2000
#897
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 35,387
First available Census row
Per 100,000 13.12
Uncommon Last name
Donaldson
Son of Donald, a patronymic surname of Scottish and Irish origin derived from the Gaelic name Domhnall.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 40,259 Americans carry the last name Donaldson. That puts it at #982 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 11.75 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 8,514 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Donaldson surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Donaldson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
40K
1 in 8,514
Census rank
#982
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
11.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
35K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 35,108 bearers of the surname Donaldson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 11.75 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 982nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Donaldson, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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."
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Donaldson
Among Census respondents with the surname Donaldson, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Donaldson bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Donaldson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White69.3% · 24,326
- Black or African American21.7% · 7,612
- Two or more races4.4% · 1,549
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 1,257
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 244
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 120
Timeline
Historical Census data for Donaldson
Donaldson appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#950
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 36,558
+1,171 bearers (+3.3%)
Per 100,000 12.39
Rank movement Down 53 places
2020
#982
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 35,108
-1,450 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 11.75
Rank movement Down 32 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #897 | 35,387 | 13.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #950 | 36,558 | 12.39 | +1,171 bearers (+3.3%) | Down 53 places |
| 2020 | #982 | 35,108 | 11.75 | -1,450 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 32 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Donaldson surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #950 | #982 | -3.4% |
| Count | 36,558 | 35,108 | -4.0% |
| Per 100K | 12.39 | 11.75 | -5.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Donaldson bearers went from 36,558 to 35,108 (-4.0% change). The surname moved down 32 positions in the national ranking, going from #950 to #982.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Donaldson
FAQ
Donaldson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Donaldson?
Name Census estimates that about 40,259 living Americans carry the surname Donaldson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 8,514 residents.
How common is Donaldson?
Donaldson ranks #982 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 11.75 per 100,000 residents, which is about 12 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 35,108 people with the surname Donaldson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (40,259), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 11.75 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 11.75 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 12 of them to have the surname Donaldson.
Has Donaldson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Donaldson went from 36,558 recorded bearers to 35,108. That is a decrease of 1,450 (-4.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #950 to #982.
What does the Census say about the background of Donaldson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Donaldson, the largest self-reported group is White at 69.3%. The next largest groups are Black (21.7%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Donaldson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 69.3% (24,326 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Donaldson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (69.3%), Black (21.7%), Two or More Races (4.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Donaldson (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Donaldson mean?
Son of Donald, a patronymic surname of Scottish and Irish origin derived from the Gaelic name Domhnall. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Donaldson (11.75 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Donaldson?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.