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

Donnerson, 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 Donnerson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Donnerson in America

Donnerson is the 148347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Donnerson surname appeared 111 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 Donnerson.

The history of the last name Donnerson

The surname Donnerson is of English origin, first appearing in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "dun" meaning hill and "hers" meaning meadow, denoting someone who lived near a hill meadow.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name was found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1182, where it was listed as Dunereston. This indicates the name was initially locational, likely referring to a place called Dunnerston or a similar variation.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire as Dunresdon, further highlighting its locational origins. During this time, the name was primarily concentrated in the southern counties of England, particularly Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Sir John Donnerson, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346. His bravery and loyalty to the crown were noted in the Chronicles of Froissart.

The Donnerson family later gained prominence in the 16th century with the birth of William Donnerson (1522-1595), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the Dean of Windsor and chaplain to Queen Elizabeth I. His writings on religious reformation were widely circulated and influential during the Elizabethan era.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Cheltenham, where the Donnersons were a prominent landowning family. Notable members included Richard Donnerson (1627-1702), a successful merchant and alderman, and his son, James Donnerson (1662-1732), a respected lawyer and magistrate.

Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Captain Henry Donnerson (1748-1821), a naval officer who played a crucial role in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. His bravery and leadership during the battle were commended by Lord Nelson himself.

The Donnerson surname has also been associated with several place names in England, including Donnerson Hill in Gloucestershire and Donnerson Manor in Oxfordshire, both of which were likely named after early bearers of the surname who resided in or owned land in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Donnerson

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

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 Donnerson 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.

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

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

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