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

Mathieu, 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 Mathieu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mathieu in America

Mathieu is the 6232nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mathieu surname appeared 5,483 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Mathieu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mathieu 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 Mathieu

The surname Mathieu originated in France, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the medieval French personal name Mathieu, itself a French form of the Latin name Matthaeus. This Latin name ultimately traces back to the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning "gift of God."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mathieu can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which documents a landowner named Mathieu in Normandy. This suggests that the name was already established in northern France by the 11th century.

By the 13th century, the surname had spread to other regions of France, notably Brittany and Anjou. Records from this time period show variations in spelling, such as Mathiu, Mathiev, and Mathiou, reflecting regional dialects and scribal practices.

One notable early bearer of the surname was Jean Mathieu (c. 1310-1390), a French theologian and philosopher who taught at the University of Paris. His writings on logic and metaphysics were influential in the late medieval period.

In the 16th century, the Mathieu surname was further dispersed across France, with records showing families bearing the name in regions like Normandy, Picardy, and Île-de-France. One notable Mathieu from this time was Claude Mathieu (1553-1633), a French jurist and author who served as a judge in the Parlement of Paris.

The 17th century saw the emergence of several notable figures with the Mathieu surname. Pierre Mathieu (1563-1621) was a French historian and poet who wrote extensively on the history of France and the House of Bourbon. Another Pierre Mathieu (1587-1676) was a French theologian and writer who served as a priest and published works on theology and ecclesiastical history.

In the 18th century, the Mathieu surname continued to be well-represented in France. François-Isidore Mathieu (1720-1790) was a French architect who designed several important buildings in Paris, including the Église Saint-Sulpice.

The 19th century saw the continued prominence of the Mathieu surname, with individuals like Adolphe Mathieu (1805-1886), a French historian and politician who served as a member of the National Assembly.

Throughout its history, the Mathieu surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, politicians, and professionals. While its origins lie in medieval France, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by French immigrants and their descendants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mathieu

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

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

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

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