Find out how popular the last name Mathas is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Mathas.
An occupational surname for someone who made mats or lived near a mat maker.
Mathas, 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 Mathas surname is from the 2010 census data.
Mathas is the 96368th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Mathas surname appeared 189 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 Mathas.
We can also compare 2010 data for Mathas 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.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | 96368 | 88461 | 8.56% |
| Count | 189 | 195 | -3.13% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.06 | 0.07 | -15.38% |
The surname Mathas is believed to have originated in the region of Brittany, France, dating back to the medieval period around the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old Breton word "matha," meaning "good" or "worthy," suggesting it may have initially been a descriptive nickname given to someone who was considered virtuous or of good character.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the "Cartulaire de l'Abbaye de Saint-Georges de Rennes," a manuscript dating back to the late 12th century, where a person named Riwallon Mathas is mentioned. This document provides valuable insight into the early use of the surname in Brittany.
During the 13th century, the name appears in various records and documents from the region, often associated with landowners or individuals of some prominence. For example, a Geoffroy Mathas is mentioned in a charter from the Abbey of Saint-Gildas-des-Bois in 1245, indicating the surname's presence among the local gentry.
Over time, the name spread beyond Brittany, with variations in spelling emerging, such as Matas, Mattas, and Matthas. In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Jean Mathas, a merchant and city councilor in the town of Nantes, who lived from around 1320 to 1385.
In the 15th century, the surname can be found in records from other parts of France, suggesting the migration of individuals bearing the name. One such example is Jacques Mathas, a prominent lawyer from the city of Angers, who lived from approximately 1425 to 1498.
As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way to other regions, such as England and Germany, where it underwent further variations in spelling, including Mathias and Matthews. One notable bearer of the name was Sir John Mathias, an English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench from 1683 to 1686.
Another individual of note was Johann Matthäus, a German composer and organist who lived from 1653 to 1728 and was renowned for his contributions to the development of the German baroque style.
As time progressed, the Mathas surname continued to be carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, and military figures, each leaving their mark on history in their own unique way.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Mathas.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Mathas was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 91.53% | 173 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 6.88% | 13 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
| Hispanic Origin | (S)% | (S) |
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 Mathas has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.53% | 85.13% | 7.25% |
| Black | 6.88% | 11.28% | -48.46% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.00% | 2.56% | -200.00% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Two or More Races | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Hispanic | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
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 Mathas was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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