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Donnell Family History

Donnell Surname Meaning

Irish: shortened form of McDonnell or O'Donnell.

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


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Donnell family from?

You can see how Donnell families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Donnell family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Donnell families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 288 Donnell families living in Lancashire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Donnell's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Donnell families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Donnell 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 Donnell ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Builders Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Donnell. 60% of Donnell men worked as a Builders Labourer and 70% of Donnell women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Donnell were General Labourer and State Registered Nurse.

View Census Data for Donnell | 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.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • Builders Labourer
    60%
  • General Labourer
    40%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    8%
  • Shorthand Typist
    4%
  • State Registered Nurse
    4%

What Donnell family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 138,000 census records available for the last name Donnell. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Donnell census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Donnell

Passenger Lists

There are 25,000 immigration records available for the last name Donnell. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Donnell immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Donnell. For the veterans among your Donnell ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Donnell military records

You've only scratched the surface of Donnell family history

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What is the average Donnell lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Donnell life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Donnell in 1941 was 51, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Donnell

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Donnell 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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