Explore the Family Name Donato
The meaning of Donato
Spanish, Portugal, and Italian: from the personal name Donato (from Latin Donatus, past participle of donare, frequentative of dare ‘to give’). It was the name of a 4th-century Italian bishop martyred in c.350 under Julian the Apostate, as well as various other early Christian saints, and a 4th-century grammarian and commentator on Virgil, widely respected in the Middle Ages as a figure of great learning. See also Donat. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Antonio, Salvatore, Mario, Angelo, Domenic, Alfredo, Jose, Alberto, Armando, Cosmo, Franco, Gaetano, Gino, Rafael, Renato, Rico, Rocco, Rosario, Santo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Donato in the United States?
The surname Donato has witnessed a minor rise in popularity over the past decade, as per data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it ranked 4572nd among all surnames in the U.S., and by 2010, it had edged up slightly to 4533rd. The count of individuals with this surname also increased from 7118 to 7823 during this period, marking an approximately 10% growth rate. This can be interpreted as a proportional increase per 100,000 people from 2.64 to 2.65, suggesting that the surname Donato is gradually becoming more common in the United States.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #4,572 | #4,533 | 0.85% |
| Count | 7,118 | 7,823 | 9.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 2.64 | 2.65 | 0.38% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Donato
In terms of ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows notable shifts among those with the surname Donato between 2000 and 2010. While the majority still identify as White (69.55% in 2010, down from 75.88% in 2000), there has been a significant increase in those identifying as Hispanic, rising from 15.23% to 20.25%. There has also been a modest uptick in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Black, along with those reporting two or more races. Meanwhile, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remain a small percentage, but saw the most considerable percentage increase of nearly 48%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 75.88% | 69.55% | -8.34% |
| Hispanic | 15.23% | 20.25% | 32.96% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.06% | 5.84% | 15.42% |
| Black | 2.22% | 2.39% | 7.66% |
| Two or More Races | 1.4% | 1.66% | 18.57% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.21% | 0.31% | 47.62% |
Donato ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Donato is Italian, which comprises 32.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (26.8%) and French & German (13.0%). Additional ancestries include Spanish & Portuguese, Eastern European, Filipino & Austronesian, Indigenous American, and Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Italian | 32.3% |
| British & Irish | 26.8% |
| French & German | 13.0% |
| Other | 28.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Donato
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Donato have recent ancestry locations spanning a few countries, mostly in Italy, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Sicily, Italy | 55.60% |
| Calabria, Italy | 54.50% |
| Campania, Italy | 54.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 52.90% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 52.90% |
What Donato haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Donato is J-M67, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup J-M67 is descended from haplogroup J-M304. Other common haplogroups include E-V13 and G-P303, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Conti, D'Angelo, Conte, Russo, Salerno, Greco, Ferrara, Rizzo, Marino, Romano.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Donato surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins J-M304Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Donato have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Donato" Surname 47.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Donato" Surname 30.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Donato" Surname 23.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Donato" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Donato?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Donato are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition