History of your Surname
Get access to Donnelan family records.Start a free trial

Donnelan Family History

Donnelan 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: Donnellan, Donelan, Donnelly, Donnan, Sonneman, Donegan, Danneman

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Donnelan family from?

You can see how Donnelan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Donnelan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1851 and 1920. The most Donnelan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1880 there were 7 Donnelan families living in Massachusetts. This was about 50% of all the recorded Donnelan's in USA. Massachusetts had the highest population of Donnelan families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Donnelan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Donnelan ancestors do for a living?

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Donnelan ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

What Donnelan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 365 census records available for the last name Donnelan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Donnelan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Donnelan

Passenger Lists

There are 218 immigration records available for the last name Donnelan. 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 Donnelan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 61 military records available for the last name Donnelan. For the veterans among your Donnelan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Donnelan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Donnelan family history

Discover More

What is the average Donnelan lifespan?

Between 1975 and 1996, in the United States, Donnelan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1975, and highest in 1996. The average life expectancy for Donnelan in 1975 was 69, and 84 in 1996.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Donnelan

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Donnelan family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Donnelan last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial