2000
#124,109
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Donatone
An Italian surname derived from the Italian word "donato" meaning "given" or "bestowed."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Donatone. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Donatone 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.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Donatone in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Donatone, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Donatone
The surname Donatone has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Tuscany. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "donato," which means "gifted" or "donated." This suggests that the name may have been originally given to someone who was a generous person or a benefactor.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Donatone can be found in the historical records of the city of Florence, dating back to the 13th century. These records mention a family by the name of Donatone who were prominent merchants and traders in the city.
During the Renaissance period, the Donatone family gained significant prominence in the arts and literature. One notable figure was Pietro Donatone (1454-1521), a renowned sculptor who was commissioned to create several works for the Medici family, the powerful rulers of Florence.
In the 16th century, there was a Donatone family residing in the town of Siena, known for their expertise in the production of fine wines. Records indicate that a certain Giancarlo Donatone (1528-1602) was a respected winemaker whose wines were highly sought after by the nobility.
As the Donatone family spread across Italy, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as Donatoni and Donatone. One of the most famous bearers of the name was the Italian composer and musicologist, Franco Donatoni (1927-2000), who was known for his contributions to avant-garde music.
Another noteworthy individual was Alessandro Donatone (1876-1944), a historian and academic who specialized in the study of ancient Roman history. His works on the Roman Empire were widely acclaimed and are still referenced by scholars today.
While the name Donatone is most prevalent in Italy, it has also been found in other parts of Europe and the Americas, likely due to Italian immigration over the centuries. Despite its widespread dispersion, the name remains deeply rooted in its Italian heritage and the rich cultural traditions of Tuscany.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Donatone
Among Census respondents with the surname Donatone, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Donatone 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 Donatone surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3% · 100
- Two or more races2.8% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Donatone
Donatone 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-10 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,031 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-12 bearers (-10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,199 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,109 | 128 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 17,031 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.2%) | Down 11,199 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 Donatone 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 | #141,140 | #152,339 | -7.9% |
| Count | 118 | 106 | -10.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Donatone bearers went from 118 to 106 (-10.2% change). The surname moved down 11,199 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #152,339.
FAQ
Donatone surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Donatone?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Donatone. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Donatone?
Donatone ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Donatone. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Donatone.
Has Donatone become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Donatone went from 118 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Donatone?
Among Census respondents with the surname Donatone, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Donatone in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Donatone appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.3%), Two or More Races (2.8%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Donatone (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 Donatone mean?
An Italian surname derived from the Italian word "donato" meaning "given" or "bestowed." 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 Donatone (0.04 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 Donatone?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.