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

Mathison, 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 Mathison surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mathison in America

Mathison is the 7692nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mathison surname appeared 4,316 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Mathison.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mathison 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 Mathison

The surname Mathison has its origins in the British Isles, specifically in Scotland and England. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the given name Mathew, which itself is a variation of the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning "gift of God."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mathison can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1170, where a person named Matheu de Wytan is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time, likely originating as a patronymic, meaning "son of Mathew."

In Scotland, the surname Mathison is often associated with the Clan Matheson, a Highland clan with roots in the region of Ross-shire. The clan's history can be traced back to the 13th century, with one of the earliest recorded members being Dugall Matheson, who lived around 1250.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Mathison surname appeared in various historical records across Scotland and England. One notable figure was Sir James Mathison, a Scottish merchant and landowner who lived from 1796 to 1878. He amassed a considerable fortune through his trading activities and was known for his philanthropic efforts.

Another individual of note is John Mathison, a Scottish poet and writer who lived from 1809 to 1859. He is best known for his works "The Blind Girl of Wittenberg" and "The Songs of the Wilderness," which explored themes of nature and spirituality.

In England, the name Mathison has been associated with several notable figures as well. One example is Thomas Mathison, a 17th-century Puritan minister who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds from 1637 to 1665.

The variation Matheson is also found in various historical records. Sir Roderick Matheson, a Scottish politician and businessman who lived from 1786 to 1873, was a prominent figure in the British East India Company and served as a member of parliament for several years.

Throughout its history, the surname Mathison has undergone various spelling variations, including Matheson, Mathieson, Matthison, and Matthewson, among others. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic influences that shaped the name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mathison

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

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

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

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