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Show ContentsJohnstone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The ancient roots of the Johnstone family are found in the Scottish-English border region where the name was first used by the people of the Boernician tribe. The Johnstone family lived in Dumfries (now part of the region of Galloway), where they held the barony of John's Town.

Early Origins of the Johnstone family

The surname Johnstone was first found in Dumfries where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Johnstone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Johnstone research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1174, 1296, 1732, 1799, 1807 and 1869 are included under the topic Early Johnstone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Johnstone Spelling Variations

During the era when a person's name, tribe and posterity was one of his most important possessions, many different spellings were found in the archives examined. Johnstone occurred in many references, and spelling variations of the name found included Johnston, Johnstone, MacIain (Gaelic) and others.

Early Notables of the Johnstone family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

  • Sir Richard Vanden-Bempde-Johnstone (1732-1807), 1st Baronet of Hackness Hall in the North Riding of the County of York, who was a British Member of Parliament

Johnstone World Ranking

In the United States, the name Johnstone is the 5,487th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Johnstone is ranked the 823rd most popular surname with an estimated 6,524 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Johnstone is the 225th popular surname with an estimated 14,956 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks Johnstone as 187th with 2,962 people. 4 The United Kingdom ranks Johnstone as 372nd with 16,987 people. 5

Ireland Migration of the Johnstone family to Ireland

Some of the Johnstone family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Johnstone migration to the United States +

Gradually becoming disenchanted with life in Ireland many of these uprooted families sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. These overcrowded ships often arrived with only 60 to 70% of their original passenger list, many dying of illness and the elements, were buried at sea. In North America, early immigrants bearing the family name Johnstone, or a spelling variation of the surname include:

Johnstone Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Dr. John Johnstone (died 1732), who arrived in New Jersey in 1685 aboard the Henry and Francis, he was granted 500 acres in 1686 and later another 30,000 acres in 1701, he later became Mayor of New York City (1714-1719)
Johnstone Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Lewis Johnstone, who arrived in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1770 6
  • David E Johnstone, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1770 6
Johnstone Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jane Johnstone, who landed in New York, NY in 1843 6
  • James Johnstone, who landed in New York in 1849 6
  • W S Johnstone, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 6
  • Alexander Johnstone, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 6
  • Helen Walker Johnstone, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1855 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Johnstone migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Johnstone Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • John Johnstone, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752

Australia Johnstone migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Johnstone Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Ellen Johnstone, (Benson), (b. 1799), aged 30, Irish house maid who was convicted in Armagh, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Edward" on 1st January 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
  • Mr. Thomas Johnstone, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 27th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
  • Mr. James Johnstone, British Convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 20th July 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • William Johnstone a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Glenalvon" in 1838 10
  • Mary Anne Johnstone, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Glenalvon" in 1838 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Johnstone migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Johnstone Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Johnstone, Australian settler travelling from Sydney, Australia aboard the ship "Bristolian" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand in 1842 11
  • Mr. J. Johnstone, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Blundell" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1848 11
  • Mrs. Johnstone, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Blundell" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1848 11
  • Mr. Johnstone, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Blundell" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1848 11
  • E. Johnstone, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Agra" in 1852 11
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Johnstone Settlers in New Zealand in the 20th Century
  • John Johnstone, aged 23, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "S. S. Waimana" in 1926
  • Hector Johnstone, aged 22, a farmer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "S. S. Waimana" in 1926

Contemporary Notables of the name Johnstone (post 1700) +

  • John William "Jay" Johnstone Jr. (1945-2020), American professional baseball player and television sports announcer who played from 1966 to 1985
  • Ralph Greenley Johnstone (1880-1910), first American pilot to die in an airplane crash
  • John William Johnstone (b. 1968), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1993 to 2000
  • Edward Huggins Johnstone (b. 1922), United States federal judge
  • Sergeant Harold Irving Johnstone (1892-1949), American Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the World War I
  • Iain Johnstone (1943-2023), English author, broadcaster and television producer from Reading, Berkshire
  • William Johnstone (1823-1857), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Sir Clive Charles Carruthers Johnstone K.B.E., C.B., C.B.E., (1963-2024), British Vice Admiral for the Royal Navy serving as Commander Allied Maritime Command, was appointed Knight Commander the of Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 12
  • Keith Johnstone (1933-2023), English-Canadian pioneer of improvisational theatre, born in Devon, co-founder of Loose Moose Theatre, Calgary
  • Richard Davis Johnstone (1936-2022), New Zealand track and road cyclist who participated in the 1964 Summer Olympic games, the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games
  • ... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Flight 191
  • C Johnstone (d. 1979), American passenger from USA, who flew aboard American Airlines Flight 191 and died in the crash 13
HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Trevor James Armistice Johnstone (1919-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 14
HMS Prince of Wales
Mount Mulligan Mine
  • William Johnstone, Australian coal miner who was killed in the Mount Mulligan Mine explosion in 1921
North Sea Flood
  • Florence Johnstone, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. James Andrew Santie Johnstone, English Assistant Engineers' Mess Steward from Stanley, Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 16

The Johnstone Motto +

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.
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  4. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  5. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th February 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1837
  10. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) EDEN 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Glenalvon.gif
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
  13. Flight 191's Victims - latimes. (Retrieved 2014, April 16) . Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/1985-08-04/news/mn-4349_1_fort-lauderdale-area
  14. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  15. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  16. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
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