NameCensus.

UK surname

Donald

A surname of Scottish origin derived from the Gaelic name "Domhnall," meaning "world ruler" or "world mighty."

In the 1881 census there were 6,074 people recorded with the Donald surname, ranking it #724 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,749, ranked #854, down from #724 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Fyvie-Rothie, Turriff and Howe of Alford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Donald is 7,749 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.6%.

1881 census count

6,074

Ranked #724

Modern count

7,749

2016, ranked #854

Peak year

2016

7,749 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Donald had 6,074 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #724 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,749 in 2016, ranked #854.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,065 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Donald surname distribution map

The map shows where the Donald surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Donald surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Donald over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 4,522 #624
1861 historical 5,514 #500
1881 historical 6,074 #724
1891 historical 6,904 #652
1901 historical 7,065 #780
1911 historical 2,164 #2,325
1997 modern 7,150 #908
1998 modern 7,391 #917
1999 modern 7,429 #919
2000 modern 7,444 #908
2001 modern 7,156 #923
2002 modern 7,355 #914
2003 modern 7,163 #915
2004 modern 7,218 #913
2005 modern 7,162 #903
2006 modern 7,228 #896
2007 modern 7,252 #904
2008 modern 7,325 #901
2009 modern 7,512 #903
2010 modern 7,666 #903
2011 modern 7,489 #908
2012 modern 7,325 #906
2013 modern 7,467 #903
2014 modern 7,619 #889
2015 modern 7,647 #879
2016 modern 7,749 #854

Geography

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Where Donalds are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Fyvie-Rothie, Turriff, Howe of Alford, Inverurie North and George Street. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Fyvie-Rothie Aberdeenshire
2 Turriff Aberdeenshire
3 Howe of Alford Aberdeenshire
4 Inverurie North Aberdeenshire
5 George Street Aberdeen City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Donald

These lists show first names that appear often with the Donald surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Donald

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Donald, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Donald surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Donald household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Donald is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Donald is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Donald falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Donald is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Donald, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Donald

The surname Donald has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Domhnall", which means "world ruler" or "world mighty". The name is composed of the elements "domhan" (world) and "val" (ruler).

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval Scottish charters and records. One of the earliest known bearers was Donald, the 6th Earl of Mar, who lived in the late 12th century. Another notable early bearer was Donald, Lord of the Isles, who ruled the Hebrides in the 14th century.

The name Donald was particularly prevalent in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, where it was borne by several prominent families and clan chiefs. The Clan Donald, one of the largest and most powerful Scottish clans, took their name from this lineage. The chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of the Isles and played a significant role in Scottish history.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls recording the fealty sworn by Scottish noblemen to King Edward I of England. One such entry mentions Donald of Yle (Isle of Islay).

Over time, the name spread beyond Scotland to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other parts of the world through Scottish emigration. Notable bearers of the surname include:

1. Donald Bane (c. 1060-1181), a 12th-century Scottish king who briefly ruled as King of Scots. 2. Donald of Mar (c. 1153-1242), a Scottish nobleman and military leader. 3. Donald Monro (1656-1714), a Scottish military officer and writer who authored a description of the Western Isles of Scotland. 4. Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895), an American Baptist minister and author who wrote the lyrics to the patriotic song "America" (also known as "My Country, 'Tis of Thee"). 5. Sir Robert Donald (1860-1933), a Canadian-born businessman and philanthropist who founded the company now known as Massey Ferguson.

The surname Donald has endured as a proud Scottish name, with its roots tracing back to the medieval era and the powerful clans and lords who bore it.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Donald families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Donald surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Aberdeenshire leads with 1,284 Donalds recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.57x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 1,284 23.57x
Lanarkshire 974 5.12x
Angus 614 11.27x
Renfrewshire 298 6.54x
Middlesex 273 0.46x
Banffshire 255 20.90x
Midlothian 203 2.58x
Kincardineshire 197 27.51x
Ayrshire 194 4.41x
Lancashire 177 0.25x
Yorkshire 138 0.24x
Perthshire 127 4.81x
Northumberland 117 1.34x
Fife 109 3.13x
Durham 107 0.61x
Cumberland 100 1.97x
Dunbartonshire 93 5.88x
Surrey 85 0.30x
Stirlingshire 66 3.04x
Kent 65 0.32x
Cornwall 55 0.83x
Morayshire 32 3.50x
Essex 31 0.27x
Devon 25 0.20x
Hampshire 25 0.21x
Roxburghshire 25 2.35x
Warwickshire 24 0.16x
Cheshire 23 0.18x
Dumfriesshire 19 1.46x
Glamorgan 18 0.18x
Selkirkshire 18 3.38x
Staffordshire 18 0.09x
Norfolk 14 0.15x
West Lothian 14 1.58x
Lincolnshire 13 0.14x
Peeblesshire 13 4.70x
Suffolk 13 0.18x
Buteshire 11 3.09x
Clackmannanshire 11 2.26x
Ross-shire 11 0.68x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.13x
Argyllshire 9 0.55x
Orkney 9 1.39x
Sussex 9 0.09x
Gloucestershire 8 0.07x
Inverness-shire 8 0.46x
Westmorland 7 0.54x
Channel Islands 6 0.34x
Denbighshire 6 0.27x
Derbyshire 6 0.07x
Berwickshire 5 0.70x
East Lothian 5 0.64x
Kirkcudbrightshire 5 0.59x
Northamptonshire 5 0.09x
Somerset 5 0.05x
Caithness 4 0.50x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.30x
Royal Navy 4 0.57x
Anglesey 3 0.29x
Worcestershire 3 0.04x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.08x
Flintshire 2 0.13x
Nairnshire 2 1.11x
Pembrokeshire 2 0.11x
Wigtownshire 2 0.26x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.03x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.04x
Kinross-shire 1 0.67x
Leicestershire 1 0.02x
Monmouthshire 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.03x
Shetland 1 0.17x
Sutherland 1 0.22x
Wiltshire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 291 Donalds recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.59x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 291 25.59x
Govan 253 5.38x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 241 23.65x
Dundee 201 9.88x
Barony 178 3.70x
Glasgow 155 4.59x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 131 4.13x
Forfar 78 26.44x
Liff Benvie 78 9.43x
Dunfermline 73 13.64x
Old Monkland 69 9.14x
Bothwell 66 12.80x
Abbey 61 8.77x
Fetteresso 54 48.12x
West Greenock 53 6.48x
Midmar 44 209.32x
Perranuthnoe 44 242.29x
Kirriemuir 41 30.50x
Old Kilpatrick 41 21.95x
Montrose 40 12.11x
Chapel Of Garioch 39 100.65x
St Vigeans 35 11.90x
Banchory Devenick 34 50.82x
Paisley High Church 34 9.37x
Newhills 33 29.59x
Monymusk 32 137.16x
New Monkland 32 5.69x
Avondale 31 27.88x
Banchory Ternan 31 50.06x
Monquhitter 31 54.97x
Kensington London 30 0.92x
Gamrie 29 21.29x
Boyndie 28 69.31x
Cathcart 28 11.35x
Echt 28 106.75x
Inverurie 28 45.45x
Keith 28 21.53x
Marnoch 28 42.74x
Rathven 27 11.78x
Camberwell 26 0.69x
St Pancras London 26 0.55x
Banff 25 23.60x
Islington London 25 0.44x
Cluny 24 91.64x
Paisley Middle Church 24 9.04x
Auchindoir Kearn 23 75.21x
Dunnottar 23 45.64x
Hamilton 23 4.34x
South Leith 23 2.59x
Huntly 22 24.83x
Skene 22 60.91x
Brechin 21 9.81x
Cambusnethan 21 4.97x
Cullen 21 46.44x
Fyvie 21 23.63x
King Edward 21 33.46x
Scone 21 44.79x
Ayr 20 9.63x
Fraserburgh 20 13.04x
Grange 20 56.01x
Paisley Low Church 20 13.86x
Tynemouth 20 4.27x
Barry 19 29.06x
Campsie 19 15.96x
Logie Pert 19 94.48x
Peterhead 19 6.60x
Port Glasgow 19 8.62x
West Derby 19 0.93x
West Ham 19 0.74x
Cambuslang 18 9.39x
Kingston On Thames 18 2.61x
Row 18 8.80x
Drumoak 17 90.72x
Hackney London 17 0.52x
New Machar 17 55.56x
Chorlton On Medlock 16 1.44x
Eastwood 16 5.70x
Longbenton 16 4.32x
Meldrum 16 34.87x
Turriff 16 18.20x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Donald surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Donald surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 111
William 101
James 83
Thomas 58
George 39
Robert 34
Joseph 24
Charles 18
Alexander 17
Henry 17
David 14
Edward 11
Richard 9
Frederick 8
Alfred 7
Andrew 7
Ernest 6
MC 5
Patrick 5
Thos. 5
Wm. 5
Francis 4
Fredk. 4
Hugh 4
Michael 4
Peter 4
Samuel 4
Anthony 3
Arthur 3
Daniel 3
Donald 3
Herbert 3
Jonathan 3
Mac 3
Martin 3
Robt. 3
Albert 2
Alexr. 2
Archibald 2
Bertram 2
Colin 2
Duncan 2
Frank 2
Jeremiah 2
Louis 2
Malcolm 2
Morris 2
Ralph 2
Stephen 2
Walter 2

FAQ

Donald surname: questions and answers

How common was the Donald surname in 1881?

In 1881, 6,074 people were recorded with the Donald surname. That placed it at #724 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Donald surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,749 in 2016. That gives Donald a modern rank of #854.

What does the Donald surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin derived from the Gaelic name "Domhnall," meaning "world ruler" or "world mighty."

What does the Donald map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Donald bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.