NameCensus.

UK surname

Johnston

A patronymic surname meaning "son of John," derived from the given name John combined with the suffix -son.

In the 1881 census there were 24,321 people recorded with the Johnston surname, ranking it #138 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 38,147, ranked #134, up from #138 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, London parishes and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Carlisle and IZ09.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Johnston is 38,297 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.8%.

1881 census count

24,321

Ranked #138

Modern count

38,147

2016, ranked #134

Peak year

2014

38,297 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Johnston had 24,321 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #138 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 38,147 in 2016, ranked #134.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 27,631 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Johnston surname distribution map

The map shows where the Johnston surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Johnston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Johnston over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 18,523 #114
1861 historical 19,826 #107
1881 historical 24,321 #138
1891 historical 25,731 #133
1901 historical 27,631 #152
1911 historical 13,407 #366
1997 modern 35,087 #136
1998 modern 36,468 #137
1999 modern 36,703 #138
2000 modern 36,712 #139
2001 modern 35,757 #139
2002 modern 36,814 #139
2003 modern 35,987 #141
2004 modern 36,075 #139
2005 modern 35,803 #137
2006 modern 35,766 #138
2007 modern 36,229 #137
2008 modern 36,523 #137
2009 modern 37,284 #138
2010 modern 38,026 #138
2011 modern 37,333 #138
2012 modern 37,043 #137
2013 modern 37,848 #137
2014 modern 38,297 #137
2015 modern 38,153 #137
2016 modern 38,147 #134

Geography

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Where Johnstons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Carlisle and IZ09. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 London parishes London 3
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 001 Allerdale
2 Carlisle 007 Carlisle
3 Carlisle 001 Carlisle
4 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
5 IZ09 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Johnston

These lists show first names that appear often with the Johnston surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Johnston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Johnston, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Johnston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Johnston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Johnston is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Johnston is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Johnston falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Johnston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Johnston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Johnston

The surname Johnston has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "John" and "toun," meaning "John's town" or "John's settlement." The name likely originated as a geographical reference to people residing in a town or village associated with someone named John.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls that recorded individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland. The name appears as "Johan de Jonestone" in these rolls, referencing a place name that is now spelled as "Johnstone."

The Johnston surname has been prevalent in various regions of Scotland, including Renfrewshire, Ayrshire, and Dumfriesshire. In Renfrewshire, the Johnston family were prominent landowners and held the Barony of Johnstone in the 13th century. One notable member of this family was Sir John de Jonestone, who was a signatory to the Ragman Rolls in 1296.

In Ayrshire, the Johnston family were landowners in the parish of Ochiltree. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in this area is from a charter dated 1451, which mentions John Johnston of Polquhairn.

The surname also has a strong presence in the Borders region of Scotland, particularly in Dumfriesshire. Here, the Johnstons were a powerful clan, and their chief was known as the "Laird of Johnstone." One of the most famous members of this clan was Archibald Johnston, who was born in 1611 and served as a military leader during the English Civil War.

Other notable individuals with the Johnston surname include:

1. Joseph Eccleston Johnston (1807-1891), a Confederate general during the American Civil War. 2. John Johnston (1565-1611), a Scottish writer and theologian known for his work "An Apologie of the Kingdom and Church of Scotland." 3. Mary Johnston (1870-1936), an American novelist best known for her historical fiction works such as "To Have and to Hold." 4. Sir Harry Hamilton Johnston (1858-1927), a British explorer, botanist, and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of several British territories in Africa. 5. Samuel Johnston (1733-1816), an American statesman and jurist who served as the governor of North Carolina from 1787 to 1789.

