Explore the Family Name Matheson
The meaning of Matheson
1. Scottish: patronymic from a short form of the personal name Matthew. 2. Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Mathghamhna, Mac Mathghamhuin, abbreviated to Mac Mhathain ‘son of Mathghamhain’, a personal name literally meaning ‘good calf’, a kenning for ‘bear’. Compare Irish McMahon, Mahoney. History: In Scotland, this is the name of a Highland clan associated with the area around Lochalsh.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Matheson in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Matheson slightly decreased between 2000 and 2010, with its rank dropping from 4468 to 4678, a change of -4.7%. However, the count of individuals carrying this name increased by 3.88%, rising from 7302 in 2000 to 7585 in 2010. The proportion of the U.S. population bearing the surname per 100k also saw a minor decline of -5.17%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,468 | #4,678 | -4.7% |
| Count | 7,302 | 7,585 | 3.88% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.71 | 2.57 | -5.17% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Matheson
Regarding ethnicity based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, people with the surname Matheson were primarily of White descent in both 2000 and 2010. However, there was a slight decrease in this category over the decade, from 93.18% to 91.43%. There were increases in all other ethnic identities, with the most notable being among those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, which rose by 58.06%. Those identifying as two or more races increased by 29.77%, while Hispanic representation rose by 42.04%. There was a small increase in those identifying as Black, up 6.67%, and those stating their identity as American Indian and Alaskan Native, which went up by 20.65%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.18% | 91.43% | -1.88% |
| Black | 2.4% | 2.56% | 6.67% |
| Hispanic | 1.57% | 2.23% | 42.04% |
| Two or More Races | 1.31% | 1.7% | 29.77% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.92% | 1.11% | 20.65% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.62% | 0.98% | 58.06% |
Matheson 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 Matheson is British & Irish, which comprises 58.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (17.1%) and Scandinavian (5.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Italian, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 58.8% |
| French & German | 17.1% |
| Scandinavian | 5.8% |
| Other | 18.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Matheson
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 Matheson have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
| Lancashire, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.30% |
What Matheson 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 Matheson is R-L21, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L21 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS2243 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Black, Elliott, Mccloud, Mcdonald, Mckenzie, Hughes, Evans, Newman, Morgan, Phillips.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Matheson surname are: H1, J1c, 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 Matheson 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.
"Matheson" Surname 50.0%
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.
"Matheson" Surname 25.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Matheson" Surname 28.6%
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.
"Matheson" Surname 20.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Matheson?
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 Matheson are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition