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Donner Family History

Donner Name Meaning

German: nickname for a loud or irascible man from Middle High German doner ‘thunder’ (Old High German thonar). Jewish (Ashkenazic): adoption of German Donner ‘thunder’ as a surname (compare 1 above). English (Lincolnshire): of Norman origin a nickname from Anglo-Norman donour ‘giver granter generous open-handed person’. Americanized form of French Canadian Daunais or Donais .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Danner, Doner, Dobler, Bonner, Finner, Sonner, Banner, Depner, Benner

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Donner family from?

You can see how Donner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Donner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Donner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 12 Donner families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 34% of all the recorded Donner's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Donner families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Donner surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Donner ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Donner. 19% of Donner men worked as a Farmer and 10% of Donner women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Donner were Proprietor and Maid. .

View Census Data for Donner | 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

  • Farmer
    19%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Salesman
    8%
  • Proprietor
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    10%
  • Housewife
    9%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Maid
    7%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Donner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Donner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Donner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Donner

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Donner. 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 Donner immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 9,000 military records available for the last name Donner. For the veterans among your Donner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Donner lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Donner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Donner in 1956 was 54, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Donner

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