Mathieu
A French surname from the given name Matthieu, ultimately meaning “gift of God.”
The #6,232 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 56,310 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Mathieu is the French form of Matthew, from Hebrew Matityahu, meaning “gift of Yahweh” or “gift of God.” As a surname, it began as a patronymic or name-based byname for someone identified as the son or family member of a man called Mathieu/Matthieu. Older surname dictionaries also note related short forms and regional variants built from the same Christian personal name.
History
The name is especially French in form and remains common in Francophone areas. Historical surname writers also connect it with Breton and other regional shortenings of Matthieu, showing how widely the personal name spread in medieval France. In English records it often appears in families of French origin, including Huguenot immigrants.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
French surname dictionaries note several Breton and dialect forms as shortened versions of Mathieu, not separate names in origin.
From the historical record
“Mather. D. Mathe, Mather, Mathow ; Fr. Mathieu ; p.n. From Mathew Mathews. Dch. Matthes, Matthies ; Fl. Mathys ; p.n.”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (1st ed.)