Surname Matthäus - Meaning and Origin
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Matthäus: What does the surname Matthäus mean?
The last name Matthäus is a German surname derived from the given name Matthew. It originated with the medieval Latin version of the Hebrew name Mattathias and is a cognate of the English name Matthew. The name Matthäus is commonly found in German-speaking countries, as well as some of their neighboring countries, such as Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Russia.
The surname Matthäus is usually associated with Jewish families. Originally, the name was used to identify descendents of the Biblical figure named Matthathias – the Jewish Son of John who is mentioned in the book of Maccabees in the Bible. By the 16th century, Matthäus had become an established Jewish surname in Germany. It is believed that many Jewish people adopted the surname Matthäus to hide their Jewish identity while living in communities where anti-Semitism was widespread.
Due to its long history, the name Matthäus has become associated with several different families in different nations. It also has several variations in other languages, such as the Spanish Matias and the French Matthieu.
It is believed that the last name Matthäus still continues to be popular today and is a symbol of strength and faith for many families. Even though the origin of the last name is rooted in religious beliefs, it now serves as an important reminder of the diverse cultures and backgrounds that make up today’s society.
Order DNA origin analysisMatthäus: Where does the name Matthäus come from?
The surname Matthäus is a German surname that is still fairly common today. According to the 2020 census, it is the 77th most common surname in Germany with an estimated 151,581 people having it as their last name. The name is also popular in a number of other European countries in varying degrees. It is the 142nd most popular surname in Austria, the 174th most frequent in Switzerland, and the 186th in the Czech Republic. It is also reported to be the 38th most common surname in Hungary, although the number of people having that as their last name is significantly lower than in other countries.
The majority of people with the last name Matthäus live in the German-speaking countries, but there are many other people with this surname scattered across the world. According to MyHeritage, customers with the surname Matthäus have been found in 26 countries, including the United States, Australia, Canada, and Brazil. The name may have derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, or from the German compound name Matthäusz (“gift of God”). Matthäus is also a variation of the Latin Matthaeus (“gift of Yahweh”).
Given the popularity of the surname Matthäus, it understandably has variations that are used in different countries. In some countries, Matthäus is used interchangeably with the spelling Mathäus. Other slight spellings include: Mateusz (in Poland), Mattheus (in the Netherlands), Madzej (in Slovakia), and Madžej (in Serbia).
Variations of the surname Matthäus
The surname Matthäus is a classic German surname that has evolved over the years. It is derived from the given name Matthäus, which is in turn derived from the Greek name Matthaios. This name has various spellings and variants in languages derived from Latin, as well as some other languages.
The variants, spellings, and surnames of Matthäus include Matthees, Mathews, Mathews, Mathieu, Mathy, Matthee, Mattheus, Matheis, Mathias, Mateu, Mathieu, Matti, Mathis, Mathiasson, Matheu, Mathewson, Matthewson, Matheason, Mathiessen, Matusewicz, Mateuš, Mattei, Mats, Mathijssen, Matakas, Mathioudakis, Matheou, Mathijssen, Matthießen, Matthé, Mate, Matheis, Matthiessen, Matheson, Matteus, Matsu, Matsukas.
In addition, the surname Matthäus can be found in other languages, such as Hebrew, in the spelling Matus or Matos. The French variant of this surname is Mathieu, and the Spanish variant is Mateo. Similarly, other foreign language spellings could include Matheu in Portuguese and Mathus in Italian.
In conclusion, the surname Matthäus has a variety of spellings, variants and surnames that have evolved in different languages over time. The most common spellings are Matthäus, Mathews, Mathieu, Mathias, and Mateo.
Famous people with the name Matthäus
- Lothar Matthäus: Former German football (soccer) player and manager. He won the World Cup with Germany in 1990 and held the record for the most appearances for the German National Team for many years, until it was surpassed by Miroslav Klose in 2014.
- Boris Matthäus: German actor and television presenter. He is best known for his hosting role in the game show "Schlag den Raab" (Stomp the Raab).
- Andreas Matthäus: German author and screenwriter. He wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation of the novel "The Tin Drum" (1979) by Günter Grass.
- Elisabeth Matthäus: German actress and cabaret artist. She is best known for her role as Die Haushälterin in the popular German television series "Verliebt in Berlin" (2006-2008).
- Michał Matthäus: Polish rapper, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his hit single "Jesteś mój sen" (You are my dream).
- Maria-Elisabeth Luyken-Matthäus: German writer and teacher in special education. She wrote several books for children and young adults including "Traumwelten: Abenteuer in den Welten der Träume" (Dream Worlds: Adventures in the Worlds of Dreams).
- Hans Hinrich Matthäus: German sculptor and artist. He is best known for his bronze sculptures of animals, including a monumental elephant in front of the Bayer Leverkusen Stadium.
- Martin Matthäus: German historian and professor. He is an expert on the history of media, religion, popular culture, media analysis and the humanities.