Explore the Family Name Donna
The meaning of Donna
1. Italian: from the medieval personal name Donna, from the appellative and title of respect meaning ‘mistress’ (from Latin domina). 2. Americanized form of French Danis. Compare Danna. History: Some of the American bearers of the surname Donna are descendants of Honoré Danis or Dany dit Tourangeau from France (see Danis).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Donna in the United States?
The surname Donna, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 33,876 in terms of frequency, but by 2010, it fell to a rank of 36,246, reflecting a decline of 7 percent. The absolute count also dipped slightly over this period, with 634 instances of the surname recorded in 2000 compared to 618 in 2010, a drop of 2.52 percent. This suggests that the name's prevalence per 100,000 people has decreased by 12.5 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #33,876 | #36,246 | -7% |
| Count | 634 | 618 | -2.52% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.24 | 0.21 | -12.5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Donna
Examining the ethnicity of those with the surname Donna according to the Decennial U.S. Census, several shifts are notable between 2000 and 2010. While no individuals with Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnic identities were recorded in 2000, by 2010, these groups made up 0.97 percent and 1.94 percent of Donnas respectively. The proportion of Donnas with White ethnic identity decreased by 6.12 percent, from 87.22 percent to 81.88 percent. However, an increase was observed among those with Hispanic and Black ethnicities. The Hispanic representation rose from 5.21 percent to 7.77 percent, marking a significant 49.14 percent increase. Similarly, the proportion of Black Donnas grew from 4.73 percent to 6.31 percent, an increase of 33.40 percent. The proportion of Donna’s identifying with two or more races decreased from 1.58 percent to 1.13 percent, down by 28.48 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.22% | 81.88% | -6.12% |
| Hispanic | 5.21% | 7.77% | 49.14% |
| Black | 4.73% | 6.31% | 33.4% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 1.94% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.58% | 1.13% | -28.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.97% | 0% |