Explore the Family Name Johnny

The meaning of Johnny

1. Native American and African American: adoption of the English personal name Johnny (pet form of John) as a surname. 2. In North America, this surname apparently also originated from a transferred use of the personal (given) name Johnny as a surname (i.e. as a replacement of the original surname).

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Johnny in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Johnny experienced a notable surge in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 51,119th most popular surname, while by 2010 it had risen to the 34,149th position, representing a significant change of 33.2%. The number of individuals bearing this surname also increased during this period from 383 to 665, a growth of 73.63%. Its proportion per 100,000 people also saw a marked increase of 64.29%, moving from 0.14 to 0.23.

20002010Change
Rank#51,119#34,14933.2%
Count38366573.63%
Proportion per 100k0.140.2364.29%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Johnny

The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides interesting insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Johnny. In 2000, the largest ethnic group identified with this surname was Black at 37.08%, followed by American Indian and Alaskan Native at 28.46%. However, by 2010, there were significant shifts in these demographics. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander more than doubled from 12.01% to 25.56%. There was also a noticeable increase in the White demographic, going from 9.92% to 15.49%. Meanwhile, the Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native demographics saw decreases of 16.05% and 45.05% respectively. The Hispanic representation saw a modest increase of 20.80%, whereas the percentage for those identifying with two or more races decreased by 21.13%.

20002010Change
Black37.08%31.13%-16.05%
Asian/Pacific Islander12.01%25.56%112.82%
American Indian and Alaskan Native28.46%15.64%-45.05%
White9.92%15.49%56.15%
Hispanic5.48%6.62%20.8%
Two or More Races7.05%5.56%-21.13%