| ![Show Contents]() Donalson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Scotland Ireland The Clan from whom the Donalson family descends began among the ancient Dalriadan kingdom of the west coast of Scotland. Their name comes from a powerful ruler. The name Donald is derived from the Gaelic name Domhnull, or MacDhomhnuill, and the Celtic name Dubnovalos, all of which mean "world ruler" or "world-mighty". The name ranks second only to John in its popularity as a personal name in Scotland. Early Origins of the Donalson familyThe surname Donalson was first found in Galloway (Gaelic: Gall-ghaidhealaibh), an area of southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, that formerly consisted of the counties of Wigtown (West Galloway) and Kirkcudbright (East Galloway), where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Donalson familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Donalson research. Another 167 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1620, 1703, 1713, 1780 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Donalson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Donalson Spelling VariationsHistorical recordings of the name Donalson include many spelling variations. They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. They include Donald, Donaldson, Doneld, Donnald, Donnaldson and others. Early Notables of the Donalson familyNotable amongst the Clan from early times was Adam Donald (1703-1780), called 'the prophet of Bethelnie,' born at the hamlet of that name, twenty miles north of Aberdeen, in 1703. " Notwithstanding his extraordinary stature and build, which caused the country folk to regard him as a changeling 'supernatural in mind as well as in body,' he was unable from some infirmity to labour with his hands, while his parents, struggling peasants, could ill afford to maintain him. Donald had therefore to solve the perplexity of how to live. 'Observing,' says his biographer, 'with what a superstitious veneration the ignorant people...
Another 134 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Donalson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Donalson RankingIn the United States, the name Donalson is the 18,255th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1  Migration of the Donalson family to Ireland
Some of the Donalson family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Donalson migration to the United States | + |
Significant portions of the populations of both the United States and Canada are still made up of the ancestors of Dalriadan families. Some of those in Canada originally settled the United States, but went north as United Empire Loyalists in the American War of Independence. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the ancestors of many Scots on both sides of the border begin to recover their collective national heritage through Clan societies and highland games. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:
Donalson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Charles Donalson, who landed in Maryland in 1716 2
- Phillip Donalson, who arrived in Virginia in 1717 2
Donalson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Thomas Donalson, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 2
- James Donalson, aged 54, who landed in New York in 1812 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name Donalson (post 1700) | + |
- Israel Donalson (1767-1860), American early settler in the Northwest Territory who helped write the first Ohio Constitution
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Per mare, per terras
Motto Translation: By sea, by land.
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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Donalson migration to the United States 
