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![Show Contents]() Johnsonn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancestors of the first family to use the name Johnsonn were thought to have lived among the Boernician tribe of ancient Scotland. They lived in any of several place names in Scotland. Most instances of the name are thought to come from the barony of John's Town in Annandale, Dumfriesshire. The place name comes from the personal name John, and the Middle English tone or toun, meaning "a town." Other places so named in Scotland include St. John's Toun (now the city of Perth). Early Origins of the Johnsonn familyThe surname Johnsonn was first found in Dumfries (now part of the region of Galloway) where they held the barony of John's Town. There is a heraldic similarity with the Kirkpatrick family coat of arms, leading to the belief that John was a descendant of Gospatrick, Earl of Northumberland. Gilbert, son of John received a parcel of land in southern Annandale from William Bruce, Lord of Annandale, some time between 1195 and 1214. "Shortly after 1174 John the founder of the family of Johnstone, gave his name to his lands in Annandale, Dumfriesshire, whence his son Gilbert took his surname. 'Who John, the father of Gilbert, was it is now perhaps impossible to determine. He may have been a native settler who, when the Bruces were made lords of Annandale, elected to hold his lands from them, or, as seems most likely, he followed his overlords from their Yorkshire, or more southern, estates, and was gifted with the lands to which he gave his name, and which, later, formed the parish and barony of Johnstone.'" 1 Early History of the Johnsonn familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Johnsonn research. Another 239 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1602, 1611, 1625, 1653, 1663, 1664, 1672, 1687, 1697, 1700, 1701, 1711, 1721, 1730, 1743, 1754, 1772 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Johnsonn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Johnsonn Spelling VariationsBefore the printing press and the first dictionaries appeared, names and other words were often spelled differently every time they were written. Johnsonn has appeared under the variations Jonsoom, Jonstoombe, Johnson, Johnstome, Jonstoom, Jonstoomb, Johnstolm, Jonsome, Johnstume, Jonstolm, Jonsolm, Jonstum, Jonstome, Jonsom, Jonsum, Jonstume, Jonsomb, Jonsombe, Jonsoombe, Jonsoomb and many more. Early Notables of the Johnsonn familyNotable amongst the family name during their early history was Archibald Johnston, Lord Warriston (1611-1663), a Scottish judge and statesman; James Johnstone (1625-1672), 1st Earl of Annandale and Hartfell; his son William Johnstone (1664-1721), 2nd Earl of Annandale and Hartfell, who was made 1st Marquess of Annandale in 1701; James Johnstone, 1st...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Johnsonn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Johnsonn family to Ireland
Some of the Johnsonn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 73 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Johnsonn familyThe Scots who crossed the Atlantic were often on the run from poverty as well as persecution. They brought little with them, and often had nothing of their home country to hand down to their children. In the 20th century, Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations have helped the ancestors of Boernician Scots to recover their lost national legacy. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Johnsonn were among those contributors: Archibald Johnston, who settled in Barbados with his two sons and servants in 1680; George Johnston, who came to New England in 1685; John Johnstone, who arrived in New Jersey in 1685.
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Nunquam non paratus
Motto Translation: Never unprepared
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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England
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