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Matters Family History

Matters Surname Meaning

English (Devon and Cornwall): variant of Matter with post-medieval excrescent -s.

English (Devon and Cornwall): probably a metonymic occupational name for a mattress maker or seller from Middle English materas ‘mattress’.

Dutch: patronymic from Matter.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Matters family from?

You can see how Matters families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Matters family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Matters families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 106 Matters families living in Devon. This was about 51% of all the recorded Matters's in United Kingdom. Devon had the highest population of Matters families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Matters 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 Matters ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Lorry Driver and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Matters. 50% of Matters men worked as a Lorry Driver and 72% of Matters women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Matters were Bricklayer and Domestic Service.

View Census Data for Matters | 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

  • Lorry Driver
    50%
  • Bricklayer
    50%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    11%
  • Domestic Servant
    8%
  • Domestic Service
    6%

What Matters family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 10,000 census records available for the last name Matters. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Matters census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Matters

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Matters. 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 Matters immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Matters. For the veterans among your Matters ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Matters military records

You've only scratched the surface of Matters family history

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What is the average Matters lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Matters life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Matters in 1943 was 46, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Matters

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Matters 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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