimmy Doolittle (1896-1993).

Dukakis Greek
Dukakis means "son of the duke or little duke".

Etzel German, Upper German
from the given name Etzel and Atzilo a short form of any of the ancient Germanic personal names beginning with adal "noble"... [more]

Filkins English
Means either (i) "person from Filkins", Oxfordshire ("settlement of Filica's people"); or "son of Filkin", a medieval personal name meaning literally "little Phil", from Philip.

Fresnillo Spanish
Diminutive of Fresno meaning "little ash tree".

Gallatini Italian (Archaic)
Derived from the given name Galla and a suffix, meaning "little rooster".

Gattini Italian
Means "kitten, little cat" in Italian.

Gazaev Ossetian (Russified)
Russified form of an Ossetian name most likely derived from Ossetian гæзæмæ (gæzæmæ) meaning "few, little, rare".

Gilby English
Means either (i) "person from Gilby", Lincolnshire ("Gilli's farm"); or (ii) "little Gilbert".

Grzybek Polish
From Grzyb (literally "mushroom") with the suffix -ek as a patronymic, or from grzybek meaning "little mushroom".

Jeanpetit French
Means "little Jean" from Old French petit "small" and the given name Jean 1, originally a nickname for a small man called Jean (or applied ironically to a large man), or a distinguishing epithet for the younger of two men named Jean.... [more]

Joliet French
From French Jolie "pretty one" and the popular suffix -et "little" meaning "pretty little one."

Jowett English
From the medieval male personal name Jowet or the female personal name Jowette, both literally "little Jowe", a pet-form of Julian... [more]

Katan Jewish
From Hebrew קָטָן (katan) meaning "small, little, young".

Killian Irish (Anglicized, Modern), German
Meaning "little church". From cill (Irish for "church") and -ín, a Gaelic diminutive.

Kitumaini Central African, Swahili
Means "little hope" in Swahili, a diminutive of tumaini meaning simply "hope". It is mostly found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Kleindienst German
Originally an occupational name for a farmhand or laborer, who was second in line to a more highly paid class of servant. Derived from German klein meaning "small, little" and dienst meaning "service, duty".

Klijn Dutch
Could be a variant of Klein "small, little", or could be derived from Old Dutch kluin (also klyn or kloen) "peat".

Kobata Japanese (Rare)
Variant of Hatta, added Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small, little".

Kodera Japanese
"Little temple".

Kodzuchi Japanese (Rare)
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small; little" and 土 (dzuchi), the joining form of 土 (tsuchi) meaning "earth; soil; mud, ground".

Kogane Japanese (Rare)
This surname is used as 黄金, 小金, 古金, 子金, 故金 or 小賀根 with 黄 (ou, kou, ki, ko-) meaning "yellow", 小 (shou, o-, ko-, sa-, chii.sai) meaning "little, small", 古 (ko, furu-, furu.i, -fu.rusu) meaning "old", 子 (shi, su, tsu, ko, -ko, -ne) meaning "child, sign of the rat (1st sign of Chinese zodiac", 故 (ko, furu.i, moto, yue) meaning "cause, circumstances, consequently, especially, happenstance, intentionally, reason, the late, therefore", 賀 (ga) meaning "congratulations, joy", 根 (kon, ne, -ne) meaning "head (pimple), radical, root" and 金 (kin, kon, gon, kana-, kane, -gane) meaning "gold."... [more]

Kohatsu Japanese
From 小 (ko) meaning "small, little" or 古 (ko) meaning "old", 波 (ha) meaning "wave", and 津 (tsu) meaning "harbor, port".

Koike Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "little, small" and 池 (ike) meaning "pond."

Koiso Japanese
Combination of the kanji 小 (ko; "small, little, short") and 磯 (iso; "seashore")

Koiwai Japanese
From 小 (ko) meaning "little, small" combined with 岩 (iwa) meaning "stone" and 井 (i) meaning "pit, mineshaft, well" or 祝 (iwai) meaning "blessing, celebrate, congratulations".

Koki Japanese
This surname combines 古 (ko, furu-, furu.i, -fu.rusu) meaning "old" or 小 (shou, o-, ko-, sa-, chii.sai) meaning "little, small" with 木 (boku, moku, ki, ko-) meaning "tree, wood."

Kokoba Japanese
From Japanese 木 (ko) meaning "tree" or 小 (ko) meaning "small, little" combined with 々, which duplicates the first syllable and 葉 (ba) meaning "leaf". Other kanji combinations are possible.

Komada Japanese
Ko could mean "small, little" or "old", ma could mean "real, genuine" and da comes from ta meaning "rice paddy, field".

Komaeda Japanese (Rare)
From 小 (ko) meaning "small, little" or 古 (ko) meaning "old" combined with Maeda.... [more]

Komagata Japanese
Ko could mean "little, small" or "old". Ma could mean "genuine, real" or "horse". Gata could come from kata meaning "shape, form".

Komura Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small, Little" and 村 (mura) meaning "town, hamlet, village".

Kose Japanese
From 小 (ko) meaning "small, little" or 古 (kose) meaning "old" combined with 瀬 (se) meaning "current, ripple".

