Mathia - Matthia Family Organization

Background
The Mathia - Matthia Family Organization focuses on the origins and descendancies of a limited set of patriarchs who emerge at the beginning of Western record keeping for the common man.

Name Spellings
The name may be spelled MATHIA, MATTHIA, MATHYIA, MATHEA, MATIA, MATYJA, MARTHIA or MATTHIAE. One feminine version of the name is MATHIOWNA. Spelling is not an issue, but descendancy from one of the designated lines is important. The Mathia-Matthia family surnames and lines are to be differentiated from lines carrying similar surnames derived patronymically (e.g. Mathias or Matthias in Scandinavia).

Historical Setting
The Mathia - Matthia grouping of surnames covers, at the beginning of Western record keeping, several distinct genetic lines. The greatest numbers distributed throughout the world today come from the Polish (perhaps Kashubian) line and from the Bas Rhin (Alsace-Lorraine) line. There is no evidence that the two are connected, but we are trying to promote DNA testing among descendants. There is also another smaller group with origins in Slovakia. It is possible that the German tribe "the Matiaker," which settled by the Rhein and was mentioned by Tacitus in the listing of German tribes, was completely or partially conquered by the Romans under Caesar. With the vanquishing of the Romans by the Alemanni, the Matiaker came under their rule. In the end they were subsumed by the Franks. If this is the correct origin of the name, then the grouping in Poland may have resulted from a migration at the time of the Teutonic knights.

Mathia - Matthia Family Branches
So far we have identified two main branches of the family. The first of these originates in what is today Poland and formerly was Prussia, or the German Empire. The second originates in the Bas Rhin area of Alsace-Lorraine France. If the name "Mathia" or "Matthia" originated with the Germanic tribal name as suggested by Günter Mathia of Haunsheim, Germany, then there should be a genetic or DNA connection between the two branches. Some male members of the families from both branches have provided genetic samples, but it will take a large number of samples before any conclusions can be reached. Genetic DNA testing can be purchased or, under certain limitations, can be obtained for free. We encourage all male members of the family to have a Y-Chromosome test to move this investigation of origins along.

The Polish-Prussian Branch of the Family
The earliest occurances of the Mathia - Matthia Familiy in Poland are in the area near Tuchola, in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship in northern Poland. In the earliest church records of there are three men who we call "patriarchs" in the village of Żalno, northwest of Tuchola. They were Joann (birth estimated 1634), Stephan (birth estimated 1735), and Franz (birth estimated 1729). These men could have been brothers, but we have not yet found records of their births. There are earlier occurences of the Mathia name in the Tuchel area, but no direct connections have yet been possible. Since many or most of the Mathia-Matthia family members (of the Polish-Prussian Branch) actively doing research are descended from one of these three, there is less information about possible descendants of the others in the area.

The Bas Rhin Branch of the Family
Christian Matthia, born about 1720 and married 4 January 1749 in Puberg, Bas-Rhin, France, is the patriarch of this branch. Christian's descendants are spread through France, Europe, and the United States today. Many American descendants come through Peter Matthia, born 17 February 1835 in Hambach, Bas-Rhin, France. Peter died 1 August 1906 near Joplin, Missouri. In the United States, his name was spelled Mathia. For the purposes of Mathia - Matthia Family Organization Y-DNA research, it is important to identify male-to-male descendants of Christian who are not descended through Peter.

The Slovakian Branch of the Family
This branch of the family has the least amount of research. It presently begins with Vincent Mathia (also spelled Matija) who was born about 1855 in Orkucany, Sabinov, Slovakia. To our knowledge, no Y-DNA has been collected from this branch.

Other Branches
As living people carrying the Mathia - Matthia name or it's variations contact this organization, every effort is made to use traditional genealogical research methods to connect them with a known branch of the family. All male-to-male descendants are invited to participate in Y-DNA testing.

Research Standards
In any effort as large as this, methods and standards must be used to create something of value for the generations to come. When we receive new information, we do our best to assure accuracy before publishing it at our website. We seek to identify and confirm a valid source for each entry.

History of the Organization

 * This organization has arisen spontaneously as the Internet and social media networking has made it possible. Active organization members variously speak English, Polish, German, and French as native tongues--with some being multi-lingual.

Current Projects

 * Encourage Y-DNA testing for male descendants of the designated Mathia - Matthia patriarchs. A large number of tests from different modern brances are needed to increase the confidence level of any conclusions we make.
 * Continue extending and documenting Mathia - Matthia ancestry and descendancy lines. Example: Mathia - Matthia Family genealogical database
 * Discover possible new branches that arose out of migrations before the beginning of Western record keeping for the common man.
 * Enrich Mathia - Matthia genealogy by gathering written histories. Example: Memories of Lucia Mathia born Schulz written in 1977

Past Projects

 * Establish a credible and documented genealogy of the Mathia - Matthia Family branches.
 * Make research trips to Mathia - Matthia homelands.

Links

 * Mathia - Matthia Family website.
 * Facebook page: Mathia - Matthia Family Organization,
 * Facebook group: Mathia - Matthia Family Connections (soon to be archived by Facebook).