Mason
An occupational surname meaning a stoneworker or builder.
The #166 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 1,927 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Mason comes from the common medieval word for a stoneworker or builder. The surname was used for someone who worked in masonry, from Old French mason/masson, a word of Germanic origin that passed into Middle English. In English records it appears very early as an occupational byname, essentially meaning "the mason."
History
This is one of the classic English occupational surnames and became widespread very early in England. Some historical writers also note a few place-name or variant spellings such as Mayson, but the main surname overwhelmingly comes from the trade. Because masonry was a basic medieval craft, the name spread widely and remains common today in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Bardsley specifically treated Mason as a straightforward occupational name and mocked fanciful attempts to connect it with the biblical Mnason.
From the historical record
“mineral. — Lingua, O.Pl., v. 192 ; T.Wright. MASON (A.-Fr.-Teut.) [O.Fr. masson (Fr.' mafon), of Teut. orig.] This name may also be for Mayson, q.v. MASSER (Eng.) i Merchant [O.E. massere] 2 Mass-Priest [O.E. mcessere] MASSEY ^ (Fr.) 1 Bel. to Mac6, Mtcey, or MASSIE )■ Massy (villages in Normandy) = MASSY )…”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)