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

Matheny, 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 Matheny surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Matheny in America

Matheny is the 4128th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Matheny surname appeared 8,595 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Matheny.

We can also compare 2010 data for Matheny 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 Matheny

The surname Matheny has its origins in the Celtic countries of the British Isles, specifically Scotland and Ireland. It is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic word "Macthamhna," which means "son of the bear." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a bear-like appearance or demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Matheny can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from Scotland dating back to the late 13th century. In these rolls, the name appears as "Macthamhna," reflecting its Gaelic origins. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, Matheny.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Matheny began to spread beyond Scotland and Ireland, as many families bearing the name migrated to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. One notable bearer of the name was John Matheny, a Scottish-born Presbyterian minister who emigrated to Virginia in the late 1600s and played a significant role in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in the American colonies.

Another historical figure associated with the surname Matheny was Daniel Matheny, an American pioneer and frontiersman born in 1775. He was one of the earliest settlers in what is now West Virginia and played a crucial role in the exploration and settlement of the region. His descendants went on to establish the town of Matheny, West Virginia, further solidifying the name's connection to the area.

In the 19th century, the surname Matheny gained prominence in the United States, with several individuals making notable contributions. William Matheny, born in 1808 in Ohio, was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1861 to 1863. Additionally, John Matheny, born in 1817 in Virginia, was a successful businessman and landowner who played a significant role in the development of the coal industry in West Virginia.

Throughout history, the surname Matheny has been associated with various place names and locations, such as Matheny Creek in West Virginia and Matheny Gap in Virginia. These place names likely derived from the presence of individuals bearing the surname Matheny in those areas, further reinforcing the name's geographical connections.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Matheny

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

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 Matheny 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 Matheny 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 Matheny was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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