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Donovan History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Donovan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Donovan

What does the name Donovan mean?

Many of the Irish surnames in use today have long rich histories behind them. The name Donovan originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Donnabhain, derived from the words "donn," which means "brown," and "dubhan," a derivative of "dubh," which means "black." 1

Early Origins of the Donovan family

The surname Donovan was first found in County Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) located in Southwestern Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times at Bruree. Their hereditary territory were the lands along the banks of the river Maigues in that county. They were descended from Crom, the Chief of the Donovans, who built Crom Castle, and he in turn was descended anciently from Eoghan Mor (Eugene the Great), King of Munster. Amhailgadh II's son, Crom's great, great grandfather, was a commander with King Brian Boru in the Battle of Clontarf against the Danes, and it was at this time through marriage that they lost the throne of Munster.

Early History of the Donovan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Donovan research. Another 55 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1584, 1639, 1641, 1684, 1689 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Donovan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Donovan Spelling Variations

One name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer because one must realize that attempting to record a Gaelic name in English is a daunting task at the best of times. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origin of the Donovan family name include Donovan, Donavon, Donavan, Donevan, Donnovan, Donnavon, Donnavan, Donnovin and many more.

Early Notables of the Donovan family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Donal II O'Donovan (Irish: Domhnall Ó Donnabháin), The O'Donovan of Clann Cathail, Lord of Clancahill (died 1639)
Donal III O'Donovan (Irish: Domhnall Ó Donnabháin), The O'Donovan of Clancahill, (born before 1584), he joined the so-called Irish Rebellion of 1641 under Donagh MacCarthy and was accordingly stripped...
Jeremiah O'Donovan (Irish: Diarmaid Ó Donnabháin), The O'Donovan of Clan Loughlin, Lord of Clan Loughlin, MP for Baltimore, County Cork, in 1689, he held the manor of O'Donovan's Leap, or the Manor of...

Donovan World Ranking

In the United States, the name Donovan is the 897^th most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Donovan is ranked the 969^th most popular surname with an estimated 5,592 people with that name. 3 And in Australia, the name Donovan is the 556^th popular surname with an estimated 6,952 people with that name. 4 New Zealand ranks Donovan as 509^th with 1,356 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Donovan as 836^th with 8,076 people. 6

Donovan migration to the United States +

The 18th and 19th centuries saw many Irish families immigrate to North America in search of land and opportunities. The largest influx of Irish immigrants to the United States and British North America came during the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine laid waste to their homeland. Hundreds of thousands left the island in an attempt to escape the starvation and disease it brought. Although the arrival of such a large number of destitute Irish was not welcomed by the established population in the United States and what would become known as Canada at the time, these Irish were an essential element to the rapid development of these growing industrial nations. They filled the demand for the cheap labor needed for the work in factories and in the construction of bridges, roads, canals, and railways. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many immigrants bearing the name of Donovan or one of its variants:

Donovan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Dennis Donovan, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1745 7

Donovan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Edward Donovan, aged 30, who landed in New York in 1812 7
Ml Donovan, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 7
Amos Donovan, aged 52, who arrived in Texas in 1827 7
James Donovan, who landed in America in 1834 7
Roger Donovan, who landed in Mississippi in 1835 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Donovan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Donovan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Donovan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1812
Elenor Donovan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1825
Jeremiah Donovan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1826
Johana Heffernan Donovan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1826
Simon Donovan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1827
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Donovan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Donovan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Thomas Donovan, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. Dennis Donovan, (b. 1785), aged 24, Irish convict who was convicted in Limerick, Ireland for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Boyd" on 10th March 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1814 9
Mr. Lewis Donovan, Canadian covict who was convicted in Quebec, Canada for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. Michael Donovan, (b. 1789), aged 29, Irish labourer who was convicted in County Kerry, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 9th August 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1836 11
Mr. Daniel Donovan, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 27th October 1819, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Donovan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Donovan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Patrick Donovan, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1840
Robert Donovan, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1841
Mr. Denis Donovan, British settler arriving as Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Sir George Symour" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th November 1847 13
Mrs. Mary Donovan, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Sir George Symour" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 26th November 1847 13
Mr. John Donovan, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Donovan (post 1700) +

James Francis Donovan III (1956-2024), American radio and television personality
Raymond James Donovan (1930-2021), American business executive and politician, 17th United States Secretary of Labor (1981-1985)
Anne Theresa Donovan (1961-2018), American women's basketball player and coach, inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995, and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2015
Major-General William Joseph Donovan (1883-1959), American Ambassador to Thailand (1953-1954) 14
Major-General Richard Donovan (1885-1949), American Deputy Chief of Staff for Service Commands, Army Service Forces (1945-1946) 15
Major-General Leo Donovan (1895-1950), American Assistant Chief of Staff Army Ground Forces (1944-1945) 16
Brigadier-General Joseph O. Donovan, American Adjutant-General of California (1941-1942) 17
Lisa Donovan (b. 1980), American actress and writer
Shaun L.S. Donovan (b. 1966), United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development appointed in 2009
Landon Timothy Donovan (b. 1982), American soccer player
... (Another 92 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Donovan family +

Halifax Explosion

Master Harold Donovan (1917-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 18
Mrs. Agnes Donovan, née Thompson, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 18

HMS Cornwall

Brian Eric Baldock Donovan (d. 1942), British Petty Officer aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 19

HMS Dorsetshire

John Donovan (d. 1945), British Chief Stoker aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 20

HMS Repulse

Mr. Timothy Francis Donovan, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 21

RMS Lusitania

Mr. William Donovan, English Fireman from Kirkdale, Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 22

SS Atlantic

Mr. Dennis Donovan, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Mr. James Donovan, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Margaret Donovan, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Mary Donovan, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

SS Newfoundland

Mr. James Donovan (b. 1884), Newfoundlander from Goulds, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived
Mr. Stephen Donovan (1893-1914), Newfoundlander from Goulds, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he died during this time

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyd
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 24) William Donovan. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Donovan/William_Joseph/USA.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 24) Richard Donovan. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Donovan/Richard/USA.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 24) Leo Donovan. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Donovan/Leo/USA.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, January 24) Joseph Donovan. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Donovan/Joseph_O./USA.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/