dˈɔntsɑːv wʌz bˈɔːɹn ɪn mˈɛlɪtˌɑːpɑːl, tˈɔːɹɪdə ɡˈʌvɚnɚɹˌeɪt tədˈeɪ zˌæpoːɹˈɪʒʒiə əblˈæst tʊ ɐn ˈoʊld kˈɑːsæk ˈɑːfɪsɚz fˈæmɪli, ænd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd mˈuːvd tə sˈeɪnt pˈiːɾɚzbˌɜːɡ tə stˈʌdi lˈɔː.
Dontsov was born in Melitopol, Taurida Governorate (today Zaporizhzhia Oblast) to an old Cossack officer's family, and in 1900 moved to Saint Petersburg to study law.