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Donson Family History

Donson Surname Meaning

English (Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire): perhaps a shortened form of Donaldson or Dunstan or a perhaps a patronymic from a shortened form of the latter.

(of French Huguenot origin): altered form of Dansan a habitational name with fused preposition d(e) ‘from’ denoting someone from Ansan (Gers).

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


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Where is the Donson family from?

You can see how Donson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Donson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Donson families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 17 Donson families living in Ontario. This was about 28% of all the recorded Donson's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Donson families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Donson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Donson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Cook were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Donson. 25% of Donson men worked as a Laborer and 18% of Donson women worked as a Cook. Some less common occupations for Americans named Donson were Farm Laborer and Servant.

View Census Data for Donson | 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
    25%
  • Farmer
    22%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Farm Laborer
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Cook
    18%
  • Laborer
    15%
  • Teacher
    11%
  • Servant
    11%

What Donson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Donson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Donson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Donson

Passenger Lists

There are 661 immigration records available for the last name Donson. 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 Donson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 547 military records available for the last name Donson. For the veterans among your Donson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Donson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Donson family history

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What is the average Donson lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Donson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1997, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Donson in 1956 was 53, and 92 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Donson

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Donson ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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