Mathussan History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe surname Mathussan is a patronymic name derived from the well known first name Matthew. This name is ultimately derived from the Hebrew personal name "Mattathaigh," meaning "gift of Jehovah;" it was Latinized as Matthaeus and Mathaeus. It was introduced to England by the Normans, and quickly became quite a popular name. Early Origins of the Mathussan familyThe surname Mathussan was first found in the Domesday Book in 1086, listed as Mathiu and Matheus. They family came to England following the invasion of William the Conquerer in 1066. Early History of the Mathussan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mathussan research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1273, 1395, 1546, 1577, 1628, 1655, 1790, 1797, 1824, 1856, 1863, 1889, 1890 and 1941 are included under the topic Early Mathussan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Mathussan Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Matthew, Matthews, Matthewson, Matheson, Mathew, Mathews and many more. Early Notables of the Mathussan familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Tobias Matthew (1546-1628), Archbishop of York, statesman and writer; Sir Tobie Matthew (1577-1655), English MP, courtier, diplomat and writer; Father Theobald Mathew (1790-1856), who campaigned in Ireland... Migration of the Mathussan family to IrelandSome of the Mathussan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Mathussan familyMany English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Mathussan or a variant listed above: Francis Matthews, who settled in New Hampshire in 1639; Benjamin Mathews, who settled in Virginia in 1653; Ann Matthews, who immigrated to Barbados in 1659.
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