Donald Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
View the Donald surname, family crest and coat of arms. Discover the Donald family history for the Scottish Origin. What is the origin of the name Donald?
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Donald History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

Scotland

Ireland

The Donald family history stretches back to the clans of the Dalriadan kingdom on the sea-swept Hebrides islands and mountainous western coast of Scotland. The name Donald is derived from a powerful ruler. The name Donald is derived from the Gaelic name Domhnull, or MacDhomhnuill, and the Celtic name Dubnovalos, all of which mean "world ruler" or "world-mighty". The name ranks second only to John in its popularity as a personal name in Scotland.

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Early Origins of the Donald family

The surname Donald was first found in Galloway (Gaelic: Gall-ghaidhealaibh), an area of southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, that formerly consisted of the counties of Wigtown (West Galloway) and Kirkcudbright (East Galloway), where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

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Early History of the Donald family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Donald research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1620, 1703, 1713, 1780 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Donald History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

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Donald Spelling Variations

Spelling in the medieval era was a highly imprecise process. Translation, particularly from Gaelic to English, was little better. For these reasons, early Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. In various documents Donald has been spelled Donald, Donaldson, Doneld, Donnald, Donnaldson and others.

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Early Notables of the Donald family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was

Adam Donald (1703-1780), called 'the prophet of Bethelnie,' born at the hamlet of that name, twenty miles north of Aberdeen, in 1703. " Notwithstanding his extraordinary stature and build, which cause...

James Donaldson (fl. 1713), was a Scottish miscellaneous writer, a native of Scotland, was a gentleman in straitened circumstances who sought to obtain patronage by the publication of various pieces i...

Walter Donaldson (fl. 1620), was a Scottish philosophical writer, a native of Aberdeen, born about 1575. His father, Alexander Donaldson, is described as an esquire; his mother was Elizabeth, the daug...

Donald World Ranking

In the United States, the name Donald is the 2,477th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Donald is ranked the 898th most popular surname with an estimated 4,369 people with that name. 2 And in New Zealand, the name Donald is the 379th popular surname with an estimated 1,697 people with that name. 3 The United Kingdom ranks Donald as 919th with 7,498 people. 4

Migration of the Donald family to Ireland

Some of the Donald family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

Another 90 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

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Donald migration to the United States +

Settlers from Scotland put down roots in communities all along the east coast of North America. Some moved north from the American colonies to Canada as United Empire Loyalists during the American War of Independence. As Clan societies and highland games started in North America in the 20th century many Scots rediscovered parts of their heritage. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Donald were among those contributors:

Donald Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mary Donald, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1773 along with David, and Nash

Alexander Donald, aged 37, who landed in New York in 1775 5

Alexander Donald who settled in Georgia in 1775

Robert Donald, who arrived in Virginia in 1775 5

Cornelius Donald, who settled in Maryland in 1776

... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Donald Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Donald, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 5

Nash Donald, aged 26, who arrived in Delaware in 1803 5

Michael Donald, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 5

Barney Donald, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 5

Eleanor Donald, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 5

... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Donald migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Donald Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Miss. Elizabeth Donalds U.E. who settled in St. John River, New Brunswick c. 1784 listed as a passenger aboard the ship "Cyrus", picked up on August 21, 1783 at New York was a child but more than 10 years of age 6

Mr. John Donalds U.E. who settled in St. John River, New Brunswick c. 1784 listed as a passenger aboard the ship "Cyrus", picked up on August 21, 1783 at New York was a child but more than 10 years of age 6

Donald Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Thomas Donald, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Ambassador" in 1834

Miss. Mary Donald, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Sarah" departing 29th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 19th July 1847 but she died on board 7

Miss. Mary Donald, aged 8 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Eliza Caroline" departing 3rd May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 14th June 1847 but she died on board 7

Donald migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Donald Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Donald, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Fanny" on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8

James Donald, a stone-mason, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832

Mr. Alexander Donald, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Exmouth" on 3rd March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9

Mr. Edward Donald, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Egyptian" on 5th April 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10

Miss Janet Donald, (McKechnie) who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Cadet" on 4th September 1847, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11

... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Donald migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Donald Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Robert Donald, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840

William Donald, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840

William Hodgson Donald, who landed in Manaia, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship "George Fife"

S Donald, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842

Mr. Donald, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "George Fyffe" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 7th November 1842 12

... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Donald (post 1700) +

William Alexander "Willie" Donald (1953-2022), Scottish cricketer and administrator who played for the Scotland national cricket team in 8 first-class and 32 List A matches, President of Aberdeenshire Cricket Club from 2019

James Donald (1917-1993), Scottish actor

Ian Donald (1910-1987), Scottish physician who pioneered the use of diagnostic ultrasound in medicine

Aaron Charles Donald (b. 1991), American football defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League

Mrs. Patricia Louise Donald M.B.E., British chairperson of South West Age Partnership (SWAP), was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Older People in Northern Ireland 13

Haddon Vivian Donald DSO, MC, ED (1917-2018), New Zealand soldier, businessman and politician, at the time of his death, was the highest-ranking New Zealand army officer of World War II living

Chris Donald (b. 1960), founder of the British comic magazine Viz

Warren Donald (b. 1964), English-born footballer

Mitchell Donald (b. 1988), Dutch footballer

Jason Thomas Donald (b. 1984), Olympian for the United States and a Major League Baseball shortstop

... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Donald family +

HMS Hood

Mr. James H Donald (b. 1923), Scottish Boy 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Dundee, Angus, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 14

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Archibald Douglas Donald, Canadian 2nd Class passenger residing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in a collapsible 15

USS Indianapolis

Lyle Herbert Donald, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 16

Related Stories +

The Donald Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Per mare, per terras

Motto Translation: By sea, by land.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/

"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames

"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames

"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)

Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X

Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 73)

Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie

Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/exmouth

Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th January 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/egyptian

Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cadet/

New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html

"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists

H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm

Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/

Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew