Origins of the Mathers Family

Eminem's roots can be found in Scandinavia through his mother Debbie Nelson and in South Wales through his father Marshall Bruce Mathers II.

But Eminem has mostly Scottish blood running through his veins. On both sides( maternal and paternal sides), Scottish roots can be found.

Back to the 7 th generation on the paternal side, Peter Mathers from Pennsylvania married a Scottish woman named Isabella (last name unknown). On the maternal side, Scottish roots can be found in Marshall's family in the 6 th generation : Ailsa Mc Allister from Edingburgh emigrated to the United States -precisely to New York in 1870.

Most of the Mathers have been working as farmers in the state of Missouri.

Marshall Mathers I, Eminem's paternal grandfather has been working as an assistant hotel manager at Plainsman Hotel in st Joseph Missouri and his wife Rae has been employed at Del Cornonado hotel in guest services.

When Eminem's paternal grandmother Rae died recently in 2002 from an Alzheimer desease , Marshall Mathers II discovered interesting documents related to his famous son like a Christmas card from Marshall addressed to his grandmother Rae.


Ethymology of the name Mathers


Mathers means mower or reaper.


History of the name Mathers

The name Mathers is related to the Scottish Barclay clan. The family Barclay settled down in a place called Mathers in Scotland in the 13 th century. The history of the Mathers goes back to an english immigrant Theobald de Berkeley and his son who owned the estate of Mathers. Alexander was the first to use the surname Mathers.



Pronounciation of the surname Mathers

It is commonly admitted that the surname Mathers is pronounced as if there was an y in the middle of the name : Ma(y)thers .

If you want to know more about the history and genealogy of the family Mathers, you can find some interesting info here :

homepage.ntlworld.com/davepalmer/eminem/credits.htm



I'd like to thank the people who made up this interesting website. I discovered a lot of info about Marshall's paternal side. I have a lot of info about his maternal side, so I hope to be able to complete his family tree as soon as possible.

I do teach English and German at public schools. I am an Eminem biographer and a freelance music journalist.