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Donel Family History

Donel Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Doner, Dones, Dovel, Done, Doney, Doyel, Daniel, Borel, Dore, Donat

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Donel family from?

You can see how Donel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Donel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Donel families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 2 Donel families living in Illinois. This was about 25% of all the recorded Donel's in USA. Illinois and 1 other state had the highest population of Donel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Donel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Donel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Donel. 63% of Donel men worked as a Laborer and 50% of Donel women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Donel were Farmer and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Donel | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    63%
  • Farmer
    38%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    50%
  • Clerk
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Donel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Donel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Donel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Donel

Passenger Lists

There are 309 immigration records available for the last name Donel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Donel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 210 military records available for the last name Donel. For the veterans among your Donel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Donel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Donel family history

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What is the average Donel lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Donel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1969, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Donel in 1955 was 52, and 47 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Donel

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Donel family tree

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