Matson
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Matthew,” with some occurrences also influenced by a place-name in Gloucestershire.
The #2,911 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 25,061 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Matson is usually understood as a reduced patronymic from Matthew, meaning “son of Matt” or “son of Matthew.” Matthew ultimately comes from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, “gift of God,” and English surname forms often shortened it to Matt before adding -son. Some historical writers also noted a Gloucestershire parish called Matson, so a few bearers may have taken the name from that place instead of from a personal name.
History
The surname is well attested in medieval and later English records in forms such as Matson, Mattson, and Mateson. It is especially common in English surname lists as one of several descendants of the popular baptismal name Matthew. In some cases, especially in western England, the place-name origin may have reinforced or replaced the patronymic explanation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Several 19th-century surname dictionaries grouped Matson with a whole family of Matthew-based surnames, showing how productive that one baptismal name became in English.
From the historical record
“MATLAND = Maitland, q.v. MATSON, Mat(t)'s Son; v. Matt. MATT, a dim. of Matthew, q.v. MATTERSON = Matherson, q.v. MATTEY ^ MATTAY }■ forms of Matthew, q.v. MATTHEY j”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)