NameCensus.

UK surname

Matthew

A biblical name derived from the apostle Matthew, meaning "gift of God" in Hebrew.

In the 1881 census there were 2,270 people recorded with the Matthew surname, ranking it #1,966 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,722, ranked #2,465, down from #1,966 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Arbroath and St. Vigeans. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Logie and Blackness, Northfield and Stobswell.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Matthew is 3,460 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.9%.

1881 census count

2,270

Ranked #1,966

Modern count

2,722

2016, ranked #2,465

Peak year

1891

3,460 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Matthew had 2,270 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,966 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,722 in 2016, ranked #2,465.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,460 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Matthew surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Matthew surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Matthew 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 1,905 #1,518
1861 historical 3,318 #859
1881 historical 2,270 #1,966
1891 historical 3,460 #1,377
1901 historical 2,520 #2,177
1911 historical 1,770 #2,772
1997 modern 2,753 #2,328
1998 modern 2,777 #2,390
1999 modern 2,747 #2,431
2000 modern 2,624 #2,503
2001 modern 2,291 #2,763
2002 modern 2,362 #2,742
2003 modern 2,336 #2,720
2004 modern 2,398 #2,659
2005 modern 2,443 #2,591
2006 modern 2,520 #2,534
2007 modern 2,561 #2,517
2008 modern 2,586 #2,510
2009 modern 2,681 #2,478
2010 modern 2,730 #2,497
2011 modern 2,700 #2,490
2012 modern 2,653 #2,490
2013 modern 2,700 #2,498
2014 modern 2,734 #2,484
2015 modern 2,712 #2,480
2016 modern 2,722 #2,465

Geography

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Where Matthews are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Logie and Blackness, Northfield, Stobswell, Fintry and Law. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Logie and Blackness Dundee City
2 Northfield Aberdeen City
3 Stobswell Dundee City
4 Fintry Dundee City
5 Law Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Matthew

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Matthew

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Matthew, 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 Matthew surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Matthew 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Matthew is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Matthew 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

Matthew falls in decile 3 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.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Matthew is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Matthew

The surname MATTHEW originated from the medieval English given name Mathew, itself from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning "gift of Yahweh". It traces back to the New Testament times when Matthew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. The surname came into use in Britain after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

In England, the earliest recorded examples of the surname MATTHEW are found in the 13th century. One of the earliest bearers was Richard Mathew who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Berkshire in 1195. The Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1273 recorded William Matheu and Walter Matheu.

The MATTHEW surname has its roots in various parts of England, including Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire. It is derived from the place name Mathon in Worcestershire, which was recorded as Mathon in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Notable historical figures with the surname MATTHEW include Sir Toby Matthew (1577-1655), an English courtier and writer, and Sir John Matthew (1535-1623), an English judge and politician. William Matthew (1490-1551) was an English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Bath and Wells.

In Scotland, the MATTHEW surname is associated with the Clan Matheson, which traces its origins to the Gaelic name MacMhathain, meaning "son of the bear". Kenneth Matheson (1846-1920) was a Scottish businessman and philanthropist.

The MATTHEW surname also has a presence in Ireland, where it is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Ó Máthúna. Father Theobald Matthew (1790-1856) was an Irish Catholic priest and a famous promoter of temperance societies.

As the MATTHEW surname spread across the world, other notable bearers included Gilbert Mathews (1628-1805), an American jurist and politician, and Stanley Mathews (1824-1889), an American politician and jurist who served as a United States Senator and an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Matthew families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Matthew 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. Angus leads with 363 Matthews recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.77x.

