NameCensus.

UK surname

Mathe

A surname with origins meaning "meadow" or "hilly pasture land".

In the 1881 census there were 7 people recorded with the Mathe surname, ranking it #32,765 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 125, ranked #26,827, up from #32,765 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Surrey Heath, Rushcliffe and Hazelbank and Kirkfieldbank.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mathe is 129 in 2012. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 1685.7%.

1881 census count

7

Ranked #32,765

Modern count

125

2016, ranked #26,827

Peak year

2012

129 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mathe had 7 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #32,765 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016, ranked #26,827.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 34 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Mathe surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mathe surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mathe surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mathe over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 25 #28,853
1861 historical 34 #29,685
1881 historical 7 #32,765
1891 historical 10 #33,355
1901 historical 2 #34,263
1911 historical 8 #32,903
1997 modern 28 #34,904
1998 modern 29 #34,948
1999 modern 24 #35,514
2000 modern 29 #34,976
2001 modern 30 #34,753
2002 modern 42 #33,951
2003 modern 48 #33,533
2004 modern 67 #31,976
2005 modern 68 #32,097
2006 modern 86 #30,425
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 89 #30,713
2009 modern 101 #29,445
2010 modern 119 #27,250
2011 modern 116 #27,477
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 122 #27,122
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 127 #26,494
2016 modern 125 #26,827

Geography

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Where Mathes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Surrey Heath, Rushcliffe, Hazelbank and Kirkfieldbank, Wandsworth and County Durham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Surrey Heath 008 Surrey Heath
2 Rushcliffe 004 Rushcliffe
3 Hazelbank and Kirkfieldbank South Lanarkshire
4 Wandsworth 022 Wandsworth
5 County Durham 049 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mathe

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mathe surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mathe

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mathe, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Mathe surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Mathe household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Mathe is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mathe is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mathe falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mathe is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Black - African

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mathe, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mathe

The surname Mathe has its origins in Germany, specifically in the region of Bavaria. It is believed to have emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the German word "Matte," which referred to a meadow or a grassy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mathe can be found in the Bavarian town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a family by the name of Mathe is mentioned in local records dating back to the early 15th century. This family was likely involved in agricultural activities, as their name suggests a connection to the land.

In the 16th century, the surname Mathe appeared in various manuscripts and records across southern Germany. For example, the name is mentioned in the Kirchenbücher (church books) of the town of Bamberg, which documented births, marriages, and deaths in the local community.

A notable individual bearing the surname Mathe was Johann Mathe, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1592 to 1672. He was born in the town of Halle and later became a professor at the University of Jena, where he made significant contributions to the fields of logic and metaphysics.

Another prominent figure with the surname Mathe was Maria Mathe, a German poet and writer who lived from 1776 to 1856. She was born in the town of Nürnberg and is celebrated for her romantic poetry and her contributions to the literary culture of the time.

In the 19th century, the surname Mathe gained recognition through the work of Carl Mathe, a German mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1807 to 1892. He is best known for his research on the theory of elliptic functions and his contributions to the field of celestial mechanics.

Another notable individual bearing the surname Mathe was Heinrich Mathe, a German artist and sculptor who lived from 1818 to 1889. He was born in the city of Munich and is renowned for his intricate woodcarvings and sculptures, which adorned numerous churches and public buildings throughout Bavaria.

Throughout its history, the surname Mathe has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Mathehausen, a small village located in the state of Baden-Württemberg. This village likely derived its name from the presence of families bearing the surname Mathe in the area.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mathe families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mathe surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 2 Mathes recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.12x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 2 4.12x
Cornwall 1 18.21x
Lancashire 1 1.74x
Staffordshire 1 6.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hammersmith London in Middlesex leads with 1 Mathes recorded in 1881 and an index of 84.03x.

Place Total Index
Hammersmith London 1 84.03x
Ince In Makerfield 1 370.37x
St Austell 1 526.32x
Westminster St 1 555.56x
Willenhall 1 322.58x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mathe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 2
Lucy 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mathe surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Benjamen 1
Francois 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mathe households.

FAQ

Mathe surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mathe surname in 1881?

In 1881, 7 people were recorded with the Mathe surname. That placed it at #32,765 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mathe surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 125 in 2016. That gives Mathe a modern rank of #26,827.

What does the Mathe surname mean?

A surname with origins meaning "meadow" or "hilly pasture land".

What does the Mathe map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mathe bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.