Matheson
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Matthew,” with some Irish use as a translation of MacMahon.
The #4,678 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 40,705 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Matheson is a patronymic surname built from the personal name Matthew, meaning “son of Matthew.” The form is especially common in Scotland and northern England, where it appears alongside spellings such as Mathieson, Mathison, Mathewson, and Mattheson. In Irish contexts, some writers also note it as a translation or equivalent of Gaelic MacMahon in parts of the North Highlands/Irish surname tradition.
History
Historical dictionaries place Matheson firmly with other Matthew-based surnames rather than treating it as a separate root name. It is recorded in Scotland and northern England in several spelling forms, and the name was later carried more widely, including into Ireland. The Irish genealogist and registrar-general Robert E. Matheson also published influential work on Irish surnames, which helped bring the name into broader scholarly attention.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Robert E. Matheson, a bearer of the surname, was a major 19th-century authority on Irish surnames and their distribution.
From the historical record
“MATHESON for Matthewson, q.v. Prob. occ. also for Matherson, q.v.. In theNorth Highlands AfaMe50« is used as a translation of Macmahon, q.v. MATHEW = Matthew, q.v. MATHEWS = Matthews, q.v. MATH IAS, V. Matthew. Mathias is also a Continental Teut. form.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)