Mathews
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Matthew,” with roots in the biblical given name Matthew.
The #663 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 5,984 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Mathews is a patronymic surname built from the given name Matthew, ultimately from Hebrew Matityahu, meaning “gift of Yahweh” or “gift of God.” In English use, the surname developed as a variant spelling of Matthews, both meaning “son of Matthew.” Historical sources also note Welsh bearers and some Welsh family lines adopting the name from Matthew in the same broad patronymic sense.
History
The name is recorded in English and Welsh surname traditions as a familiar offshoot of Matthew/Matthews, and it spread with Christian baptismal naming. In some genealogical traditions, Welsh families bearing the name traced descent from notable medieval lines, though those claims should be treated cautiously. In modern usage, Mathews and Matthews have both remained common surname forms, with Mathews often functioning simply as a spelling variant.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The same biblical name that produced Mathews also gave rise to a wide family of surnames, including Matthew, Matthews, Matheson, Mathieson, and Mathison.
From the historical record
“MATHEW = Matthew, q.v. MATHEWS = Matthews, q.v. MATH IAS, V. Matthew. Mathias is also a Continental Teut. form. MATHIESON, 1 for Matthewson, q.v. MATHISON, I Prob. occ. also for Mather- son, q.v. MATHWIN (Eng.) Power -Friend [A.-Sax. Mathwine — v. under Mather 2, and -|-”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)