John History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Wales 


Early Origins of the John family

The surname John was first found in Carmarthenshire (Welsh: Sir Gaerfyrddin), located in Southwest Wales, one of thirteen historic counties and presently one of the principal area in Wales, 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 John family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our John research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early John History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

John Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name John have included Johnes, Johns, John, Johne and others.

Early Notables of the John family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

John World Ranking

In the United States, the name John is the 1,172nd most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name John is ranked the 882nd most popular surname with an estimated 6,051 people with that name. 2 And in France, the name John is the 2,605th popular surname with an estimated 2,500 - 3,000 people with that name. 3 Australia ranks John as 421st with 8,881 people. 4 New Zealand ranks John as 430th with 1,552 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks John as 418th with 15,582 people. 6


John migration to the United States +

Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name John were found:

John Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
John Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
John Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
John Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

John migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

John Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John migration to Australia +

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

John Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John 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:

John Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
John Settlers in New Zealand in the 20th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name John (post 1700) +


The John 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: Deus pascit corvos
Motto Translation: God feeds the ravens.
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