Donaldson is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Donald". There are other spellings. Notable people with the surname include:
Alastair Donaldson (1955–2013), Scottish bass guitar player for the band The Rezillos
Alex Donaldson (1890–unknown), Scottish footballer
Alexander Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
Ally Donaldson (born 1943), Scottish footballer (List of Falkirk F.C. players)
Arthur Donaldson (1901–1993), Scottish politician, and leader of the Scottish National Party from 1960 to 1969
Arthur Donaldson (actor) (1869–1955), Swedish-American actor
Ben Donaldson, Australian rugby league player
Bob Donaldson, Scottish football player
Bob Donaldson (news anchor), television news anchor at WXIN Fox 59 in Indianapolis, Indiana
Bobby Donaldson (1922–1971), American jazz drummer
Bruce Donaldson (born 1938), Australian politician
Charles Donaldson (1903–1964), Scottish Conservative Party politician
Chris Donaldson (born 1975), New Zealand sprinter
Clayton Donaldson (born 1984), English footballer
Clyde Donaldson (born 1894), Australian rules footballer
Colby Donaldson (born 1974), American television actor
Dave Donaldson (footballer born 1954), English former footballer for Millwall and Cambridge United
Dave Donaldson (footballer born 1941), English former footballer for Wimbledon
David Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
Denis Donaldson (1950–2006), volunteer in the Provisional IRA and a member of Sinn Féin
Doug Donaldson, Canadian politician
Ed Donaldson (born 1959), professional boxer
Edward Donaldson (1816–89), American naval officer
Edward Mortlock Donaldson CB CBE DSO AFC* LoM (1912–1992), RAF World War 2 Ace
Elena Donaldson-Akhmilovskaya (born 1957), woman grandmaster of chess
Eric Donaldson (born 1947), Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter
Frances Donaldson, Baroness Donaldson of Kingsbridge (née Lonsdale) (1907–1994), British writer and biographer
Fred Donaldson (born 1937), English former footballer
Gary Donaldson (born 1952), retired ice hockey player
Glenn Donaldson, American musician
Gordon Donaldson CBE, FRHistS, FBA (1913–1993), Scottish historian
Gordon Donaldson (journalist) (1926–2001), Scottish-Canadian author and journalist
Gordon Graham Donaldson, (died 1809), senior officer in the British Army
Graham Donaldson (born 1935), former Australian rules footballer
Grant Donaldson (born 1976), New Zealand cricketer
Harvey J. Donaldson (1848–1912), New York politician
Hay Frederick Donaldson KCB (1856–1916), English mechanical engineer
Helen Donaldson (born 1968), Australian opera singer
Ian Stuart Donaldson (1957–1993), the vocalist and frontman of British band Skrewdriver
J. Lyter Donaldson (1891–1960), the Democratic nominee for Governor of Kentucky in 1943
Jack Donaldson, Baron Donaldson of Kingsbridge (1907–1998), British politician and public servant
James Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
Jamie Donaldson (born 1975), Welsh golfer
Jeff Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
Jeffery Donaldson, Canadian poet, critic, and theorist
Jeffrey Donaldson, MP, MLA (born 1962), Northern Irish politician
Jesse M. Donaldson (born 1885), USA Postmaster General from 1947 to 1953
Joan Donaldson (1946–2006), Canadian journalist, founding head of CBC Newsworld
John Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
John Donaldson, Baron Donaldson of Lymington, PC (1920–2005), senior British judge and Master of the Rolls
Johnny Donaldson, American guitarist in the Minnesota rock band Chameleon
Joseph Donaldson (born 1891), politician in Manitoba, Canada
Josh Donaldson, American professional third baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays
Julia Donaldson (born 1948), English writer and playwright living in Scotland
Julie Donaldson, beauty queen from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Kim Donaldson, Zimbabwean artist who specialises in painting the peoples and wildlife of Africa
Kristian Donaldson, comic book artist and designer based in Dallas, Texas
Liam Donaldson (born 1949), the Chief Medical Officer for England
Lily Donaldson (born 1987), British model
Lou Donaldson (born 1926), jazz alto saxophonist
Margaret Donaldson, Professor of Developmental Psychology at the University of Edinburgh
Mark Donaldson VC (born 1979), the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia
Mark Donaldson (rugby player) (born 1955), New Zealand All Black rugby union player
Mary Donaldson, Baroness Donaldson of Lymington, GBE DStJ (1921–2003), Lord Mayor of London (1983–1984)
Mary Elizabeth Donaldson, now Mary, Crown Princess of Denmark (born 1972), Australian-born Crown Princess of Denmark
Michael Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
Norma Donaldson (July 8, 1928 – November 22, 1994), American actress and singer
O'Neill Donaldson (born 1969), English former footballer
Pat Donaldson (b c 1943, in Edinburgh, Lothian, Scotland), bass guitarist
Pete Donaldson, Radio and Television presenter
Peter Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
Ray Donaldson (born 1958), former American football Center
Rebecca Donaldson-Katsopolis, fictional character on the TV sitcom Full House
Robert Donaldson (born 1943), American political scientist known for his work regarding US and Russian foreign policy
Roger Donaldson (born 1945), Australian-born New Zealand film producer, director and writer
Sam Donaldson (born 1934), reporter and news anchor for ABC News
Scott Donaldson (born 1994), Scottish professional snooker player.
Simon Donaldson (born 1957), English mathematician famous for his work on the topology of smooth four-dimensional manifolds
St Clair Donaldson (1863–1935), the first Anglican archbishop of Brisbane, Australia
Stephen Donaldson (activist) (1946–1996), born Robert Anthony Martin, American bisexual political activist
Stephen R. Donaldson (born 1947), American fantasy, science fiction and mystery novelist
Stewart Donaldson, Professor and Chair of Psychology, Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California
Stuart Donaldson (1812–1867), the first Premier of the Colony of New South Wales
Thomas Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
Timothy Donaldson (1934–2013), Bahamian politician, banker, economist, and diplomat
Trose Emmett Donaldson (1914–1942), awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism in December 1941 at Cavite, Philippine Islands
Vance Young Donaldson (born 1791), soldier and penal administrator in the 57th Regiment under Wellington
Walter Donaldson (1893–1947), prolific United States popular songwriter, producing many hit songs of the 1910s and 1920s
Walter Donaldson (snooker player) (1907–1973), Scottish professional snooker player
William Donaldson (disambiguation), several people
