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

Donatien, 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 Donatien surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Donatien in America

Donatien is the 100791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Donatien surname appeared 179 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Donatien.

We can also compare 2010 data for Donatien 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 Donatien

The surname Donatien originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Latin name Donatius, meaning "given" or "gifted." The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 12th century in the regions of Burgundy and Franche-Comté.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records and charters across eastern France. One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the name was Jehan Donatien, a landowner from the village of Montbéliard, mentioned in a deed from 1247.

The Donatien surname is closely linked to the religious order of the Donationists, a monastic community founded in the 11th century near Auxerre. Members of this order were known for their charitable work and dedication to serving the poor, which may have contributed to the name's association with the concept of "giving."

During the Renaissance period, the name gained prominence with the birth of the renowned French writer and philosopher Donatien Alphonse François, Comte de Sade (1740-1814), better known as the Marquis de Sade. His controversial writings and philosophical ideas had a significant impact on literature and intellectual discourse.

Another notable figure was Donatien Lévesque (1725-1794), a French Catholic priest and revolutionary who played an active role in the early stages of the French Revolution. He was guillotined during the Reign of Terror in 1794.

In the 19th century, Donatien Marquis (1835-1892) was a prominent French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Palais de l'Industrie and the Hôtel de Ville.

The name Donatien also appeared in other parts of Europe, although less frequently. For instance, Donatien Muñoz Serrano (1909-2003) was a Spanish philosopher and writer from Málaga, known for his work on existentialism and phenomenology.

Throughout its history, the surname Donatien has maintained its connection to its Latin roots and French origins, representing the idea of generosity and charitable giving.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Donatien

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

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

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

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