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Matheson Family History

Matheson Surname Meaning

Scottish: patronymic from a short form of the personal name Matthew.

Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Mathghamhna Mac Mathghamhuin abbreviated to Mac Mhathain ‘son of Mathghamhain’.

A personal name literally meaning ‘good calf’ a kenning for ‘bear’.

Compare Irish McMahon Mahoney.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Matheson family from?

You can see how Matheson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Matheson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Matheson families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1891 there were 114 Matheson families living in London. This was about 28% of all the recorded Matheson's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Matheson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Matheson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Matheson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Matheson. 32% of Matheson men worked as a General Labourer and 78% of Matheson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Matheson were Police Constable and Housewife.

View Census Data for Matheson | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    32%
  • Medical Practitioner
    19%
  • Chartered Accountant
    13%
  • Police Constable
    13%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Matheson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 131,000 census records available for the last name Matheson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Matheson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Matheson

Passenger Lists

There are 60,000 immigration records available for the last name Matheson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Matheson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 13,000 military records available for the last name Matheson. For the veterans among your Matheson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Matheson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Matheson family history

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What is the average Matheson lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Matheson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Matheson in 1940 was 28, and 78 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Matheson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Matheson ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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