NameCensus.

UK surname

Mathison

Son of Matthew, derived from the given name Mathew combined with the patronymic suffix -son.

In the 1881 census there were 864 people recorded with the Mathison surname, ranking it #4,378 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 464, ranked #10,570, down from #4,378 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Edinburgh, Snizort and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden, East Riding of Yorkshire and Coldstream and Area.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mathison is 1,050 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.3%.

1881 census count

864

Ranked #4,378

Modern count

464

2016, ranked #10,570

Peak year

1851

1,050 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mathison had 864 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,378 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016, ranked #10,570.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,050 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mathison surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mathison surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mathison 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 1,050 #2,667
1861 historical 814 #3,383
1881 historical 864 #4,378
1891 historical 741 #5,371
1901 historical 761 #5,869
1911 historical 436 #8,711
1997 modern 512 #9,153
1998 modern 523 #9,276
1999 modern 525 #9,307
2000 modern 526 #9,272
2001 modern 511 #9,304
2002 modern 530 #9,242
2003 modern 494 #9,572
2004 modern 477 #9,833
2005 modern 464 #9,976
2006 modern 472 #9,892
2007 modern 467 #10,053
2008 modern 477 #9,997
2009 modern 495 #9,942
2010 modern 514 #9,838
2011 modern 518 #9,705
2012 modern 473 #10,279
2013 modern 482 #10,298
2014 modern 478 #10,428
2015 modern 466 #10,552
2016 modern 464 #10,570

Geography

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Where Mathisons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Edinburgh, Snizort, Glasgow, Dornoch and Innerleithen. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden, East Riding of Yorkshire, Coldstream and Area, Tweeddale West Area and South Tyneside. 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 Edinburgh Edinburgh
2 Snizort Inverness
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Dornoch Sutherland
5 Innerleithen Peebles

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 003 Eden
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 045 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Coldstream and Area Scottish Borders
4 Tweeddale West Area Scottish Borders
5 South Tyneside 019 South Tyneside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mathison

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mathison

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mathison, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Mathison surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Mathison household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Mathison is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mathison is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mathison falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mathison is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mathison

The surname Mathison has its origins in the British Isles, specifically in Scotland and England. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the given name Mathew, which itself is a variation of the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning "gift of God."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mathison can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1170, where a person named Matheu de Wytan is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time, likely originating as a patronymic, meaning "son of Mathew."

In Scotland, the surname Mathison is often associated with the Clan Matheson, a Highland clan with roots in the region of Ross-shire. The clan's history can be traced back to the 13th century, with one of the earliest recorded members being Dugall Matheson, who lived around 1250.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Mathison surname appeared in various historical records across Scotland and England. One notable figure was Sir James Mathison, a Scottish merchant and landowner who lived from 1796 to 1878. He amassed a considerable fortune through his trading activities and was known for his philanthropic efforts.

Another individual of note is John Mathison, a Scottish poet and writer who lived from 1809 to 1859. He is best known for his works "The Blind Girl of Wittenberg" and "The Songs of the Wilderness," which explored themes of nature and spirituality.

In England, the name Mathison has been associated with several notable figures as well. One example is Thomas Mathison, a 17th-century Puritan minister who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds from 1637 to 1665.

The variation Matheson is also found in various historical records. Sir Roderick Matheson, a Scottish politician and businessman who lived from 1786 to 1873, was a prominent figure in the British East India Company and served as a member of parliament for several years.

Throughout its history, the surname Mathison has undergone various spelling variations, including Matheson, Mathieson, Matthison, and Matthewson, among others. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic influences that shaped the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mathison families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mathison 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. Midlothian leads with 113 Mathisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.68x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 113 10.68x
Northumberland 66 5.61x
Aberdeenshire 54 7.38x
Lanarkshire 49 1.92x
Peeblesshire 49 131.83x
Cheshire 37 2.12x
Middlesex 37 0.47x
Lancashire 34 0.36x
Yorkshire 25 0.32x
Fife 23 4.92x
Selkirkshire 23 32.17x
Morayshire 22 17.92x
Durham 20 0.85x
Kirkcudbrightshire 20 17.49x
Surrey 20 0.52x
Banffshire 15 9.15x
Dumfriesshire 14 8.02x
East Lothian 14 13.38x
Renfrewshire 13 2.12x
Argyllshire 11 5.00x
Buckinghamshire 10 2.09x
Stirlingshire 10 3.43x
Inverness-shire 9 3.81x
Staffordshire 9 0.34x
Sutherland 9 14.81x
Berwickshire 8 8.36x
Orkney 8 9.20x
Warwickshire 8 0.40x
Essex 7 0.45x
Ross-shire 7 3.23x
Sussex 7 0.53x
Caithness 6 5.55x
Glamorgan 6 0.44x
Perthshire 5 1.41x
Worcestershire 5 0.48x
Gloucestershire 4 0.26x
Kent 4 0.15x
Roxburghshire 4 2.79x
Kincardineshire 3 3.12x
Royal Navy 3 3.19x
Angus 2 0.27x
Clackmannanshire 2 3.06x
Devon 2 0.12x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.94x
Suffolk 2 0.21x
Ayrshire 1 0.17x
Cumberland 1 0.15x
Hampshire 1 0.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.18x
Leicestershire 1 0.11x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Monmouthshire 1 0.18x
Nairnshire 1 4.15x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 75 Mathisons recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.61x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 75 17.61x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 31 22.64x
Birkenhead 25 17.98x
Innerleithen 22 223.12x
Peebles 22 200.36x
Selkirk 21 104.27x
Barony 18 2.78x
South Leith 17 14.27x
Berwick Upon Tweed 15 60.22x
Inveravon 13 185.98x
Wallsend 12 32.19x
Glasgow 11 2.42x
Tranmere 11 17.16x
Wemyss 11 55.58x
Campbeltown 10 37.69x
Humbie 10 404.86x
Terregles 10 787.40x
Addington 9 2500.00x
Cramond 8 99.75x
Earlston 8 167.01x
Huntly 8 67.17x
Liverpool 8 1.40x
Boharm 7 217.39x
Enfield 7 13.50x
Morton 7 120.90x
Stromness 7 107.36x
Aberdeen Old Machar 6 3.93x
Battersea 6 2.06x
Elgin 6 25.13x
Govan 6 0.95x
Houston Killallan 6 101.18x
Kinloss 6 206.19x
Monkwearmouth Shore 6 13.07x
North Shields 6 25.58x
Old Monkland 6 5.92x
Preston 6 25.80x
St Ninians 6 20.77x
Swansea Higher 6 41.87x
Westgate 6 8.24x
Accrington 5 5.87x
Alnwick 5 24.74x
Barking 5 10.96x
Cannock 5 10.74x
Chelsea London 5 2.10x
Inverkeithing 5 70.92x
Kenmore 5 118.20x
Loth 5 316.46x
Rugby 5 18.55x
Shoreditch London 5 1.46x
St George Hanover 5 4.85x
Blantyre 4 15.04x
Cromarty 4 68.85x
Croydon 4 1.87x
Elloughton Cum Brough 4 165.98x
Esh 4 23.38x
Falkirk 4 5.86x
Holy Trinity 4 2.12x
Inverkip 4 27.72x
Kilmuir 4 57.64x
Kings Norton 4 4.32x
Kirkcaldy 4 17.24x
Manchester 4 0.95x
Pencaitland 4 134.23x
Sculcoates 4 3.22x
Tottenham 4 3.18x
Toxteth Park 4 1.26x
Urr 4 26.88x
West Derby 4 1.46x
Wilton 4 25.48x
Clerkenwell London 3 1.61x
Edinburgh St Georges 3 13.66x
Hamilton 3 4.21x
Islington London 3 0.39x
Latheron 3 16.57x
Newington 3 13.91x
Norham 3 114.94x
North Leith 3 6.12x
Penpont 3 93.46x
Peterhead 3 7.75x
St Martha 3 461.54x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 20
Jane 11
Elizabeth 10
Margaret 10
Ann 8
Annie 6
Jessie 6
Sarah 6
Isabella 5
Emma 4
Frances 4
Ada 3
Alice 3
Emily 3
Louisa 3
Susannah 3
Agnes 2
Charlotte 2
Cicely 2
Dorothy 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Helen 2
Hellen 2
Isabel 2
Maggie 2
Margraet 2
Martha 2
Beatrice 1
Catharine 1
Catherine 1
Christina 1
Dinah 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Francis 1
Hannah 1
Harriett 1
Henrietta 1
Janet 1
Katie 1
Lilian 1
Lizzie 1
Lousia 1
Marguerite 1
Mariane 1
Maud 1
Mi...orthus 1
Phoebe 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 24
James 18
William 15
Thomas 12
Robert 9
Frederick 7
George 6
Alexander 4
Alfred 3
Archibald 3
Charles 3
David 3
Frank 3
Adam 2
Geo. 2
Gilbert 2
Joseph 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Archibold 1
Bertie 1
Colin 1
Dupont 1
Earnest 1
Edward 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Geo.D. 1
Halbert 1
Harry 1
Hartley 1
Henry 1
Jas. 1
Jesse 1
Jhon 1
Job 1
Jonathan 1
Kennard 1
Louis 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Norton 1
Parker 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Vincent 1
Walter 1
Willm. 1
Willm.Jas. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mathison surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mathison surname in 1881?

In 1881, 864 people were recorded with the Mathison surname. That placed it at #4,378 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mathison surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016. That gives Mathison a modern rank of #10,570.

What does the Mathison surname mean?

Son of Matthew, derived from the given name Mathew combined with the patronymic suffix -son.

What does the Mathison map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mathison 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.