Explore the Family Name Matthew
The meaning of Matthew
English and Scottish: from the Middle English personal name Ma(t)thew, a vernacular form of the Greek New Testament name Matthias, Matthaios, which is ultimately from the Hebrew personal name Matityahu ‘gift of God’. This was taken into Latin as Mat(t)hias and Matthaeus respectively, the former being used for the twelfth apostle (who replaced Judas Iscariot) and the latter for the author of the first Gospel. In many European languages this distinction is reflected in different name forms. The commonest vernacular forms of the personal name, including English Matthew, Old French Matheu, Spanish Mateo, Italian Matteo, Portuguese Mateus, Catalan and Occitan Mateu are generally derived from the form Matthaeus. In North America, the English form of the surname has absorbed cognates from other languages, including German Matthias, Greek Mathias and Mattheos, Assyrian/Chaldean Matti, Czech Matěj, Slovak, Croatian, and Slovenian Matej. The name Matthew is also found among Christians in southern India (compare Mathai), but since South Indians traditionally do not have hereditary surnames, the southern Indian name was in most cases registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US. Compare Mathew, see also Matthews.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Matthew in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Matthew has seen a slight decline in popularity over the past decade. In 2000, Matthew was ranked as the 4971st most popular last name in the United States, a ranking that slipped to 5408 by 2010 - a decrease of approximately 8.79%. The total number of individuals with this surname also dropped slightly, from 6486 in 2000 to 6436 in 2010 - a reduction of about 0.77%. The proportion of people with the surname per 100k also fell by 9.17%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,971 | #5,408 | -8.79% |
| Count | 6,486 | 6,436 | -0.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.4 | 2.18 | -9.17% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Matthew
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Matthew also shifted somewhat between 2000 and 2010 as per the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest percentage of those carrying the surname identify as White, although this group's share declined from 59.90% to 54.37% over the decade. Those identifying as Black saw an increase from 29.94% to 32.64%, making it the second largest ethnic group associated with the surname. The Asian/Pacific Islander group experienced the most significant growth, increasing their representation from 3.92% to 5.72%. The Hispanic group also grew from 2.64% to 3.78%. However, the share of people identifying as two or more races slightly decreased from 2.62% to 2.59%, whilst the American Indian and Alaskan Native group also dipped from 0.99% to 0.90%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 59.9% | 54.37% | -9.23% |
| Black | 29.94% | 32.64% | 9.02% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 3.92% | 5.72% | 45.92% |
| Hispanic | 2.64% | 3.78% | 43.18% |
| Two or More Races | 2.62% | 2.59% | -1.15% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.99% | 0.9% | -9.09% |
Matthew 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 Matthew is British & Irish, which comprises 44.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.0%) and Nigerian (5.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Scandinavian, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 44.6% |
| French & German | 22.0% |
| Nigerian | 5.1% |
| Other | 28.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Matthew
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 Matthew have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 70.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 70.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 70.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 70.70% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 70.70% |
What Matthew 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 Matthew is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-P312, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Jack, Logan, Oliver, Bedford, Langdon, Griffith, Jeffrey, Jones, Powell, Lees.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Matthew surname are: M, H1, 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 Matthew 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.
"Matthew" Surname 48.9%
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.
"Matthew" Surname 19.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Matthew" Surname 15.7%
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.
"Matthew" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Matthew?
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 Matthew are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition