This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Donald.' The Scotch patronymic is Macdonald, but in the Lowlands and on the Border the more English form was Donalds and Donaldson.

Donaldus de Heselrigg, 35 Edward III: Hodgson's Northumberland, iv. go.

Donaldus Palfreman, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes Danald, 1379: ibid.

This is one of the very oldest of our Gaelic personal names, and, from the greatness of Clan Donald, commonly considered as the Highland name pre-eminently. It, however, ranks only second, John being the first. The name has come down to us in two forms, Gaelic and Cymric. The modern Gaelic spelling of the name is Domhnall; in the Gaelic genealogical manuscript of 1467 and in the Gaelic entries in the Book of Deer (c. 1100) it is Domnall. The early Gaelic is also Domnall (Adamnan, VC, l, 7, Domnall-us, with ablative Domnall, III, 5). Dunegal (for Old Welsh Dumngual or Dumnagual) was lord of Stranit (Strath Nith in Dumfriesshire) in 1124, and Gillemor Macdunegal witnessed a charter of lands in Carrie in the reign of Alexander II (Melros, I, p. 173). The early Welsh form (Annates Cambriae, ann. 760) is Dumnagual, later Welsh Dyfynwal and Dyfnwal. In the Gododin, the old Welsh poem on the battle of Cattraeth (A.D. 603) it is Dyvynwal. In the Chartulary of Redon, Brittany, written in the eleventh century but dating largely from the ninth, we have the name in the fuller forms Durnnouuallon and Dumuuallon (Loth, p. 38). Donewaldus, king of the Britons, died in the reign of Constantine (900—943), and Duuenaldus, son of Ede (i.e. Aed) was chosen to succeed him. Dunegal was a native chief in the north-east corner of Caithness in early Norse times. The district in which he resided was named Dungalsbae (Dungalsboer) by the Norsemen, and is now Duncansbay. These early forms of the name all point to early Celtic Dubno-or-Dumnovalos, with the meaning of "world-mighty" or "world wielder," a name probably applied to themselves "by tribal rulers who had an exaggerated sense of their own importance." The first part of the name (Dumno-), as the late Sir John Rhys suggested, may mean the smaller world of the tribe before meaning the world in the wider sense (Celtic Britain, 3. ed., p. 297). The earliest record of this name is not found in Britain, where one would naturally expect to find it, but in an inscription at the other end of the Roman empire in Galatia, engraved probably about the year 20 A.D. Suetonius in his life of the Emperor Augustus (B.C. 63-A.D. 14) says the emperor by his last will desired an abstract of his achievements to be engraved on brazen tablets and placed before his mausoleum. The record was composed by Augustus himself before the year 2 B.C., and probably revised from time to time between that date and 14 A.D., the year of the emperor's death. The tablets perished in the downfall of the imperial city. Fortunately for us the inhabitants of Ancyra in Galatia, the modern Angor or Ankor, obtained from Rome a transcript of the emperor's record, the most important inscription of the Latin empire (the "Queen of Inscriptions," Mommsen the historian calls it), and engraved it with a Greek translation on the wall of a temple which they had erected in their city in honor of the emperor and the city of Rome. The Latin inscription was discovered in 1554 by Buybeeche, a Dutch scholar, and the Greek shortly after. Both inscriptions still exist, but as might be expected after so many years, both are imperfect in places. Fortunately the Greek is perfect in parts where the Latin is imperfect and vice-versa, so that practically the whole record can be read and understood. In this inscription is recorded the name of a British prince or petty king (regulus) otherwise almost unknown to history, except from a few of his coins which have been found in the south of England. In his inscription Augustus says that among those kings who had betaken themselves to him as suppliants was "of the Britons, Dumnobellaunus." This Dumnobellaunus appears to have had dominion over the country of the Cantii (i.e. people of Kent) and later of the Trinobantes, a people who inhabited what is now modern Essex. From this he was expelled by Cunobelinos, the Cynbeline of Shakespeare. Coins of Dumnobellaunus have been found in Kent and in Essex, and on his gold issue his name appears more or less abbreviated as Dvbno , (Dv)bnovell . Dvbnovilla, (Dvbno)viillavn, and Dvhnofvella)vnos (Evans, Coins of the ancient Britons, p. 198—205, pl. iv). The stem Dumno-, root of Olr. domum, Gaelic domhan "the universe" is common in Gaulish proper names, and vellaunos had the meaning of "prince" or "one who ruled." It occurs also in the Old English title Bretwalda and better in the fuller form Brytenwealda "ruler of the Britons." By the time the name "was first written in Gaelic the terminal -os had disappeared, the v had become vocalized, and the name was written Domnall although sounded Dovnall" (Celt. Rev., VI p. 3), and in Gaelic it is now written Domhnall. The devocalization of -ll final in Domhnall suggested to non-Gaelic ears that a d or t followed, hence in early Latin records and charters the name is written Dovenald, in English Donald, and the caricature Tonalt. The same explanation applies to Dougall-Dugald, Tugalt. Donald is sometimes erroneously rendered in English by Daniel. In Benbecula Domhnall is pronounced Domhull (with mh silent,) and the assimilation of n to l gives Doll. (compare Doull Macgilleduf, 1502, Rose, p. 176). In Badenoch Domhnall becomes Dd'vl, with nasalized Rob Donn, the Gaelic poet, spells the name regularly Do'll, gen. Dho'll, and with Mac-, Mac Dho'll. In the Gaelic entries in the Book of Deer the name occurs three times regularly as Domnall, and in the twelfth and first half of the thirteenth century the spelling of the name (omitting the Latin ending -us) occurs as Dofnald, Dofnalt, Douenald, Douunald, Dufenald, Duuenald, and in 1255 Devenold, In the Norse Orkneyinga Saga the name occurs as Dufnjall, a form which has probably arisen from confusion with the Norse personal name Njall. In a papal document of 1389 it is spelled Dompraldus. As a forename it is now quite commonly given to boys in England, and it is also becoming a favorite in the United States among non-Scots. The contribution of Haket Donald for peace was paid to the bailie of Kinross in 1328 (ER., I, p. 103), and in 1398 Robert Donaldus was elected bailie of Aberdeen (CRA,, p. 374). In 1567 Ilene Donald was tenant of "ane quarter land" under the Abbey of Kelso (Kelso, p. 520), and George Donnald is in record as a merchant burgess of Jedburgh in 1641 (RRM., I, p. 86). Domh'll Phail (1798—1875) was known as the Shepherd Poet of Badenoch.

An Englishing of Macdonald, which see. Lucas filius Douenaldi de Lumenach (Lennox), a Scots prisoner of war in Berkhamstede, 1296 (Bain, IV, p. 358). Henry Donaldson was one of the garrison of Edinburgh Castle in 1339—40 (ibia., III, p. 241). William filius Donaldi was a tenant under Douglas in Moffat, 1376 (RHM., I, p. lxii). Neuen (i.e. Niven) Donaldson was transferred to the jurisdiction of the court of regality of Logy, 1392 (Grandtully, I, p. 143). David Donaldson was one of the tenants of Camsy (Campsie) in 1443, and Jak Donaldson leased part of Cowpar Grange in 1453 (Cupar-Angus, I, p. 121,129). The name is found in Aberdeenshire as early as 1419 (REA., II, p. 218), and Donaldsons were important individuals in Strathdee in early sixteenth century. Alexander Donaldson, son of Donald Symonson in Inverness, is in record in 1481 (Invernessiana, p. 154). Thomas Donaldson was tenant of Drumnamerk, Ardmanoch, 1504 (ER., XII p. 661), and Patrick Donaldsoun was keeper of the king's wardrobe in 1516 and following years (ALHT., V), Jean Dodson (i.e. Donaldson) in Kinclevin, 1685 (DPD., I, p. 488). Donaldsone 1503, Donaldsoune 1491, Donnaldsone 1695.

(Celtic) 1 the Gaelic and Irish Domhnall [Domhn, or Domn, corre­sponds with Latin Domin-us, a lord; the -ll is a diminutive termination.—Joyce.] 2 perh. occasionally for Gaelic and Irish Don(n)ghall [donn, brown + the aspirated form of gall, stranger, foreigner]

The name of a Scottish clan. Sometimes a synonym of the Irish MacDonnell, q.v. Bibl

“World-Mighty” in Gaelic. Originally Domhnall.

(Scottish, English) The son of Donald (dark or brown-haired stranger).

A well-known northern personal name, whence Donalds, Mac Donald, Donaldson, Donnison, Donkin. Gaelic etymologists derive the name from "Donhuil," i.e., "brown-eyed."

A great chief.

The son of Donald.

(Gaelic and Celtic.) A great man, a proud chieftain, from Domhnull. These names appear to have their root in the Gaelic noun Dion, a defense, shelter, protection. The verb Dion signifies to defend, to protect. Dun has nearly the same meaning, a heap, a hill, or mount, a fortified house or hill, a castle. Surnames compounded of Dion, Don, or Dun, were figuratively used to denote persons of courage, and who were not easily subdued.

A Manx surname, from Domhnall, 'Proud Chieftain'.

The surname MacDonald means ‘descendant of Donald’ and comes from the Scots Gaelic Mac Dhomhnuill. The origin of the first name Dhomhnuill was a nickname meaning no less than ‘world ruler’. Not being a backward modest people, the Scots adopted this name in large numbers, and it soon became one of the most popular first names in the land, being held by several kings and one saint (in the ninth century). The abbreviation Don also became widespread, though the formal Donal is more an Irish usage.

