Mather

Mather is a surname of English origin that has appeared in various fields and places. In history, the name is associated with a prominent Puritan family in colonial New England. Increase Mather (1639–1723) was a minister and the longtime president of Harvard College. His son Cotton Mather (1663–1728) was also a minister and a prolific author who helped shape early American religious life and intellectual culture. In modern science, John C. Mather (born 1946) is an American astrophysicist and Nobel laureate recognized for work on the cosmic microwave background with the COBE satellite.

The name Mather is used for places in the United States, including Mather, California, an unincorporated community in Sacramento County. In addition, Mather Point is a well-known overlook in the Grand Canyon named for Stephen Mather, the first director of the National Park Service and a major advocate for American national parks.

Beyond people and places, the surname Mather has been used for institutions and buildings named in honor of individuals bearing the name, reflecting its historical presence in American public life.