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

Donner, 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 Donner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Donner in America

Donner is the 6664th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Donner surname appeared 5,068 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 Donner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Donner 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 Donner

The surname Donner is of German origin, derived from the German word "donner" meaning "thunder" or "thunderbolt." The name likely originated in the Middle Ages, possibly given as a descriptive nickname to someone with a loud voice or a boisterous personality.

The earliest recorded instances of the Donner surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of present-day Germany. One notable early record of the name appears in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dated around 1270.

In the 14th century, the Donner name was found in the town of Donnerau, located in the Rhineland region of Germany. It is possible that the surname originated from this place name, which itself may have derived from the German word "donner."

A prominent figure bearing the Donner surname was George Ralph Donner, an American chess master and writer born in 1888. He is best known for his contributions to the development of the hypermodern school of chess and for organizing the famous Donner Memorial tournaments in the Netherlands.

Another notable individual with the Donner surname was Jörg Donner, a Finnish author, playwright, and film director born in 1933. He was known for his controversial and provocative works, including the novel "The Inseparables" and the film "Gladiators."

In the realm of science, one cannot overlook the contributions of Otto Donner, a Finnish astronomer born in 1835. He made significant contributions to the study of solar eclipses and was the founder of the Observatory of Helsinki.

The Donner surname also has ties to the tragic Donner Party, a group of American pioneers who set out for California in 1846 but became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains during a harsh winter. The party's journey was marked by starvation and desperation, leading some members to resort to cannibalism for survival.

While the origins of the Donner surname can be traced back to Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and cultural exchange. The name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, contributing to the rich tapestry of human history and achievement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Donner

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

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

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

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