According to George Black, the greatest expert on Scottish names, strictly speaking there is no such name as MacDonald, (because the Gaelic Mac Dhomhnuill really means ‘son of a particular Donald’). This holds true for all the ‘Mac’ names.

The MacDonalds are one of the major Scottish clans, whose chieftains are descended directly from Donald, son of Reginald (Old Norse Ragnaldr), second son of the great Somerled (Old Norse Sumarlithr), Lord of the Isles, so the line is ultimately Scandinavian. The Scots Gaelic name for the clan is Clann Domhnuill. The clan can claim to be the most numerous and widespread of all the Scottish clans. However, not all clan members are of pure descent-through the centuries the Clan MacDonald absorbed several minor family clans and ‘broken’ men (who had left or ‘broken from’ their own clans).

A popular verbal variant of the original MacDonald is the name MacConnell, which is found particularly in Ulster. Another popular variant name is MacDonell. Yet these are the tip of the iceberg compared with the many variations in the ancient records which tried to transliterate from the original Gaelic. These range from Maconhale (1588) through McConnil (1564) to M’Donnyle (1326). Fortunately, most of these variants have now become absorbed into the more standard forms. The earliest reference to the name in any form in the records is in the Dublin lists for 1257, where one Robert Dovenald appears.

McDonald’s hamburger chain, the largest restaurant group in the world with nearly 6,000 restaurants in 25 countries, was founded by brothers Maurice and Richard McDonald whose parents emigrated to the United States from County Mayo. Since the first outlet opened in 1948 the company has sold over 22 billion hamburgers. Sales in one year alone totalled over £2,287 million.

Alistair MacDonnell, called ‘Pickle the Spy’, was a Scottish chieftain of dubious integrity employed by Highland leaders on a secret mission to Charles Stuart, Pretender to the English throne. When captured by the English, he promptly switched his allegiance and agreed to spy on the Prince.

MacDonalds have had a way of getting to the top in politics. Ramsay MacDonald, an illegitimate child who grew up in poverty and left school at the age of 12, overcame these handicaps to become Britain’s first Labour Prime Minister. Two John MacDonalds have been Prime Ministers of Canada: Sir John A. MacDonald, as Canada’s first Prime Minister, is known as ‘the father of Confederation’, while Prime Minister John Sandfield Macdonald, unlike Sir John, violently opposed federation.

Scottish-born Sir James Ronald Leslie Macdonald, soldier and explorer, first made a geographical exploration of British East Africa (now Kenya and Uganda), and later mapped the Lake Victoria area.

MacDonalds have been notable for getting into tight spots, then extricating themselves with great skill. After his crushing defeat at Culloden, Flora MacDonald (1722—90) helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape from the Hebrides dressed in her maid’s clothes. The British briefly imprisoned, then pardoned, her.

Jacques-Alexandre MacDonald (1765—1840) had a brilliant career as one of Napoleon’s top generals (his winter crossing of the Alps was favourably compared to Napoleon’s own crossing of the St Bernard Pass). Arrested for anti- Bonapartist plots, he was regarded as so indispensable that he was pardoned and recalled to duty when France was threatened by Austria. He went on to be a Marshal of Empire and member of the Legion of Honour.

Sir Hector MacDonald (1853—1903) distinguished himself in the Afghan War, the Boer War and the Sudan where, as a major-general in command of Egyptian troops, he became a national hero and was voted Parliament’s thanks.

When foreign legations in Peking were besieged by thousands of marauding Chinese during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, British diplomat Sir Claude Maxwell Macdonald was in command.

The sixteenth-century Irish chieftain of Scottish descent, Sorley Boy MacDonnell, was tricked by the English into battling it out with his rival Shane O’Neill over disputed lands in Ulster. When O’Neill retaliated vigorously, MacDonnell was defeated. Twenty-two years later Sorley Boy was confirmed in his possessions by Elizabeth I and became Constable of Dunluce Castle.

There are no MacDonald towns or major geographic features in the United Kingdom. Around the world there are 2 towns named McDonald in the US and a MacDonald Downs in Australia. Both countries also have McDonald lakes while Australia and Canada have MacDonald Ranges. There is a MacDonald Island in the Indian Ocean and a MacDonald Rock in the Pacific.

With about 30,000 namesakes MacDonald and McDonald form Scotland’s 2nd most popular surname-thus about one out of every 103 Scots is so named. (The name is not common enough throughout England and Wales to be counted separately.) MacDonald and McDonald are notably popular in and around Glasgow where an estimated one in about 160 families bears the name, and in Edinburgh where the figure is about one in 155. Around the world the surname is most common in Vancouver (one in 229 families), Ottawa (one in 267) Canberra (one in 324) and Toronto (one in 350). The United States has 64,000 MacDonalds and 193,000 McDonalds-the estimated combined total of 257,000 is larger than the population of two Carlisles and makes this their 68th most popular surname.