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

McDonaldson, 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 McDonaldson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McDonaldson in America

McDonaldson is the 123796th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McDonaldson surname appeared 139 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 McDonaldson.

We can also compare 2010 data for McDonaldson 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 McDonaldson

The surname MCDONALDSON is of Scottish origin, dating back to the medieval period in the Scottish Highlands. The name is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac Dhomnhaill," which translates to "son of Donald." This patronymic naming convention was common in Scottish clans, indicating the lineage of a person descended from a progenitor named Donald.

The earliest recorded instances of the name MCDONALDSON can be found in various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the mention of a Gillebride MCDONALDSON in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1264. This document was a record of financial transactions and accounts kept by the Scottish Exchequer, which serves as evidence of the name's existence during that time.

In the 15th century, the name MCDONALDSON appeared in the Book of Arran, a manuscript compiled in the late 1400s that contained genealogical records of the clans and families on the Isle of Arran. This reference suggests that the name was well-established in the Scottish Isles and Highlands by that period.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname MCDONALDSON. One prominent figure was Sir Angus MCDONALDSON (1670-1735), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Wigtownshire in the early 18th century. Another was Reverend John MCDONALDSON (1779-1851), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on religious topics.

In the literary realm, the name MCDONALDSON is associated with the Scottish novelist and playwright John MCDONALDSON (1817-1891), best known for his novel "The Ledge in the Dornoch Firth." Additionally, the Scottish artist and engraver William MCDONALDSON (1854-1923) gained recognition for his landscape paintings and etchings depicting scenes from the Scottish Highlands.

One of the earliest recorded place names associated with the MCDONALDSON surname is the village of MCDONALDSON Muir in Ayrshire, Scotland. This settlement likely derived its name from an early MCDONALDSON family who resided in the area, further reinforcing the name's Scottish roots and geographic ties.

While the name MCDONALDSON may have evolved over time with variations in spelling, such as MCDONALDSEN or MCDONALDSONE, its origins can be traced back to the Scottish Highlands and the patronymic naming traditions of the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McDonaldson

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

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

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

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