Koshiba Japanese
From 小 (ko) meaning "small, little" and 柴 (shiba) meaning "firewood".

Kosuge Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "small; little; short" and 菅 (suge) meaning "sedge".... [more]

Kotake Japanese
From the Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "little, small" and 竹 (take) meaning "bamboo."

Kozlik Russian
Means "little goat".

Kozue Japanese (Rare)
This surname is used as 梢, 小梢 or 梢江 with 梢 (shou, kusunoki, kozue) meaning "treetops, twig", 小 (shou, o-, ko-, sa-, chii.sai) meaning "little, small" and 江 (kou, e) meaning "bay, creek, inlet."... [more]

Kozuka Japanese
From Japanese 小 (ko) meaning "little, small" and 塚 (tsuka) meaning "hillock, mound".

Kurochkin m Russian
From Russian курочка (kurochka) meaning "little hen, chicken".

Littlewood English
Habitational name for a person from any of the various places in Yorkshire, derived from Old English lytel "small, little" and wudu "tree, wood".

Mac Cruimein Scottish Gaelic
Means "son of Cruimean" in Gaelic, a personal name meaning "little stooped one".

Maitlis Jewish
Means "son of Meytl", a Yiddish female personal name, literally "little Meyte", a Yiddish female personal name derived from Middle High German maget "maid".

Malaya Russian, Ukrainian
From Russian малый (maliy) or Ukrainian малий (malyy) both meaning "small, little", used as a nickname for a small child or a person who was thin or short in stature. Alternately, it may have come from Tatar малай (malay) meaning "boy, son" or "apprentice".

Malenkov Russian
Patronymic derived from Russian маленький (malen'kiy) meaning "little, small". The Soviet leader Georgy Malenkov (1902-1988) was a notable bearer of this name.

Malygin m Russian
Might be derived from малый, meaning "small, little."

Malyy m Ukrainian
Means "small, little".

Mcsimmeen Manx
"Little Simon's Son"

Melillo Italian
Means "small apple, crab apple" in Neapolitan, either a topographic name, an occupational name for a grower or seller of apples, or perhaps a nickname for someone with a sour disposition. Alternatively, it could be from the Latin given name Mellilus, related to the endearment mellilla "little honey", or be a diminutive form of Meli.

Michalk Sorbian
a last name of Sorbian origin, literally means "little Michael", spelling has been anglicized.

Mousel German (Austrian, Anglicized), English
Anglicisation of the German Mäusl, from the German word maus - "mouse" combined with a diminutive suffix, literally meaning "little mouse"... [more]

Mrázek Czech
Means "little frost".

Myatt English
From the medieval personal name Myat, literally "little Mihel", an Anglo-Norman variant of Michael.

Ó Cróinín Irish
It literally means "little saffron-colored one’s descendant".

Ogami Japanese
This surname is used as 拝, 小上, 小神, 尾上, 尾神, 男神 with 拝 (hai, oga.mu, oroga.mu) meaning "adore, pray to, worship," 小 (shou, o-, ko-, sa-, chii.sai) meaning "little, small," 尾 (bi, o) meaning "end, tail," 男 (dan, nan, o, otoko) meaning "male," 上 (shan, shou, jou, a.gari, a.garu, a.geru, ue, -ue, uwa-, kami, nobo.su, nobo.seru, nobo.ri, nobo.ru, yo.su) meaning "above, up" and 神 (shin, jin, kami, kan-, kou-) meaning "gods, mind, soul."

Oguri Japanese
From Japanese 小 (o) meaning "small, little" and 栗 (kuri) meaning "chestnut".

Okota Japanese (Rare)
This name is used to combine 興 (kou, kyou, oko.ru, oko.su) meaning "interest, pleasure," or 小 (shou, o-, ko-, sa-, chii.sai) meaning "little, small" with 古 (ko, furu.i, furu-, -furu.su) meaning "old" and 田 (den, ta) meaning "rice field, rice paddy."

Orfanelli Italian
Means "little orphans" in Italian, ultimately from Ancient Greek ὀρφᾰνός "without parents; bereft". Given to children raised in an orphanage.

Orlyk Ukrainian
From Ukrainian орлик (orlyk), meaning "little eagle".

Pacieco Ancient Roman (Archaic)
A Roman surname meaning "little one." One of the first persons recorded with this surname is a general named Vivio Pacieco, General Pacieco was sent by Julius Caesar to fight in the Iberian peninsula... [more]

Paciello Italian
Italian surname for "Little peacemaker"; a diminutive for the Italian word "paciere", meaning Peacemaker.

Padgett English
Diminutive form of Page, which is of Old French origin, and an occupational name for a young servant, a personal attendant in a noble's house, from the Old French, Middle English "page", ultimately deriving from the Greek "paidion", a boy, child... [more]

Petitjean French
Nickname for a small or little man, or ironically a large or tall man, derived from Old French petit meaning "small, little" combined with the given name Jean 1... [more]

Petito Italian, Judeo-Italian
Nickname for a small person, derived from a dialectal word ultimately from French petit meaning "small, little".

