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Matson Family History

Matson Surname Meaning

English (Kent and Yorkshire): patronymic either from the Middle English personal name Matte (see Matt) + -son or a shortened form of Mattison or Mattinson in each case derived from a pet form of Matthew. Alternatively, a variant of the metronymic Madson (‘son of Maud’) with devoicing of /d/ to /t/.

Americanized form (and a rare Swedish variant) of Swedish Matsson: patronymic from the personal name Mats, a short form of Mat(t)hias or Mat(t)heus (see Matthew).

Americanized form of Danish and Norwegian Madsen and Matsen cognates of 2 above.

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


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Where is the Matson family from?

You can see how Matson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Matson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Matson families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 276 Matson families living in Yorkshire. This was about 28% of all the recorded Matson's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Matson families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Matson 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 Matson ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Bricklayer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Matson. 11% of Matson men worked as a Bricklayer and 75% of Matson women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Matson were Police Constable and Private Means.

View Census Data for Matson | 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

  • Bricklayer
    11%
  • Retired
    9%
  • Incapacitated
    9%
  • Police Constable
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    3%
  • Private Means
    3%

What Matson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 96,000 census records available for the last name Matson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Matson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Matson

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Matson. 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 Matson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 15,000 military records available for the last name Matson. For the veterans among your Matson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Matson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Matson family history

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What is the average Matson lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Matson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1991. The average life expectancy for Matson in 1942 was 42, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Matson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Matson 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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