Donaldson is a Scottish and Irish patronymic surname meaning "son of Donald". It is a simpler Anglicized variant for the name MacDonald. Notable people with the surname include:

• Alastair Donaldson (1955–2013), Scottish musician
• Alex Donaldson (1890–1972), Scottish footballer
• Alexander Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Ally Donaldson (born 1943), Scottish footballer
• Andrea Donaldson, Canadian theatre director
• Andrew Brown Donaldson (1840–1919), English artist
• Andrew Donaldson (footballer, born 1884) (fl. 1910s), Scottish footballer
• Andy Donaldson (1925–1987), English footballer
• Arthur Donaldson (1901–1993), Scottish politician and journalist
• Arthur Donaldson (actor) (1869–1955), Swedish-American actor

• Ben Donaldson (rugby league), Australian rugby league player
• Bob Donaldson (1868–1947), Scottish footballer
• Blake F. Donaldson (1892–1966), American Physician
• Bobby Donaldson (1922–1971), American drummer
• Brittni Donaldson (born 1993), American basketball coach
• Bruce Donaldson (born 1938), Australian politician

• Charles Edward McArthur Donaldson (1903–1964), Scottish politician
• Chris Donaldson (born 1975), New Zealand sprinter
• Clayton Donaldson (born 1984), English footballer
• Clyde Donaldson (1894–1979), Australian rules footballer
• Colby Donaldson (born 1974), American television actor

• Dave Donaldson (footballer born 1954), English footballer
• Dave Donaldson (footballer born 1941), English footballer
• David Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Denis Donaldson (1950–2006), Northern Irish volunteer in the Provisional IRA and a member of Sinn Féin
• Doug Donaldson (born 1957), Canadian politician

• Ed Donaldson (born 1959), American boxer
• Edward Donaldson (1816–1889), American naval officer
• Edward Mortlock Donaldson (1912–1992), British flying ace
• Elena Donaldson-Akhmilovskaya (1957–2012), Russian chess player
• Eric Donaldson (born 1947), Jamaican singer-songwriter

• Frances Donaldson (née Lonsdale, 1907–1994), British writer and biographer
• Fred Donaldson (1937–2018), English footballer

• Gary Donaldson (born 1952), Canadian ice hockey player
• Glenn Donaldson, American musician
• Gordon Donaldson (1913–1993), Scottish historian
• Gordon Donaldson (journalist) (1926–2001), Scottish-Canadian author and journalist
• Gordon Graham Donaldson (died 1809), British Army officer
• Graham Donaldson (1935–2001), Australian rules footballer
• Grant Donaldson (born 1976), New Zealand cricketer

• Harvey J. Donaldson (1848–1912), American politician
• Hay Frederick Donaldson (1856–1916), English engineer
• Helen Donaldson (born 1968), Australian singer
• Henry Herbert Donaldson (1857–1938), American neurobiologist

• Ian Donaldson, Scottish musician
• Ian Donaldson (footballer), Scottish footballer
• Ian Stuart Donaldson (1957–1993), British musician

• J. Lyter Donaldson (1891–1960), American politician
• Jack Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jakim Donaldson (born 1983), American basketball player in the Israeli National League
• James Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jamie Donaldson (born 1975), Welsh golfer
• Jared Donaldson (born 1996), American tennis player
• Jeff Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jeffery Donaldson, Canadian poet and critic
• Jeffrey Donaldson (born 1962), Northern Irish politician
• Jesse M. Donaldson (1885–1970), American politician
• Jimmy Donaldson (born 1998), American YouTuber known as MrBeast
• Joan Donaldson (1946–2006), Canadian journalist
• John Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Johnny Donaldson, American guitarist
• Joseph Donaldson (1891–1973), Canadian politician
• Josh Donaldson (born 1985), American baseball player
• Julia Donaldson (born 1948), English writer and playwright
• Julie Donaldson (born 1978), American journalist and beauty queen

• Kim Donaldson (born 1952), Zimbabwean artist
• Kristian Donaldson, American comic book artist

• Leanne Donaldson (born 1968), Australian politician
• Liam Donaldson (born 1949), British doctor
• Lily Donaldson (born 1987), British model
• Lou Donaldson (1926–2024), American saxophonist

• Margaret Donaldson (1926–2020), British psychologist
• Mark Donaldson (born 1979), Australian soldier
• Mark Donaldson (rugby player) (born 1955), New Zealand rugby union player
• Mary Donaldson, Baroness Donaldson of Lymington (1921–2003), British politician
• Mary Elizabeth Donaldson (born 1972), Australian-born Crown Princess of Denmark
• Michael Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people

• Norma Donaldson (1928–1994), American actress and singer

• O'Neill Donaldson (born 1969), English footballer

• Pat Donaldson (born 1943), Scottish bass guitarist
• Pete Donaldson (born 1981), radio and television presenter
• Peter Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people

• Ray Donaldson (born 1958), American football player
• Robert Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Roger Donaldson (born 1945), Australian-born New Zealand film producer, director and writer

• Sam Donaldson (born 1934), American reporter and news anchor
• Scott Donaldson (born 1994), Scottish snooker player
• Simon Donaldson (born 1957), English mathematician
• St Clair Donaldson (1863–1935), British-born Australian archbishop
• Stephen R. Donaldson (born 1947), American novelist
• Stewart Donaldson (born 1961), British-American psychologist
• Stuart Donaldson (1812–1867), British-born Australian politician
• Sue Donaldson (born 1962), Canadian author, independent researcher and philosopher

• Ted Donaldson (1933–2023), American actor
• Thomas Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Timothy Donaldson (1934–2013), Bahamian politician, banker, economist, and diplomat
• Tre Donaldson (born 2003), American basketball player
• Trose Emmett Donaldson (1914–1942), American naval lieutenant

• Vance Young Donaldson (born 1791, date of death unknown), Northern Irish soldier and penal administrator

• Walter Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people
• William Donaldson (disambiguation), multiple people

• Rebecca Donaldson-Katsopolis, fictional character on the TV sitcom Full House
• Donaldson Brown (1885–1965), financial executive and corporate director with DuPont and General Motors Corporation
• Donaldson Company, an industrial filtration services company