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Johnston Family History

Johnston Surname Meaning

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. English: habitational name from Johnson Hall (Staffordshire) recorded as Johanneston c. 1233 and Joneston in 131 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’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Johnson, Whiston, Rolston, Swanston, Winston, Colston, Woolston

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Where is the Johnston family from?

You can see how Johnston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Johnston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Johnston families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 578 Johnston families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 23% of all the recorded Johnston's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Johnston families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Johnston surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Johnston

What did your Johnston ancestors do for a living?

View Census Data for Johnston | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Farmer
13%
Laborer
12%
Salesman
6%
Clerk
3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Teacher
7%
Housewife
7%
Stenographer
6%
Housekeeper
5%

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What Johnston family records will you find?

Census Records
There are 1 million census records available for the last name Johnston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Johnston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.
Search US census records for Johnston
Passenger Lists
There are 261,000 immigration records available for the last name Johnston. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.
View all Johnston immigration records
Draft Cards
There are 217,000 military records available for the last name Johnston. For the veterans among your Johnston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.
View all Johnston military records

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Johnston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Johnston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Johnston

Passenger Lists

There are 261,000 immigration records available for the last name Johnston. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Johnston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 217,000 military records available for the last name Johnston. For the veterans among your Johnston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Johnston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Johnston family history

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What is the average Johnston lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Johnston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Johnston in 1940 was 39, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Johnston

Browse profiles of historical people with the Johnston last name