Explore the Family Name Mather
The meaning of Mather
English: 1. variant of Mader, reflecting an alternative pronunciation influenced by Old Norse mathra ‘madder (plant)’. 2. occupational name for a mower or reaper of grass or hay, Old English mǣthere. Compare Mead, Mower. Hay was formerly of great importance, not only as feed for animals in winter but also for bedding. 3. in southern Lancashire, where it has long been a common surname, it is probably a relatively late development of Madder (see Mader). 4. possibly from the Middle English personal name Mather (Old English Mǣthhere, from mæthel ‘speech’ + here ‘army’) but there is no evidence that this gave rise to a hereditary surname. History: The prominent Mather family of New England were established in America by Richard Mather (1596–1669) in 1635. He was a Puritan clergyman from a well-established family of Lowton, Lancashire, England. After he emigrated, he was in great demand as a preacher, finally settling in Dorchester, MA. His son Increase Mather (1639–1723) was a diplomat and president of Harvard. He married his step-sister Maria Cotton, herself the daughter of an eminent Puritan divine, John Cotton. Their son Cotton Mather (1663–1728) bore both surnames. The latter was a minister who is remembered for his part in witchcraft trials, but he was also a man of science and a fellow of the Royal Society in London.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mather in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Mather has seen a rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 4,884th most popular name, but by 2010 it had risen to the 4,652nd spot, showing an increase of 4.75%. The count of individuals with this surname also increased from 6,602 to 7,621 during this time period, which is a substantial growth of 15.43%. There was also an increase in the proportion per 100k people, with a growth of 5.31% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,884 | #4,652 | 4.75% |
| Count | 6,602 | 7,621 | 15.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.45 | 2.58 | 5.31% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mather
The Decennial U.S. Census's data on the ethnicity tied to the surname Mather shows interesting trends between 2000 and 2010. Notably, there was a significant increase in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, from 4.48% to 14.08%, marking a change of 214.29%. People identifying with two or more ethnicities decreased slightly from 1.51% to 1.35%, while those identifying as White decreased from 90.85% to 80.58%. The Hispanic population with this surname saw an increase of 80.65%, moving from 1.24% to 2.24%. The percentages of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities both decreased marginally, by 12.96% and 3.61% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 90.85% | 80.58% | -11.3% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.48% | 14.08% | 214.29% |
| Hispanic | 1.24% | 2.24% | 80.65% |
| Two or More Races | 1.51% | 1.35% | -10.6% |
| Black | 1.08% | 0.94% | -12.96% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.83% | 0.8% | -3.61% |
Mather 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 Mather is British & Irish, which comprises 56.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.8%) and Eastern European (4.4%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, Spanish & Portuguese, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.4% |
| French & German | 24.8% |
| Eastern European | 4.4% |
| Other | 14.4% |
Possible origins of the surname Mather
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 Mather have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 90.60% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 90.20% |
What Mather 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 Mather is R-Z225, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z225 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Plunkett, Shockley, Brake, Scoggins, Berrios, Reynoso, Feliciano, Puckett, Tamez, Lucero.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mather surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Mather 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.
"Mather" Surname 44.3%
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.
"Mather" Surname 31.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Mather" Surname 21.3%
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.
"Mather" Surname 19.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mather?
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 Mather are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition