Origin of Donner
Recorded in several forms including Donner, Donnerer, Donderer, Daunderer, Dundrer, Tonna and Thuna, this is a Germanic and Askenasic surname. As a personal or baptismal name it probably originates from the medieval word 'thuna', although the ultimate origin is almost certainly the ancient Norse-Viking pre 7th century word 'Thor' meaning thunder, and as found in the weekday name Thursday or Thor's day. As a surname it may have originated from the personal name or have been a medieval nickname for a person with a fierce temper, or even given the robust humour of those times, the complete reverse! What is certain is that the surname is very early with the first known recording being that of Dietrich Tonna of Mulhausen in the year 1310 and a little later that of Nicolaus Dunre of Griesheim in 1347.
A locational form is that of Donnersberg with Daniel Donnersberg being recorded in the charters of Leoben in 1581.
The surname Donner. Genealogy, origin, history, meaning, and significance
The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname donner is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation.
The surname Donner around the world
The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname donner provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations.
History of Donner
For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname donner, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of donner developed.
We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about donner and send it to us, we will update it on this website.
Notable Figures Named Donner
Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname donner were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname donner who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
The surname Donner and its bibliographic sources
The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of donner are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation.
SOURCES
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of donner, and at the same time, of surnames in general.
