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

Donaldson, 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 Donaldson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Donaldson in America

Donaldson is the 950th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Donaldson surname appeared 36,558 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname Donaldson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Donaldson 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 Donaldson

The surname Donaldson is of Scottish origin, derived from the given name Donald and the patronymic suffix -son, meaning "son of Donald." The name Donald itself is derived from the Gaelic name Domhnall, which is composed of the elements domhnu (world) and val (ruler).

The Donaldson surname first appeared in the historical records of Scotland in the 12th century. It is believed to have originated in the regions of Ayrshire and Galloway, where the Gaelic-speaking Scots were prominent. The earliest recorded instance of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists several individuals with the surname Donaldson who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England.

In the 14th century, the Donaldson family played a significant role in Scottish history. Sir Andrew Donaldson, a prominent knight and landowner, fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He was granted lands in Fife for his loyalty and bravery.

Over the centuries, the Donaldson surname has been associated with various notable individuals. In the 16th century, James Donaldson (c. 1572-1637) was a Scottish clergyman and theologian who served as the Principal of the University of St. Andrews. Another notable figure was Walter Donaldson (1575-1635), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who founded Donaldson's Hospital in Edinburgh, a charitable institution for the education and care of children.

In the literary world, Julia Donaldson (born 1948) is a renowned British writer best known for her children's books, including "The Gruffalo" and "Room on the Broom." She has received numerous awards and accolades for her work.

One of the most famous Donaldsons in recent history is Sam Donaldson (born 1934), an American journalist and former chief White House correspondent for ABC News. He covered several presidential administrations and was known for his tough questioning during press conferences.

Other notable individuals with the Donaldson surname include Walter Donaldson (1893-1947), an American composer and songwriter known for hits like "My Blue Heaven" and "Love Me or Leave Me," and Shane Donaldson (born 1976), a British actor best known for his roles in films like "The Nativity Story" and "Dredd."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Donaldson

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

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 Donaldson 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 Donaldson 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 Donaldson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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