Mathews family (Virginia)

Mathews

Arms of the Mathews of Virginia and West Virginia
Ethnicity	British-American
Current region	United States
Earlier spellings	Mathew
Members	George Mathews, Sampson Mathews, Henry M. Mathews
Connected families	Early, Otey, Patrick, Posey, Reynolds

The Mathews family was a United States political family from Virginia and the American South. Its role in public service spanned British Colonial, Confederate, and United States authority, during which seven of its members served in the Virginia Legislature. Additional members have served in West Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and the United States in positions including US Representative, US Consul, Governor, State Supreme Court Chief Justice, State Attorney General, State Senator, and State Delegate.

The Mathews surname originated in Llandaff, Glamorgan, Wales with Sir David Ap Mathew (1400-1484), a Welsh Knight and Lord of Llandaff, who was named Standard Bearer of England after the War of the Roses Battle of Towton in 1461 while saving the life of King Edward IV. Sir David adopted as his surname, the first name of his father, Sir Mathew Ap Evan. (Ap means 'son of').