Find out how popular the last name Mater is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mater.

Mater, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Mater surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mater in America

Mater is the 49723rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mater surname appeared 422 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Mater.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mater to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Mater

The surname MATER originated in England during the medieval period, likely deriving from the Latin word "mater," meaning "mother." This name was initially used as a descriptive term or nickname for someone who exhibited maternal qualities or had a close relationship with their mother.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MATER surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and property holders in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a person named Radulfus Mater, suggesting the surname's existence during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the MATER surname appeared in various historical records, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which documented individuals named William Mater and Richard Mater residing in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, respectively.

The surname MATER may have also had connections to certain place names or locations. For instance, the village of Matterdale in Cumbria, England, was formerly known as Matredale, potentially derived from the Old Norse word "mǫðr," meaning "mother." This could indicate a link between the MATER surname and this particular region.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the MATER surname. One such person was Sir Richard Mater (1505-1588), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London from 1568 to 1569. Another prominent figure was John Mater (1648-1728), an English clergyman and academic who became the Master of Clare College, Cambridge, in 1705.

In the literary world, the MATER surname was carried by the English writer and poet Thomas Mater (1716-1782), best known for his satirical works and his collaboration with Samuel Johnson on the biographical work "The Lives of the Poets."

Furthermore, the surname MATER has been associated with the military and politics. William Mater (1783-1858) was a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament. Additionally, Henry Mater (1876-1949) was a British politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Leeds North West from 1923 to 1945.

While the MATER surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and cultural exchange. However, the earliest recorded instances and historical references to this surname can be traced back to medieval England, where it originated as a descriptive term related to maternal characteristics or familial bonds.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mater

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mater.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mater was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Mater has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Mater was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mater, please contact us.

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