The Johnston surname has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, military leaders, writers, and statesmen. Its Scottish origins and geographical associations have contributed to its enduring legacy.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Johnston families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Johnston surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 3,666 Johnstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.81x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 3,666 4.81x
Cumberland 2,191 10.79x
Midlothian 1,998 6.33x
Lancashire 1,751 0.63x
Angus 1,027 4.70x
Middlesex 1,012 0.43x
Aberdeenshire 1,005 4.60x
Fife 756 5.42x
Renfrewshire 708 3.88x
Northumberland 670 1.91x
Ayrshire 651 3.69x
Durham 632 0.90x
Stirlingshire 612 7.04x
Berwickshire 540 18.92x
Yorkshire 519 0.22x
Orkney 460 17.74x
Surrey 399 0.35x
Shetland 382 15.87x
Dumfriesshire 371 7.12x
East Lothian 329 10.54x
Perthshire 315 2.98x
Argyllshire 282 4.30x
West Lothian 268 7.55x
Cheshire 244 0.47x
Banffshire 241 4.93x
Kirkcudbrightshire 216 6.33x
Kent 203 0.25x
Roxburghshire 179 4.19x
Dunbartonshire 176 2.78x
Hampshire 163 0.34x
Warwickshire 150 0.25x
Selkirkshire 140 6.56x
Wigtownshire 134 4.28x
Inverness-shire 131 1.86x
Peeblesshire 102 9.20x
Kincardineshire 101 3.52x
Gloucestershire 100 0.22x
Essex 96 0.21x
Morayshire 87 2.38x
Sussex 76 0.19x
Westmorland 73 1.41x
Staffordshire 71 0.09x
Clackmannanshire 69 3.54x
Glamorgan 63 0.15x
Devon 59 0.12x
Derbyshire 57 0.15x
Buteshire 47 3.29x
Somerset 46 0.12x
Leicestershire 45 0.17x
Northamptonshire 38 0.17x
Ross-shire 37 0.57x
Lincolnshire 36 0.10x
Wiltshire 31 0.15x
Hertfordshire 30 0.18x
Royal Navy 25 0.89x
Caithness 24 0.74x
Dorset 24 0.16x
Berkshire 23 0.13x
Denbighshire 22 0.25x
Cambridgeshire 19 0.13x
Worcestershire 19 0.06x
Cornwall 18 0.07x
Monmouthshire 18 0.11x
Herefordshire 16 0.17x
Kinross-shire 16 2.68x
Suffolk 16 0.06x
Nottinghamshire 15 0.05x
Pembrokeshire 13 0.17x
Caernarfonshire 12 0.13x
Oxfordshire 12 0.08x
Channel Islands 11 0.16x
Norfolk 11 0.03x
Shropshire 11 0.05x
Bedfordshire 10 0.08x
Sutherland 9 0.50x
Nairnshire 8 1.11x
Anglesey 6 0.14x
Buckinghamshire 5 0.04x
Carmarthenshire 4 0.04x
Huntingdonshire 4 0.09x
Isle of Man 4 0.09x
Brecknockshire 3 0.06x
Cardiganshire 1 0.02x
Flintshire 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.02x
Radnorshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 1,029 Johnstons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.33x.

Place Total Index
Barony 1,029 5.33x
Govan 878 4.66x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 764 6.01x
Glasgow 619 4.57x
Dundee 332 4.07x
Liverpool 259 1.52x
Aberdeen Old Machar 239 5.24x
Old Monkland 212 7.01x
Falkirk 200 9.83x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 197 4.82x
South Leith 173 4.87x
Birsay Harray 172 91.36x
Caldewgate 168 15.11x
North Leith 158 10.81x
Dunfermline 152 7.08x
Abbey 147 5.27x
Sandsting Aitsting 145 66.45x
Toxteth Park 145 1.53x
Tranent 144 34.13x
Everton 141 1.58x
Workington 141 12.13x
St Cuthbert W O 140 14.15x
West Greenock 139 4.24x
Kirkdale 117 2.49x
Liff Benvie 117 3.53x
Lambeth 112 0.54x
Maryhill 108 7.24x
Rickergate 106 24.68x
Islington London 104 0.46x
Shotts 104 11.40x
New Monkland 103 4.57x
Forfar 98 8.29x
Whitehaven 98 9.06x
Montrose 93 7.03x
Gateshead 92 1.75x
West Derby 91 1.11x
Bishopwearmouth 84 1.40x
East Greenock 83 4.81x
Arthuret 82 38.74x
Bathgate 82 10.64x
Ayton 81 48.92x
Cambusnethan 81 4.78x
Manchester 77 0.61x
Unst 77 43.73x
Bothwell 76 3.68x
Westgate 75 3.45x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 74 9.91x
Blackburn 73 0.98x
Glamis 72 54.64x
Camberwell 71 0.47x
St Pancras London 71 0.37x
Preston 68 0.91x
St Ninians 67 7.77x
Boness 65 13.28x
Eyemouth 64 26.87x
Galashiels 64 8.12x
Penicuik 64 14.91x
Salford 64 0.78x
Wigton 63 20.70x
Brechin 60 6.99x
Holywood 59 67.82x
Kilmarnock 58 2.76x
Peebles 58 17.70x
Urr 58 13.07x
Westoe 58 1.46x
Stirling 57 5.20x
Edinburgh St Marys 56 9.12x
Hamilton 55 2.59x
Neilston 55 6.00x
Penrith 55 7.33x
Rathven 54 5.88x
Berwick Upon Tweed 53 7.13x
Chirton 53 6.68x
Colinton 53 15.05x
Hackney London 53 0.40x
Edinburgh St Georges 52 7.93x
Tranmere 52 2.72x
Walls Flotta 52 42.82x
Edinburgh Canongate 51 6.35x
Larbert 51 9.81x
Portsea 51 0.54x
Wetheral 51 18.97x
Crosscanonby 49 7.30x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 49 1.61x
Hammersmith London 48 0.83x
Rutherglen 48 4.29x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Johnston surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 733
Elizabeth 380
Jane 279
Margaret 271
Sarah 256
Ann 170
Annie 132
Isabella 117
Ellen 102
Eliza 97
Agnes 86
Alice 81
Emily 76
Emma 75
Catherine 71
Martha 71
Hannah 61
Louisa 47
Frances 43
Jessie 41
Maria 39
Eleanor 31
Fanny 31
Janet 31
Ada 30
Anne 30
Edith 30
Charlotte 29
Florence 29
Harriet 29
Caroline 26
Clara 25
Grace 25
Helen 22
Kate 22
Susan 21
Lucy 19
Amelia 18
Esther 16
Maggie 16
Amy 15
Harriett 15
Susannah 15
Anna 14
Barbara 14
Bridget 14
Margret 14
Rebecca 14
Henrietta 13
Lizzie 13

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Johnston surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 624
John 609
James 399
Thomas 370
Robert 277
George 238
Joseph 141
Henry 128
Charles 103
Edward 93
David 83
Richard 76
Samuel 62
Alexander 60
Andrew 54
Frederick 50
Arthur 49
Alfred 42
Walter 41
Peter 37
Francis 36
Wm. 35
Tom 23
Ernest 21
Frank 21
Herbert 21
Daniel 20
Hugh 20
Albert 19
Adam 18
Thos. 18
Harry 16
Benjamin 15
Isaac 14
Archibald 13
Matthew 13
Geo. 12
Edwin 11
Patrick 9
Percy 9
Robt. 9
Alex 7
Anthony 7
Christopher 7
Jas. 7
Michael 7
Douglas 6
Fredk. 6
J. 6
Jonathan 6

FAQ

Johnston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Johnston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 24,321 people were recorded with the Johnston surname. That placed it at #138 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Johnston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 38,147 in 2016. That gives Johnston a modern rank of #134.

What does the Johnston surname mean?

A patronymic surname meaning "son of John," derived from the given name John combined with the suffix -son.

What does the Johnston map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Johnston bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.