Matt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The surname Matt is a patronymic surname created from the personal name Matthew.
Early Origins of the Matt family
The surname Matt was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.
Early History of the Matt family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Matt research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1378, 1400, 1408, 1484, 1546, 1577, 1600, 1628, 1655, 1656, 1660, 1676, 1751, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Matt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Matt Spelling Variations
The Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. It was up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Matt have included Mathews, Mathew, Matthew, Matthews, Mathewes and others.
Early Notables of the Matt family
Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was
- Pope Matthew I of Alexandria (Matheos) (1378-1408), 87th Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, revered as a saint by the Coptic Church
- Tobias Matthew (1546-1628), Archbishop of York, statesman and writer
- Sir Tobie Matthew (1577-1655), English MP, courtier, diplomat, priest and writer
- Captain Samuel Matthews (1600-1660), became an English Colonial Governor of Virginia in 1656
Matt Ranking
In the United States, the name Matt is the 9,105th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Matt is ranked the 6,855th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2
Migration of the Matt family to Ireland
Some of the Matt family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Matt migration to the United States +
During the latter half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the people of Wales journeyed to North America to find a new life. They made major contributions to the arts, industry and commerce of both Canada and the United States, and added a rich cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Matt:
Matt Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Mary Matt, who arrived in Maryland in 1665 3
Matt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Michael Matt, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1843 3
- Joseph Matt, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1850 3
- Carl Gustav Matt, who arrived in America in 1853 3
Contemporary Notables of the name Matt (post 1700) +
- Joe Matt (1963-2023), American cartoonist, best known for his autobiographical work, Peepshow
- Michael Matt (b. 1993), Austrian World Cup alpine ski racer. He specialises in the Slalom discipline and has competed in three World Championships
- Jamille Antonio Matt (b. 1990), Jamaican professional footballer
- J. Matt Buatt, American politician, Mayor of Crowley, Louisiana, 1950 4
- J. Matt Chilton (b. 1881), American Republican politician, Member of Kentucky Republican State Central Committee, 1912-36; Jefferson County Attorney, 1918-27; Member of Republican National Committee from Kentucky, 1928-36 5
- J. Matt Dillion, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 1988 6
- Matt Villines (1977-2016), American filmmaker, known for his work in comedy as one half of the comedic directing team Matt & Oz, with professional partner, Osmany Rodriguez
- Matt Sokol (b. 1995), American football player for the New England Patriots of the National Football League
- Matt Mingay (b. 1977), Australian stunt performer and racing driver
- Matt Severyn, American actor, known for his roles in is known for In the night we spin (2016), The Biz (2014) and Binge Drinker (2014)
Historic Events for the Matt family +
- Mrs. Ellen Matt (1883-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 7
- Master Monson Matt (1905-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 7
- Master John Matt (1907-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 7
- Miss Marguerite Matt (1916-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 7
The Matt Motto +
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Y fyn Duw a fydd
Motto Translation: What God wills, will be.
Citations +
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance