UK surname
An English surname derived from the Middle English word "maters," meaning important concerns or affairs.
In the 1881 census there were 123 people recorded with the Matters surname, ranking it #17,506 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 90, ranked #32,202, down from #17,506 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Tormoham with Torquay and Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Matters is 214 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 26.8%.
1881 census count
123
Ranked #17,506
Modern count
90
2016, ranked #32,202
Peak year
1861
214 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Matters surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Matters surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 151 | #12,840 |
| 1861 | historical | 214 | #11,365 |
| 1881 | historical | 123 | #17,506 |
| 1891 | historical | 181 | #16,065 |
| 1901 | historical | 138 | #18,955 |
| 1911 | historical | 175 | #16,246 |
| 1997 | modern | 89 | #28,490 |
| 1998 | modern | 84 | #29,537 |
| 1999 | modern | 84 | #29,700 |
| 2000 | modern | 84 | #29,706 |
| 2001 | modern | 84 | #29,508 |
| 2002 | modern | 87 | #29,644 |
| 2003 | modern | 91 | #29,121 |
| 2004 | modern | 86 | #30,019 |
| 2005 | modern | 77 | #31,156 |
| 2006 | modern | 74 | #31,850 |
| 2007 | modern | 71 | #32,484 |
| 2008 | modern | 73 | #32,555 |
| 2009 | modern | 83 | #31,950 |
| 2010 | modern | 88 | #31,875 |
| 2011 | modern | 91 | #31,442 |
| 2012 | modern | 89 | #31,934 |
| 2013 | modern | 92 | #31,909 |
| 2014 | modern | 91 | #32,219 |
| 2015 | modern | 88 | #32,421 |
| 2016 | modern | 90 | #32,202 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Exeter St David (including Castle Yard), Tormoham with Torquay, Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy, Bishop Wearmouth and Plymouth St Charles the Martyr. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exeter St David (including Castle Yard) | Devon |
| 2 | Tormoham with Torquay | Devon |
| 3 | Tavistock. Whitechurch, St Peter Tavy | Devon |
| 4 | Bishop Wearmouth | Durham |
| 5 | Plymouth St Charles the Martyr | Devon |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Matters surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Matters, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Matters surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Matters household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Matters is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Matters is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Matters, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Matters originated in England during the 14th century. It is derived from the Old English word "mætherse," which means "meadow." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name lived near or worked in a meadow.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Matters surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, where a Thomas Mathers is mentioned. The variant spelling "Mathers" was common in medieval records.
In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a William Maderes is listed as a landowner in Buckinghamshire. This is likely an early spelling variation of the Matters name.
The Matters surname has a strong connection to the village of Madresfield in Worcestershire. This place name, originally recorded as "Maedresfeld" in the Domesday Book of 1086, is believed to be the source of the surname.
One notable bearer of the Matters surname was John Matters (c.1460-1531), a wealthy merchant and alderman of the City of London. He served as Sheriff of London in 1514 and was a benefactor of several churches and charitable institutions.
Another historical figure with this surname was Thomas Matters (1561-1629), an English clergyman and academic. He served as the President of St. John's College, Oxford, and was a renowned scholar of his time.
In the 16th century, the Matters family established themselves in the county of Gloucestershire. Edward Matters (c.1590-1671) was a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire in the 1640s.
The Matters surname also has a connection to the village of Madeley in Shropshire. William Matters (1677-1743), a wealthy businessman and landowner, was born in Madeley and became a prominent figure in the local community.
Another notable bearer of the Matters name was Sir George Matters (1788-1866), a British military officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament for Worcestershire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Matters surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 60 Matters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.02x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Poughill in Cornwall leads with 9 Matters' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5294.12x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Poughill | 9 | 5294.12x |
| Burlescombe | 8 | 2352.94x |
| Plymouth St Andrew | 8 | 41.58x |
| Ryhope | 8 | 322.58x |
| Dawlish | 7 | 376.34x |
| St Luke London | 7 | 36.38x |
| Dartmouth St Saviour | 6 | 845.07x |
| Marystow | 6 | 3750.00x |
| Plymouth Charles The | 6 | 54.55x |
| South Stoneham | 6 | 112.57x |
| Stoke Damerel | 6 | 34.32x |
| Callington | 4 | 506.33x |
| Calstock | 4 | 150.38x |
| Cardiff St Mary | 4 | 34.75x |
| Tormoham | 4 | 37.84x |
| Camberwell | 3 | 3.91x |
| Hove | 2 | 22.52x |
| Launcells | 2 | 869.57x |
| Virginstow | 2 | 4000.00x |
| Beerferris | 1 | 204.08x |
| Carisbrooke | 1 | 29.33x |
| Devonport | 1 | 34.84x |
| Dundee | 1 | 2.41x |
| Exeter St Leonard | 1 | 147.06x |
| Gulval | 1 | 114.94x |
| Hatherleigh | 1 | 161.29x |
| Kilchattan | 1 | 434.78x |
| Kingskerswell | 1 | 243.90x |
| Lambeth | 1 | 0.96x |
| Melksham | 1 | 54.35x |
| Pittenweem | 1 | 113.64x |
| Portsea | 1 | 2.07x |
| Portsmouth | 1 | 17.67x |
| Sheepwash | 1 | 588.24x |
| South Molton | 1 | 72.99x |
| St Ive | 1 | 114.94x |
| St Pancras London | 1 | 1.04x |
| St Stephens By Saltash | 1 | 169.49x |
| Stratton | 1 | 135.14x |
| Veryan | 1 | 188.68x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Matters surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 8 |
| Sarah | 5 |
| Elizabeth | 4 |
| Emma | 3 |
| Jane | 3 |
| Lucy | 3 |
| Annie | 2 |
| Emily | 2 |
| Florence | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Agnes | 1 |
| Agness | 1 |
| Ann | 1 |
| Betty | 1 |
| Catherine | 1 |
| Charlotte | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Gertrude | 1 |
| Grace | 1 |
| Harriet | 1 |
| Harriett | 1 |
| Helen | 1 |
| Isabella | 1 |
| Johanna | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Laura | 1 |
| Lawrence | 1 |
| Louisa | 1 |
| Lousia | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Maria | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Maryann | 1 |
| Matilda | 1 |
| Mildred | 1 |
| Miltilda | 1 |
| Pollie | 1 |
| Rebekah | 1 |
| Rosena | 1 |
| Susan | 1 |
| Sylvia | 1 |
| Willmott | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Matters surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Matters households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 28 |
| General Labourer | 4 |
| ((Scholar)) | 2 |
| At School | 2 |
| Cartman | 2 |
| Farm Servant (Indoor) | 2 |
| Labourer | 2 |
| Able Seaman | 1 |
| Ag Lab | 1 |
| Ag Lab Wife | 1 |
| Ag. Labourer | 1 |
| Assistant | 1 |
| Baker | 1 |
| Beer Seller | 1 |
| Boy 2 Class | 1 |
| Chairwoman | 1 |
| Cheesemonger | 1 |
| Cheesemonger Wife | 1 |
| Coachman (ND) | 1 |
| Coal Miner | 1 |
| Cook | 1 |
| Domestic Servt. | 1 |
| Dress Maker | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| Engine Driver (Mine) | 1 |
| Errand Girl | 1 |
| Farm Bailiff | 1 |
| Farmer Of 91 Acres Employing 2 Men | 1 |
| Gen Serv Domestic Serv | 1 |
| General (Ag) | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Genl Serv Domestic | 1 |
| Hawker | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Housemaid | 1 |
| Inspector Of Police (Dport) | 1 |
| Lab (General) | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Lime Stone Quarryman & ((Lime Breaker)) | 1 |
| Merchant Sailor | 1 |
| Quarryman (Limestone) | 1 |
| Quarryman (Stone) | 1 |
| Retired Farmer | 1 |
| School | 1 |
| Ship Carpenters Wife | 1 |
| Thatcher | 1 |
| Under Nurse | 1 |
| Washerwoman | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 123 people were recorded with the Matters surname. That placed it at #17,506 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 90 in 2016. That gives Matters a modern rank of #32,202.
An English surname derived from the Middle English word "maters," meaning important concerns or affairs.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Matters bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.