Donahue
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Donnchadha," meaning "descendant of Donnchadh" (a personal name meaning "brown warrior").
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 36,675 Americans carry the last name Donahue. That puts it at #1,112 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,346 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Donahue surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
37K
1 in 9,346
Census rank
#1,112
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
32K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 31,563 bearers of the surname Donahue in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1112th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Donahue, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Black (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Donahue
The surname Donahue is an Anglicized form of the ancient Irish Gaelic name O'Donnchadha. It originated in County Cork, Ireland in the 12th century. The name stems from the Gaelic word "Donnchadh" which means "brown warrior".
Donahue is one of the few Irish surnames that remained relatively unchanged when transliterated into English. This suggests the name was well-established before the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. The prefix "O'" indicates the name is from an Irish clan or family group.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name dates back to 1356 in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient Irish chronicle. It mentions a Donnchadh O'Donnchadha who served as a judge in County Cork. The name also appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century.
The Donahue surname can be traced back to the ancient kingdom of Duhallow in northwest County Cork. This region was ruled by the O'Donnchadha clan for centuries before the Norman conquest. The name is still most prevalent in County Cork, particularly in the towns of Kanturk and Mallow.
Notable people with the surname Donahue include Thelma Donahue (1904-1959), an American silent film actress, and Phil Donahue (born 1935), the pioneering American talk show host. Other examples are Miles Donahue (1884-1973), an American judge, and John Donahue (1905-1970), an American baseball player.
Ken Donahue (1928-2001) was a Canadian lawyer and judge who served on the Supreme Court of Ontario. He played a key role in several high-profile cases involving civil liberties and indigenous rights in Canada during the 1970s and 1980s.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Donahue
Among Census respondents with the surname Donahue, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Black (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Donahue bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Donahue surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3%
- Black or African American3.0%
- Hispanic or Latino2.1%
- Two or more races1.3%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Donahue surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,112 | #1,112 | 0.0% |
| Count | 31,563 | 31,563 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 10.70 | 10.70 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Donahue bearers went from 31,563 to 31,563 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #1,112 to #1,112.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Donahue
FAQ
Donahue surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Donahue?
The surname Donahue holds position #1,112 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 36,675 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 10.70 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Donahue surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Donahue, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Black (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.