Surname Matthaei - Meaning and Origin
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Matthaei: What does the surname Matthaei mean?
The last name Matthaei is of German origin and is derived from the Latinized version of Matthaeus, meaning "gift of God". It is a prominent surname throughout Germany, being most common in northern Bavaria and the region of Franconia. It is found in different variations such as Mattheis, Matthey, and Mathie.
The earliest recorded instance of the Matthaei surname dates back to the 12th century. From that time onward, members of the Matthaei family rose to prominence in German culture through their influence on religious, military, and political matters.
The Matthaei family are credited with helping raise the stature of their village and they founded prestigious institutions bearing their name. For example, the Matthaei Gymnasium was founded in 1819 by Konstantin Matthaei who was also a theologian and writer.
In more recent times, the Matthaei family has continued to have an influence on German culture. For example, Walter Matthaei headed Porsche's racing division in the 1950's and was credited with helping make the company what it is today. Additionally, Hans-Werner Matthaei, minister of labor in Schleswig-Holstein, has been prominent in the government.
In summary, the last name Matthaei is an important name in German culture. It is a Latinized version of Matthaeus, meaning "gift of God" and is found in many different variations throughout Germany. It dates back to the 12th century, and has since been associated with important institutions, prestigious writers, religious personalities, and political figures.
Order DNA origin analysisMatthaei: Where does the name Matthaei come from?
The Matthaei surname is found most commonly in Germany, particularly in the northern states of Niedersachsen, Schleswig-Holstein, Hamburg, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Today, the vast majority of those with the Matthaei surname are of Germanic origin.
The oldest documented bearer of the Matthaei surname is a Johann Matthaei, who was born circa 1676 in Julierschen, Germany. Since then, the Matthaei name has been found in records throughout Germany, often referring to members of prominent families that resided in those regions.
One of the most prominent families with the Matthaei surname was the Ruland-Matthäi family, which resided in East Frisia from the 15th century up until the dawn of the 20th century. The Ruland-Matthäi family was one of the powerful noble families in the area and held a prominent position in the local government.
In the modern age, the Matthaei surname can be found all across Germany, though it is particularly strong in the aforementioned states. However, Matthaei is also commonly spread around the world, particularly in countries with many German expatriates and immigrants. Those with the Matthaei surname can be found as far away as the United States, Australia, and South Africa.
Variations of the surname Matthaei
The German surname Matthaei is derived from the given name "Matthaeus", which is the Latin version of Matthew. It is a common name which taken on many variants and spellings when it comes to surnames. The most common spellings include Matthey, Mathai, Mathe, Mathey, Matthai, and Matthaey.
Surnames derived from the original Matthaei include Mathey, Matthey, Mathay, Mathei, Mathaez, Mathez, Matthez, Matheaz, Matheis, Matheez, Matheys, Matheas, Mathais, Matthies, Mathays, Mathais, Matthisy, Mathayz, and Mathayes.
The name has even taken on international spellings. Some of the international surnames derived from Matthaei are MacMulay, MacMulavey, MacNulty, MacTaggart, MacGillivary, MacKenna, MacLennan, MacMullin, McNally, McNulty, and MacAuliffe.
The surname has also been translated into various languages. Some of the alternative forms of the surname in other languages include Mateo (Spanish), Mathew (French), Matteo (Italian), Mattai (Hebrew and Aramaic), Mače (Serbian), Maciej (Polish), Mac Matheu (Gaelic) Matyi (Hungarian), Matej (Czech).
In conclusion, the surname Matthaei has many variants and spellings throughout different countries, languages, and cultures. Globalization has introduced further translations and spellings to the name.
Famous people with the name Matthaei
- Yvonne Matthaei: A German post-WWII politician and member of the Bundestag for the Social Democratic Party of Germany.
- Gerhard Matthaei: A South African physicist and mathematician who developed the law of mathematical physics.
- Wilhelm Matthaei: A German naturalist who studied and described numerous plants and animals while exploring Caribbean islands.
- Jörg Matthaei: A German Academy Award-winning composer and performer who created original scores for films such as Das Boot and Paris, Texas.
- Wilhelm Friedrich Matthaei: A noted German theologian who wrote extensively on New Testament exegesis.
- Ferdinand Matthaei: A nineteenth century German naturalist and explorer who includes the first descriptions of Tasmanian mammals.
- Heinrich Matthaei: A twentieth century German physicist and chemist who first observed electrostatic attraction between molecules in 1951.
- Hans Matthaei: A famous German biochemist who figured out amino acid sequences using a different technique from those already available.
- Elke Matthaei: A successful German TV presenter who began workeing for TV in 1989 and was nominated five times for the Adolf-Grimme-Preis.
- Kerstin Matthaei: A German spoken word artist, singer, and producer who studied at City University, London, as well as the SAE Institute, Berlin.