Explore the Family Name Mathew

The meaning of Mathew

English and Scottish: variant of Matthew. Mathew is common as a personal name among Christians in South India, and was registered as a surname after their immigration to the US. Some characteristic forenames: Indian Mathai, Babu, Oommen, Saji, Varughese, Raju, Reji, Sunil, Prakash, Prasad, Shaji, Cheriyan.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Mathew in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Mathew" has seen an increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of this surname improved from 3509 in 2000 to 2612 in 2010, representing a positive change of 25.56%. Similarly, the count of people with the surname "Mathew" also increased by 48.3% during this period, from 9311 to 13808. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 also showed an upward trend, growing by 35.65%.

20002010Change
Rank#3,509#2,61225.56%
Count9,31113,80848.3%
Proportion per 100k3.454.6835.65%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mathew

The ethnicity breakdown for the surname "Mathew," as per the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some significant shifts over the decade. The majority of people with this surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, and this group saw a growth of 19.02% from 67.84% in 2000 to 80.74% in 2010. However, all other ethnic identities experienced decreases. Those identifying as Two or more races declined by 60.12%, Whites by 37.15%, Hispanics by 18.82%, Blacks by 43.17%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native by 23.60%.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander67.84%80.74%19.02%
White19.54%12.28%-37.15%
Black4.98%2.83%-43.17%
Two or More Races4.89%1.95%-60.12%
Hispanic1.86%1.51%-18.82%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.89%0.68%-23.6%

Mathew 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 Mathew is Malayali Subgroup, which comprises 69.0% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (9.7%) and French & German (7.5%). Additional ancestries include Southern Indian & Sri Lankan, Northern Indian & Pakistani, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, and Indigenous American.

Ready to learn more about your ancestry? Get the most comprehensive ancestry breakdown on the market by taking our DNA test. Shop 23andMe

ANCESTRY BREAKDOWNCOMPOSITION
Malayali Subgroup69.0%
British & Irish9.7%
French & German7.5%
Other13.8%
Mathew

Possible origins of the surname Mathew

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 Mathew have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

RECENT ANCESTRY LocationPercentage
Greater London, United Kingdom17.70%
Glasgow City, United Kingdom17.70%
Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom17.70%
West Midlands, United Kingdom17.70%
West Yorkshire, United Kingdom17.70%

What Mathew 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 Mathew is R-Y6, which is predominantly found among people with Central & South Asian ancestry. Haplogroup R-Y6 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include Q-M346 and J-M241, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Khan, Ahmed, Nair, Hussain, Rao, Malik, Sharma, Singh, Kumar, Ahmad.

The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mathew surname are: R5a2b4, U1a3, M33a2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of Central & South Asian ancestry.

mathewPaternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420

Your maternal lineage may be linked to Yu Hong

During the 6th century AD the Persian Empire controlled trade along the Silk Road through its Central Asian province of Sogdiana, providing a vital trade link between China and Europe. Evidence suggests there was a genetic connection as well. Researchers extracted DNA from the remains of a chieftain named Yu Hong, who was buried about 200 miles southwest of Beijing in 592 AD. His burial epitaph indicated that Yu Hong had Central Asian ancestry — and his DNA revealed an even more exotic background. Yu Hong's mitochondrial DNA belonged to the U5 haplogroup, a branch of U that is concentrated in Europe. This haplogroup assignment is a sure sign that he had European ancestors on his mother's side, and demonstrated the vast range of haplogroup U from the west to the east.

Maternal Haplo Image

What do people with the surname Mathew 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

Mathew

Chocolate Ice Cream

Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.

"Mathew" Surname 41.7%

23andMe Users 41.3%

Traits

Mathew

Misophonia

When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.

"Mathew" Surname 43.6%

23andMe Users 27.9%

Habits

Mathew

Sugary Drink

Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.

"Mathew" Surname 11.6%

23andMe Users 21.1%

Wellness

Mathew

Migraine

A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

"Mathew" Surname 12.0%

23andMe Users 16.4%

Are health conditions linked to the last name Mathew?

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 Mathew are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Y402H variant

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible vision loss among older adults. The disease results in damage to the central part of the retina (the macula), impairing vision needed for reading, driving, or even recognizing faces. The 23andMe Health + Ancestry DNA test includes the two most common variants associated with an increased risk of developing the condition: the Y402H variant in the CFH gene and the A69S variant in the ARMS2 gene. Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Malayali Subgroup 56.6%

23andMe Users 57.2%