The Johnston Family History

What Does the Johnston Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname in question originates from the given name John. In Middle English, the term tone or toun signified a ‘settlement,’ which can be traced back to the Old English word tun. A notable location in contemporary Scotland, known as Perth, was historically referred to as St. John’s Toun. A variant of Johnston is the surname Johnson. During the 1880s, the majority of families bearing the Johnston surname were engaged in agriculture and labor. The name has its roots in England, Scotland, and Ireland, with the highest concentrations found in the English counties of Cumberland and Lancashire. In Scotland, the counties of Lanarkshire and Midlothian exhibit significant populations of individuals with the Johnston surname. In the United States, states such as California, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York are home to many bearing this name. Noteworthy individuals associated with the Johnston surname include Arthur Johnston, a 17th-century Scottish physician and poet; Bill Johnston, an American professional basketball player; Larry Johnston, an NHL ice hockey player; Ollie Johnston, an American pioneer in motion picture animation; Zoe Johnston, an English singer and songwriter; Robbie Johnston, a long-distance runner from New Zealand; Lynn Johnston, a Canadian cartoonist; Darryl Johnston, a football player known as Moose; Denis Johnston, an Irish playwright; and Harry Johnston, a British explorer and administrator.