Skip to content
  • Start free trial

Origins of the McDonald surname

A collage of historical images including two family portraits and a postcard of people boarding a ship

What does the name McDonald mean?

The McDonald surname is Scottish and Irish. In both of these countries, it's a patronymic name, an anglicisation of the Gaelic name 'MacDhomhnaill' or 'MacDomhnallach'. This name would be given to those who were the son or descendant of somebody name 'Domhnall' (a name anglicised to 'Donald').

Alternative variations of the name McDonald

McDonald, Macdonald, MacDonell, MacDonall, McDonald

“

I’ve managed to trace back to the mid-1500s! I can’t believe it! Utterly engrossing and I have uncovered some quite moving and heartbreaking stories attached to various ancestors. You don’t need any qualifications to start - just time patience, and some information.

SS
Stuart
TrustPilot review
1 of 3

Start your family tree

Trace your family back in time. Make new discoveries and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the McDonalds.

Sign up to get started

Delve deeper into the McDonald family's history

Where do most McDonalds live?

In 1921, most McDonalds lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about McDonalds

How common is your surname?

153rd most common surname in the UK

We have 349,000 records for the McDonald surname. The oldest one dates back to 1719.

Who were McDonalds most likely to marry?

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married McDonalds.

What are the most common McDonald first names?

  • John
  • James
  • Mary
  • Margaret

Our birth record sets tell us the names of McDonald family members

Common jobs for McDonalds

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for McDonalds in 1921
Domestic Servant

2,415

F S

1,728

Dressmaker

1,604

Housekeeper

1,332

General Servant

1,265

Common Male occupations for McDonalds in 1921
Crofter

2,269

Fisherman

2,065

General Labourer

1,833

Farm Servant

1,664

Farmer

1,607

An image of a census transcript and a picture of a dairy farmer holding two milk jugs

Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 250,000 family trees with the McDonald surname

Trace your family back in time and see what other Findmypast family historians in our genealogy community have discovered about the McDonalds.

Search for a relative in our family trees

Share your discoveries

Find out more about your family in our records

or try an advanced search

Start your family history journey

Start free trial

Start free trial