Matthew was one of Jesus’s disciples and Mattathiah a Hebrew given name, meaning “gift of the Lord.” The use of the name was stimulated in England by Crusaders returning from the Holy Land in the 12th century. Matthews started to appear as a surname in the late 14th century. English surname variants are Matthew and Mathews.

The surname Matthews is of Scottish and English derivation. Matthews family history shows that this surname is derived from the Hebrew given name, "Mattathiah", which means a gift of the Lord. In Matthews genealogy, the final "s" indicates "son of". This name was given to many Crusaders' sons when their fathers returned from the Holy Land.

The surname Mathews is a patronymic name derived from the well known first name Matthew. This name is ultimately derived from the Hebrew personal name "Mattathaigh," meaning "gift of Jehovah;" it was Latinized as Matthaeus and Mathaeus. It was introduced to England by the Normans, and quickly became quite a popular name.