MATHEW
Mathew is a surname with origins in the Hebrew personal name Matityahu, translating to gift of Yahweh or gift of God. The name was adopted in the Greek language as Matthaios, subsequently becoming Matthew in English and Mathew in Welsh.
In the Christian world the surname derives its prominence from the apostle Matthew, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. His reputation as a former tax collector who became an apostle has made the name a favoured biblical choice for Christian families, particularly in medieval Europe when the Reformation encouraged the use of saintly names as surnames.
During the Norman Invasion of 1066 the name entered the English and Scottish onomastic landscape. It was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 in Latin forms such as Matthaeus and in the French spelling Mathieu, though these entries denote baptised priests rather than hereditary surnames. The earliest appearance of the name as a family surname is in the mid‑13teenth century, with examples such as John Mathows of Whitby in Yorkshire in 1395 and Hugh Mathewman in the 1379 Poll Tax rolls. The final s in many early spellings is a reduced form of son of; the full patronymic Matheuson is first recorded in 1416 within the register of the Freemen of York.
The spread of the surname beyond Britain is attested by early colonial records. Captain Samuell Matthews is listed as a settler in Virginia in February 1623, and Christopher Mathews married Ellyn Smith on 18 May 1642 at St. Benet’s, Paul's Wharf, London. Alan Mathew’s entry in the 1260 Assize Rolls of Cambridge, during the reign of Henry VI (the Frenchman), is the earliest documented spelling of the family name.
In modern times the surname is widely found across English‑speaking countries—Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States—often in spelling variants such as Matthew, Matthews, and Mathews. The Welsh form remains popular in Wales, where the name is commonly used as a given name in Christian families to honour the apostle.
The name has also taken root in India, particularly among communities in Kerala that belong to the Syrian Christian tradition. The presence of the surname there is additionally reflected in records of Hindi‑speaking populations, indicating its broad geographical distribution across Asia, with particular usage in India.
Internationally, the name manifests in several linguistic adaptations: French Mathieu, Spanish Mateo, Italian Matteo, Dutch and Portuguese Mattheus, among others. In some regions the surname has given rise to diminutives and patronymics such as Matheson and Mathis, while Irish and Scottish variations include M’Math and MacMath, respectively.
Through centuries of migration and cultural interchange the surname Mathew has remained a testament to its biblical heritage, reflecting a tradition of patronymic identity that continues to be embraced by diverse communities worldwide.
Typical given names associated with the Mathew surname
Male
- Anthony
- Biju
- David
- Francis
- George
- James
- John
- Jose
- Joseph
- Shaji
- Thomas
Female
- Anu
- Beena
- Bindu
- Dorothy
- Elizabeth
- Jessy
- Mary
- Mini
- Patricia
- Sini
- Smitha
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Maith
- Mate
- Math
- Matha
- Mathe
- Mathea
- Matheas
- Mathee
- Matheis
- Mathen
- Mathens
- Matheou
- Mathes
- Matheu
- Matheus
- Mathewes
- Mathewick
- Mathews
- Mathey
- Mathhews
- Mathi
- Mathie
- Mathies
- Mathieu
- Mathiew
- Mathiews
- Mathoo
- Mathre
- Maths
- Mathu
- Mathue
- Mathues
- Mathus
- Mathuse
- Mathwes
- Mathy
- Matthee
- Matthen
- Matthes
- Mattheus
- Matthew
- Matthewes
- Matthews
- Matthey
- Matthie
- Matthieu
- Matthus
- Matthwes
- Matthws
- Mattthews
- Mauthew
- Maythew
- Meath
- Methe
- Methew
- Methews
- Metthews
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Mathew in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 4,746 people named Mathew in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,983rd most common surname in Britain. Around 73 in a million people in Britain are named Mathew.
Region of origin: Asia
Country of origin: India
Religion of origin: Hindu
Language of origin: Hindi
Famous people named Mathew
- Theobald Mathew - Lawyer, died 1964 (1898 to 1964)
- Gervase Frederick Mathew - Entomologist (1842 to 1928)
- David Mathew - Catholic bishop (1902 to 1975)
- John Mathew - Scottish-Australian minister and anthropologist (1849 to 1929)
- Robert Mathew - Politician (1911 to 1966)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.