County Total Index
Angus 363 17.77x
Lancashire 279 1.07x
Aberdeenshire 248 12.14x
Middlesex 186 0.84x
Fife 126 9.65x
Surrey 122 1.14x
Yorkshire 92 0.42x
Midlothian 88 2.98x
Devon 50 1.09x
Northamptonshire 44 2.12x
Durham 40 0.61x
Perthshire 40 4.04x
Lanarkshire 39 0.55x
Kent 33 0.44x
Cornwall 30 1.20x
Suffolk 30 1.12x
Berwickshire 28 10.48x
Glamorgan 28 0.73x
Hampshire 28 0.62x
Nottinghamshire 26 0.87x
Warwickshire 25 0.45x
Banffshire 22 4.81x
Gloucestershire 18 0.42x
Norfolk 16 0.47x
Essex 15 0.34x
Cambridgeshire 14 1.00x
Herefordshire 13 1.44x
Renfrewshire 13 0.76x
Somerset 13 0.37x
Wiltshire 13 0.67x
Bedfordshire 11 0.96x
Cumberland 11 0.58x
Morayshire 11 3.21x
Berkshire 8 0.48x
Cheshire 8 0.16x
Derbyshire 8 0.23x
Staffordshire 8 0.11x
Leicestershire 7 0.29x
Lincolnshire 7 0.20x
Merionethshire 7 1.73x
Worcestershire 7 0.24x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.65x
Sussex 6 0.16x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.38x
Northumberland 5 0.15x
Oxfordshire 5 0.37x
Shropshire 5 0.26x
Stirlingshire 5 0.61x
Channel Islands 4 0.61x
Hertfordshire 4 0.26x
Roxburghshire 4 1.00x
Ayrshire 3 0.18x
East Lothian 3 1.03x
Flintshire 3 0.51x
Monmouthshire 3 0.19x
Wigtownshire 3 1.02x
Argyllshire 2 0.33x
Brecknockshire 2 0.45x
Dunbartonshire 2 0.34x
Kincardineshire 2 0.74x
Peeblesshire 2 1.93x
Royal Navy 2 0.76x
Westmorland 2 0.41x
Anglesey 1 0.26x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.11x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.55x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.23x
Isle of Man 1 0.24x
Kinross-shire 1 1.79x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.20x
Selkirkshire 1 0.50x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 136 Matthews recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.83x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 136 17.83x
Wuerdle Wardle 94 118.31x
Liff Benvie 74 23.86x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 51 4.29x
St Vigeans 48 43.52x
Aberdeen Old Machar 41 9.61x
Castleton 33 12.63x
Cruden 31 117.87x
Camberwell 29 2.06x
Forfar 24 21.69x
Peterhead 24 22.22x
Coldstream 22 113.81x
Fyvie 21 63.01x
Oldham 20 2.37x
Shoreditch London 19 1.99x
Ellon 17 60.52x
Ferry Port On Craig 17 79.14x
Barony 16 0.89x
Kensington London 16 1.30x
Newington 16 1.96x
Spotland 16 5.50x
Yelvertoft 16 419.95x
Dysart 15 17.06x
Nottingham St Mary 14 1.82x
Old Deer 14 36.17x
St Luke London 14 3.96x
Barry 13 53.02x
Hackney London 13 1.05x
Islington London 13 0.61x
Leslie 13 39.32x
St Marylebone London 13 1.10x
Swansea Higher 13 32.50x
Bishopwearmouth 12 2.13x
Lifton 12 108.60x
Wardleworth 12 8.02x
Battersea 11 1.36x
Birmingham 11 0.59x
Clerkenwell London 11 2.11x
Croydon 11 1.84x
Govan 11 0.62x
Abbotshall 10 20.50x
Bermondsey 10 1.52x
Breage 10 43.88x
Bromley London 10 2.06x
Fordyce 10 30.38x
Forgan 10 39.98x
Glasgow 10 0.79x
Stockton On Tees 10 3.16x
Strichen 10 56.34x
Turriff 10 30.33x
Wickham 10 120.34x
Wortley In Bramley 10 5.78x
Ashton In Potterspury 9 367.35x
Clapham 9 3.26x
Hammersmith London 9 1.66x
Mile End Old Town 9 2.59x
Mullion 9 196.51x
Newchurch 9 4.20x
Wemyss 9 16.29x
Arbroath 8 11.82x
Axminster 8 37.17x
Butterworth 8 12.55x
Dunnichen 8 74.28x
Elgin 8 12.00x
Errol 8 43.62x
Huddersfield 8 2.51x
Ince In Makerfield 8 6.57x
Kilbarchan 8 15.41x
Leeds 8 0.65x
Littleham 8 23.83x
Marnoch 8 32.56x
Monkland 8 512.82x
Monquhitter 8 37.83x
Montrose 8 6.46x
Onehouse 8 304.18x
Plymouth St Andrew 8 2.26x
Redmarshall Carlton 8 350.88x
Rochdale 8 41.91x
Swindon 8 5.29x
Tarves 8 41.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 86
Elizabeth 58
Sarah 50
Jane 31
Alice 22
Emily 18
Emma 18
Margaret 18
Ann 16
Eliza 13
Charlotte 11
Ellen 11
Martha 11
Annie 10
Florence 9
Hannah 9
Ada 8
Anne 7
Grace 6
Harriet 6
Lucy 6
Maria 6
Betty 5
Clara 5
Frances 5
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Selina 5
Susannah 5
Amelia 4
Anna 4
Edith 4
Esther 4
Ethel 4
Fanny 4
Rose 4
Ruth 4
Susan 4
Bertha 3
Caroline 3
Catherine 3
Lydia 3
Rachel 3
Rebecca 3
Elizth. 2
Isabella 2
Jessie 2
Lottie 2
Maggie 2
May 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 80
William 73
James 51
George 42
Thomas 30
Charles 24
Henry 23
Robert 18
Samuel 16
Joseph 15
Richard 13
Edward 11
Edwin 10
Alfred 9
David 9
Arthur 8
Walter 7
Wm. 7
Ernest 6
Francis 6
Frank 6
Herbert 6
Stephen 6
Frederick 5
Geo. 5
Robt. 5
Thos. 5
Albert 4
Harry 4
Josiah 4
Abraham 3
Tom 3
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Clement 2
Daniel 2
Harold 2
Jas. 2
Leonard 2
Michael 2
Owen 2
Patrick 2
Percy 2
Richd. 2
Rowland 2
Augustus 1
Barnett 1
Dane 1
Danl. 1
Demas 1

FAQ

Matthew surname: questions and answers

How common was the Matthew surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,270 people were recorded with the Matthew surname. That placed it at #1,966 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Matthew surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,722 in 2016. That gives Matthew a modern rank of #2,465.

What does the Matthew surname mean?

A biblical name derived from the apostle Matthew, meaning "gift of God" in Hebrew.

What does the Matthew map show?

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