Piccinini Italian
Derived from Italian piccino "little, small, tiny".

Piccolantonio Italian
Means "little Antonio" in Italian

Pischedda Sardinian
Thought to derive from the Sardinian word pischedda, which translates to "little fish", possibly indicating a connection to fishing or aquatic occupations that were prevalent in coastal communities.

Pitschen Romansh
Derived from Romansh pitschen "small, little".

Poland English, German, French (Anglicized), Irish (Anglicized)
English and German name is derived from the Middle High German Polan, which means "Poland". The surname originally signified a person with Polish connections.This French surname originated from an occupational name of a poultry breeder, or from a fearful person; it is derived from the Old French poule, which means "chicken".In other cases, particularly in Ireland, the English Poland is a variant of Polin,which is in turn an Anglicised form of the original Gaelic spelling of Mac Póilín, which translated from Irish means "son of little Paul"... [more]

Ptacek Czech
A name given to a small, birdlike individual, meaning literally "little bird".

Ptushko Russian
Means "little bird".

Reekie Scottish
Perhaps "person from Reikie", Aberdeenshire, or from a different form of the Scottish male personal name Rikie, literally "little Richard".

Rybkin Russian
From rybka, meaning "little fish".

Schätzel German
German diminutive of Schatz, or a nickname for a lover meaning "little sweetheart" (from the same word used as a term of endearment).

Schellekens Dutch
Patronymic form of Schelleken, a diminutive of given names derived from scalc "servant, knight", such as Schalk or Godschalk... [more]

Schwank German
Either a nickname for a thin person, (derived from Middle High German swanc meaning "little, slender, thin"), a pretty person (from Middle Low German swank "fine, dainty") or a fun, loving person (from Middle High German swanc and Middle Low German swank "funny idea, joke, jest, foolery").

Serpik Russian
A diminutive of sickle. "little sickle"

Shiemke Kashubian (Americanized, ?), Polish (Americanized, ?), Sorbian (Americanized, ?)
Americanized form of Schimke, which is a Germanized form of an uncertain Slavic name, possibly Polish, Kashubian or Sorbian. The original name was a nickname meaning "little Simon 1", either a diminutive of the given name or meaning "son of Simon".

Shockley English
(i) perhaps "person from Shocklach", Cheshire ("boggy stream infested with evil spirits"); (ii) perhaps an anglicization of Swiss German Schoechli, literally "person who lives by the little barn"

Simkin English
Means "little Sim", Sim being a medieval short form of Simon 1 (cf. Simpkin).

Słomkowski Polish
Habitational name for someone from places called Słomków, Słomkowa, or Słomkowo, all named with słomka meaning "little straw".

Sokić Croatian
Derived from Turksh sokak, meaning "street". The word is still used in Croatian meaning "little street, alley". Most people with this surname live in Cernik, Croatia.

Sorrell English
From a medieval nickname meaning literally "little red-haired one", from a derivative of Anglo-Norman sorel "chestnut".

Suominen Finnish
From Suomi meaning ”Finland” in Finnish. The -nen ending can be translated as "little" or "of something" (Suominen="of Finland") but is in Finland mostly seen just as a typical ending for surnames, without any actual meaning.

Tsaryok Ukrainian
Means "little tsar".

Tsikunib Circassian (Russified)
Derived from Adyghe цӏыкӏу (c̣əḳ°) meaning "little" and ныбэ (nəbă) meaning "stomach, belly".

Vaiksaar Estonian
Vaiksaar is an Estonian surname meaing "quiet/still ("vaikus") island ("saar")". May also come from "väike saar", meaning "little island".

Valenzuela Spanish
Habitational name from places named Valenzuela in Córdoba and Ciudad Real. The place name is a diminutive of Valencia, literally "little Valencia".

Vedmederya Ukrainian
Means "bear cub, baby bear, little bear".

Wakelin English
From the Anglo-Norman male personal name Walquelin, literally "little Walho", a Germanic nickname meaning literally "foreigner".

Wisneski Polish
A derivate of Wiśniewski, which is said to mean "The Little Cherry Tree"

Wogan Irish
From the Old Welsh personal name Gwgan or Gwgon, originally probably a nickname meaning literally "little scowler". (Cf. the second element in Cadogan.) This surname is borne by Irish radio and television presenter Terry Wogan (1938-).

Wolford German
Means where the wolves cross the river/stream. Wolf meaning the animal and Ford meaning crossing a body of shallow water.... [more]

Yazzie Indigenous American, Navajo
Derived from the Navajo word yázhí meaning "little".

Yusov Russian
Derived from Russian юс (yus) meaning "(either little or big) yus".

Zubkov Russian
From Russian зубок (zubok), meaning "little tooth". A notable bearer is Viktor Zubkov, the Russian prime minister 2007-2008.

Zvezdochka Russian, Belarusian
Means "little star" or "small star", from Russian "звезда (zvezda)" meaning "star" with the suffix "-очка (-ochka)" meaning "little, small, young". It can also be translated as "starlet". It is a surname in Russia that is also common in Belarus... [more]