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Donna Family History

Donna Name Meaning

Italian: from the medieval personal name Donna from the appellative and title of respect meaning ‘mistress’ (from Latin domina). Americanized form of French Danis . Compare Danna .

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


Similar surnames: Dona, Danna, Don, Monda, Hanna, Bona, Dina, Nanna, Diana, Donis

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 Donna family from?

You can see how Donna families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Donna family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Donna families were found in USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 7 Donna families living in Nova Scotia. This was about 58% of all the recorded Donna's in Canada. Nova Scotia had the highest population of Donna families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Donna surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Donna ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Stenographer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Donna. 29% of Donna men worked as a Laborer and 15% of Donna women worked as a Stenographer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Donna were Barber and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Donna | 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.

United States shown, Canada data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    29%
  • Farmer
    11%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Barber
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Stenographer
    15%
  • Maid
    8%
  • Housework
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Donna family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Donna. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Donna census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Donna

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Donna. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Donna immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 484 military records available for the last name Donna. For the veterans among your Donna ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Donna military records

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What is the average Donna lifespan?

Between 1959 and 2004, in the United States, Donna life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1994, and highest in 1968. The average life expectancy for Donna in 1959 was 63, and 59 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Donna

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