Dones last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Dones

Of Spanish origin, referring to a generous or giving person.

Dones, 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 Dones surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dones in America

Dones is the 6971st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dones surname appeared 4,813 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Dones.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dones 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 6971 8096 -14.93%
Count 4,813 3,773 24.23%
Proportion per 100k 1.63 1.40 15.18%

The history of the last name Dones

The surname DONES is of English origin, first recorded in the 12th century. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from the Old English word "dun" meaning a hill or low ridge. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name likely hailed from a place situated on or near a hill.

The DONES surname has several early recorded examples, including Willelmus de Dunes found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1166. The Pipe Rolls were a series of financial records maintained by the English Exchequer, providing valuable insights into the names and locations of individuals during that time.

Another early reference can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where the name is recorded as Dunes. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records that documented landholders and their possessions across various counties in England.

During the 13th century, the DONES surname also appeared in various forms, such as Dones, Dones, and Dons, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. This diversity in spelling was common before the standardization of English orthography.

One noteworthy figure bearing the DONES surname was Sir John Dones (c. 1330-1390), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Leicestershire in 1377. He held estates in several counties, including Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Derbyshire.

In the 15th century, the DONES surname can be found in the records of the College of Arms, the official repository of genealogical and heraldic records in England. This suggests that some branches of the family were granted coats of arms, indicating their status and influence during that period.

Another individual of note was Thomas Dones (c. 1490-1556), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, from 1542 until his death in 1556. He was highly regarded for his scholarly contributions and his role in the college's administration.

The DONES surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Dunes in Staffordshire and Duns in Northumberland. These place names likely served as the original locales from which the surname originated, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Overall, the DONES surname has a rich history deeply rooted in the English countryside, with references dating back to the 12th century. Its locational origins and the presence of notable figures bearing this name have contributed to its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dones

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

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 Dones was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 30.94% 1,489
Non-Hispanic Black Only 24.70% 1,189
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 5.78% 278
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.39% 19
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.35% 65
Hispanic Origin 36.84% 1,773

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 Dones has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 30.94% 29.95% 3.25%
Black 24.70% 24.41% 1.18%
Asian and Pacific Islander 5.78% 5.51% 4.78%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.39% 0.40% -2.53%
Two or More Races 1.35% 1.17% 14.29%
Hispanic 36.84% 38.56% -4.56%

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

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

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"Dones last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 18, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/dones-surname-popularity/.

"Dones last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/dones-surname-popularity/. Accessed 18 December, 2024

Dones last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/dones-surname-popularity/.

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