Explore the Family Name Johnston
The meaning of Johnston
1. Scottish: habitational name, deriving in most cases from the place so called in Annandale, in Dumfriesshire. This is derived from the genitive case of the personal name John + Middle English ton ‘town, village, settlement’ (Old English tūn). There are other places in Scotland so called, including the city of Perth, which used to be known as Saint John’s Toun, and some of these may also be sources of the surname. 2. English: habitational name from Johnson Hall (Staffordshire), recorded as Johanneston c.1233 and Joneston in 1314. The placename means ‘John’s settlement’, from the genitive case of the Middle English personal name Johan, Jon (see John) + Middle English ton ‘town, village, settlement’. History: As far as can be ascertained, most Scottish bearers of this surname are descendants of John, probably a Norman baron from England, who held lands at Johnstone in Annandale from the Bruce family in the late 12th century. His son Gilbert was the first to take the surname Johnstone and their descendants later held the earldom of Annandale.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Johnston in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Johnston has slightly declined over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Johnston was ranked as the 207th most popular surname in the U.S., however, by 2010 it had dropped to the 225th position, signifying a decrease of 8.7%. In terms of numerical counts, there was a small increase in the number of people with the Johnston surname, growing from 128,935 in 2000 to 131,373 in 2010, marking an increase of 1.89%. However, the proportion of the surname Johnston per 100k individuals saw a decrease of 6.82% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #207 | #225 | -8.7% |
| Count | 128,935 | 131,373 | 1.89% |
| Proportion per 100k | 47.8 | 44.54 | -6.82% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Johnston
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals shifts among those carrying the Johnston surname between 2000 and 2010. The largest percentage growth was seen within the Hispanic community, which increased by 50.57%. An upward trend was also observed in the Asian/Pacific Islander and Two or more races categories, seeing increases of 30.77% and 30.50%, respectively. Meanwhile, the White population holding the Johnston surname decreased from 93.13% to 91.62%, a drop of 1.62%. The Black population also saw a marginal decrease of 1.63%. Lastly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native category saw a moderate increase of 12.16%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 93.13% | 91.62% | -1.62% |
| Hispanic | 1.74% | 2.62% | 50.57% |
| Black | 2.45% | 2.41% | -1.63% |
| Two or More Races | 1.41% | 1.84% | 30.5% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.74% | 0.83% | 12.16% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.52% | 0.68% | 30.77% |
Johnston ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Johnston is British & Irish, which comprises 56.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.6%) and Scandinavian (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.9% |
| French & German | 22.6% |
| Scandinavian | 4.3% |
| Other | 16.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Johnston
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Johnston have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 91.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 91.10% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 90.70% |
What Johnston haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Johnston is R-Z2961, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z2961 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-L1290 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Harding, Steele, Kelley, Roberts, Kelly, Johnson, Smith, Cooper, Thompson, White.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Johnston surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Johnston have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Johnston" Surname 41.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Johnston" Surname 24.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Johnston" Surname 22.8%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Johnston" Surname 17.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Johnston?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Johnston are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition