Find out how popular the last name Donald is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Donald.

Donald, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Donald surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Donald in America

Donald is the 2899th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Donald surname appeared 12,367 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Donald.

We can also compare 2010 data for Donald to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Donald

The surname Donald has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Domhnall", which means "world ruler" or "world mighty". The name is composed of the elements "domhan" (world) and "val" (ruler).

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Scottish charters and records. One of the earliest known bearers was Donald, the 6th Earl of Mar, who lived in the late 12th century. Another notable early bearer was Donald, Lord of the Isles, who ruled the Hebrides in the 14th century.

The name Donald was particularly prevalent in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, where it was borne by several prominent families and clan chiefs. The Clan Donald, one of the largest and most powerful Scottish clans, took their name from this lineage. The chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of the Isles and played a significant role in Scottish history.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls recording the fealty sworn by Scottish noblemen to King Edward I of England. One such entry mentions Donald of Yle (Isle of Islay).

Over time, the name spread beyond Scotland to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other parts of the world through Scottish emigration. Notable bearers of the surname include:

1. Donald Bane (c. 1060-1181), a 12th-century Scottish king who briefly ruled as King of Scots.
2. Donald of Mar (c. 1153-1242), a Scottish nobleman and military leader.
3. Donald Monro (1656-1714), a Scottish military officer and writer who authored a description of the Western Isles of Scotland.
4. Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895), an American Baptist minister and author who wrote the lyrics to the patriotic song "America" (also known as "My Country, 'Tis of Thee").
5. Sir Robert Donald (1860-1933), a Canadian-born businessman and philanthropist who founded the company now known as Massey Ferguson.

The surname Donald has endured as a proud Scottish name, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era and the powerful clans and lords who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Donald

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Donald.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Donald was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Donald has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Donald was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Donald, please contact us.

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