Matthews Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Matthews Family

9,025 Matthews records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

9,025Records in our database

1808Earliest birth

2Documented families

1Biographies

See the Matthews family trees →347 Matthews families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

9,025 Matthews records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Missouri (2,439 of 9,025)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Macrsens Weeliam Matthews, born 1808, Iowa

Most common first names

James244 John232 William229 Robert195 Mary169 Charles145 George114 Helen87 Thomas81 Joseph78 Margaret78 Dorothy73

Documented families

Matthews families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family records from county histories (2)

Eliza MatthewsStarts: Eliza MatthewsMost recent: Maria Thompson Tyrus MatthewsWashington County, IowaStarts: John Matthews, from Allegany County, New YorkMost recent: Gilbert T. Matthews, Alice Matthews, Mary Matthews

The earliest Matthewss in the county histories

James L. MatthewsBorn 1813, Richmond countyChild of Robert Matthews and Eliza (Glascock) MatthewsBoone County, Missouri William H. MatthewsBorn 1825, Ross countyMills County, Iowa John F. MatthewsBorn 1844Marion County, Ohio Bruce S. MatthewsBorn 1846, Boardman townshipMahoning County, Ohio Richard MatthewsBorn 1847Child of David Matthews and Mary (Donahoe) MatthewsFillmore County, Nebraska Richard Newman MatthewsBorn 1847, Randolph countyChild of Richard Newman Matthews and Minerva Grundy (Phelps) MatthewsMacon County, Missouri

Family trees from the public record

347 Matthews families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

24 Matthews death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

27 Matthews people in 22 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (1)

Edwin P. MatthewsBorn 1858 · Montgomery County, Ohio

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Matthews family

Found your Matthews? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Matthews genealogy: FAQ

Where were Matthews ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 9,025 Matthews records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (2,439), then Ohio (1,495) and Illinois (1,314).

How far back does the Matthews family tree go?

The earliest Matthews birth in our database is 1808: Macrsens Weeliam Matthews, Iowa. We have pieced together 347 Matthews family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Matthews family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Matthews family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.