2000
#217
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124,839
First available Census row
Per 100,000 46.28
Common Last name
Matthews
An English patronymic surname meaning "son of Matthew," referring to the given name derived from the Hebrew "Matityahu."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 144,864 Americans carry the last name Matthews. That puts it at #234 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 42.26 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,366 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Matthews surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Matthews with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
145K
1 in 2,366
Census rank
#234
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
42.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
126K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 126,328 bearers of the surname Matthews in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 42.26 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 234th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Matthews, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.7%. The next largest groups are Black (30.0%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Matthews
The surname Matthews has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is a patronymic name derived from the personal name Matthew, which is derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning "gift of God." The name was popularized by the apostle Matthew, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ.
Matthews is an English variant of the name, with the addition of the possessive "s" indicating "son of Matthew." In medieval England, it was common for surnames to be derived from a person's given name, with the addition of a prefix or suffix to indicate their lineage or relationship.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Matthews can be found in various historical records from the 13th century onwards. One notable example is the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a William Matheu in Cambridgeshire. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain the surname Matthews, but it does include entries for individuals with the given name Matthew.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Matthews was primarily concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire in the West Midlands region of England. However, it eventually spread to other parts of the country as people migrated and settled in new areas.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Matthews was John Matthews, who was born in Worcestershire around 1490. He was a prominent figure in the English Reformation and served as the Archbishop of York from 1545 until his death in 1551.
Another notable bearer of the surname was Sir Tobie Matthews (1577-1628), an English courtier, and author who served as a diplomat for King James I. He was known for his work in promoting the English Renaissance and his writings on religion and philosophy.
In the 17th century, Thomas Matthews (1631-1683) was a Welsh-born Anglican priest who served as the Bishop of Gloucester from 1675 until his death. He was known for his support of the Church of England and his efforts in promoting education.
During the 18th century, Henry Matthews (1710-1797) was a British politician and judge who served as the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain from 1770 to 1801. He played a significant role in the development of English law and is remembered for his legal reforms.
In the 19th century, Brander Matthews (1852-1929) was an American writer, critic, and professor of dramatic literature. He was a prominent figure in the literary circles of his time and authored several works on literature and drama.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname Matthews, which has its roots in medieval England and has since spread to various parts of the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Matthews
Among Census respondents with the surname Matthews, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.7%. The next largest groups are Black (30.0%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Matthews bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Matthews surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White60.7% · 76,702
- Black or African American30.0% · 37,958
- Two or more races4.5% · 5,741
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4,297
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 989
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 641
Timeline
Historical Census data for Matthews
Matthews appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#226
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131,303
+6,464 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 44.51
Rank movement Down 9 places
2020
#234
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126,328
-4,975 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 42.26
Rank movement Down 8 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #217 | 124,839 | 46.28 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #226 | 131,303 | 44.51 | +6,464 bearers (+5.2%) | Down 9 places |
| 2020 | #234 | 126,328 | 42.26 | -4,975 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 8 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Matthews surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #226 | #234 | -3.5% |
| Count | 131,303 | 126,328 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 44.51 | 42.26 | -5.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Matthews bearers went from 131,303 to 126,328 (-3.8% change). The surname moved down 8 positions in the national ranking, going from #226 to #234.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Matthews
FAQ
Matthews surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Matthews?
Name Census estimates that about 144,864 living Americans carry the surname Matthews. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,366 residents.
How common is Matthews?
Matthews ranks #234 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 42.26 per 100,000 residents, which is about 42 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 126,328 people with the surname Matthews. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (144,864), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 42.26 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 42.26 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 42 of them to have the surname Matthews.
Has Matthews become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Matthews went from 131,303 recorded bearers to 126,328. That is a decrease of 4,975 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #226 to #234.
What does the Census say about the background of Matthews?
Among Census respondents with the surname Matthews, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.7%. The next largest groups are Black (30.0%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Matthews in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.7% (76,702 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Matthews appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (60.7%), Black (30.0%), Two or More Races (4.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Matthews (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Matthews mean?
An English patronymic surname meaning "son of Matthew," referring to the given name derived from the Hebrew "Matityahu." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Matthews (42.26 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Matthews?
You can see how common the surname Matthews is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.