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

Donoso, 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 Donoso surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Donoso in America

Donoso is the 25620th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Donoso surname appeared 963 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 Donoso.

We can also compare 2010 data for Donoso 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 Donoso

The surname Donoso has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "donoso," which means "graceful," "pleasant," or "witty." The name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who possessed these qualities.

In the 13th century, the name Donoso appeared in various historical records and manuscripts from the regions of Castile and Andalusia. One notable early reference is found in the "Libro de Repartimiento de Sevilla," a document recording the distribution of land and properties in Seville after its conquest by King Ferdinand III of Castile in 1248.

The earliest recorded bearer of the surname Donoso was Pedro Donoso, a nobleman and landowner who lived in the city of Seville in the late 13th century. Another prominent figure was Diego Donoso, a military commander who fought alongside King Alfonso XI of Castile in the Battle of Río Salado against the Marinid dynasty in 1340.

In the 15th century, the name Donoso was associated with the town of Garrovillas de Alconétar, located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura. The town's coat of arms featured the Donoso family crest, indicating their influence and significance in the region.

One of the most renowned individuals with the surname Donoso was José Donoso (1924-1996), a Chilean novelist and one of the leading figures of the Latin American literary boom. His novels, such as "Coronación" and "El obsceno pájaro de la noche," explored themes of identity, sexuality, and social inequality.

Another notable bearer of the name was Armando Donoso (1886-1963), a Chilean politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1946 to 1947. He played a crucial role in strengthening Chile's international relations and promoting regional cooperation.

In the field of sports, José Donoso (1957-2016) was a renowned Chilean footballer who played as a striker for various clubs, including Universidad Católica and Colo-Colo. He was part of the Chilean national team that participated in the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain.

Additionally, Diego Donoso (1551-1598) was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Alcalá and contributed to the revision of the Vulgate Bible, known as the Sixtine Vulgate.

Throughout history, the surname Donoso has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including nobility, literature, politics, sports, and religion, highlighting its diverse and influential presence across different spheres.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Donoso

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

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

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

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