Wishlist
Menu
Cart
HouseofNames
Wishlist
Cart

Show ContentsJohns History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Product

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

4.9 Average Rating

The distinguished surname Johns is derived from the given name "John," which is itself derived from the Hebrew name "Johanan," meaning "Jehovah has favored."

"This baptismal name, which is of Norman introduction, has rarely passed into a surname. The London Directory for 1852 affords but one instance." 1

The name was brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066, and was extremely popular throughout Europe in the Middle Ages as a result of the numerous connections between the name John and the Christian Church.

Early Origins of the Johns family

The surname Johns was first found in Lincolnshire, borne by Alanus filius Jene in 1275. Other early bearers of the name include Willelmus filius Gene, who was recorded in the Rotuli Hundredorum of Yorkshire in 1276, Walterus filius Jone, who was living in Huntingdonshire in 1279, and Thomas John, who was a resident of Buckinghamshire in 1279. 2

In Somerset, Robert Johns, was listed 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 3 Lewis Johns was prebendary of St. David's in 1486. 4

Farther to the south in the parish of Wendron, Cornwall, we found this interesting entry. "The barton of Tremere, or Trenear, on which are now only some small cottages, is said to have been a place of considerable fame in former ages. This is at present the property of the representatives of the late Richard Johns, Esq. of Helston, by purchase from the Vyvyans. Tonkin speaking of this place says, 'At Trenere in Wendron is an arched vault of moorstone near the house, said to have been a cellar of the ancient Dukes of Cornwall, and this one of their hunting seats. This vault, which is very entire, indicates a place of some distinction.' " 5

Early History of the Johns family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Johns research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1327, 1379, 1417, 1463, 1600, 1656, 1664, 1736, 1754, 1776, 1796, 1843, 1858 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Johns History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Johns Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include John, Johns, Jon, Jone, Johnes, Johnys, Joan, Joanes, Jones and many more.

Early Notables of the Johns family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Samuel John (1656-1736), was a minister, Henry John (1664-1754), a hymnist from Wales, Ambrose Bowden Johns (1776-1858), a British painter, and David Johns (1796-1843), was a Welsh missionary

Johns World Ranking

In the United States, the name Johns is the 614th most popular surname with an estimated 47,253 people with that name. 6 However, in Australia, the name Johns is ranked the 251st most popular surname with an estimated 13,902 people with that name. 7 And in New Zealand, the name Johns is the 298th popular surname with an estimated 2,035 people with that name. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Johns as 629th with 10,440 people. 9

Ireland Migration of the Johns family to Ireland

Some of the Johns family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Johns migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Johns or a variant listed above:

Johns Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Johns, who settled in New England in 1634 with his wife
  • Philip Johns, aged 22, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Assurance" 10
  • Phillip and Mary Johns, who settled in Virginia in 1645
  • Mary Johns, who arrived in Virginia in 1652 10
  • John Johns, who landed in Maryland in 1665 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Johns Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Johns, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 10
  • Lewis Johns, who landed in Virginia in 1707 10
Johns Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Francis Johns, who landed in Harford County, Maryland in 1838 10
  • R Johns, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 10
  • Mr. John Johns, (b. 1834), aged 20, Cornish miner departing from Liverpool aboard the ship "May Flower" arriving in Philadelphia, USA on 7 October 1854 11
  • Henry Johns, aged 28, who arrived in New Orleans, La in 1860 10
  • Daniel Johns, who arrived in New York in 1868 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Johns Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mr. Joseph B. Johns, (b. 1876), aged 24, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 5th May 1900 en route to Calumet, Michigan, USA 12
  • Mr. John Johns, (b. 1874), aged 26, Cornish miner , from Redruth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Majestic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 15th November 1900 en route to New York, USA 12
  • Mr. Harry Johns, (b. 1876), aged 24, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 11th February 1900 en route to Calumet, Michigan, USA 12
  • Mr. Harry Johns, (b. 1876), aged 24, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 5th May 1900 en route to Calumet, Michigan, USA 12
  • Mr. William Johns, (b. 1855), aged 45, Cornish settler, from Hayle, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 26th September 1900 en route to Benton, Wisconsin, USA 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Johns migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Johns Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Lt. Solomon Johns U.E. (b. 1751) born in Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA from Clarendon, Vermont, USA who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1784 he enlisted in 1777 serving in the Queen's Loyal Rangers and King's Rangers, he died in 1786 he is listed as being killed by a falling tree, married to Susanna Bucklin they had 5 children 13
Johns Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Rebecca Johns, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Eleanor Gordon" in 1834

Australia Johns migration to Australia +

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

Johns Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Hannah Johns, British Convict who was convicted in Bristol, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Earl Cornwallis" in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • Samuel Johns, English convict from Devon, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 15
  • Mr. William Johns, (b. 1810), aged 18, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 25th June 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
  • Mr. William Johns, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Clyde" on 20th August 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 17
  • Miss Rebecca Johns, Cornish convict who was convicted in Cornwall, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Edward" on 23rd April 1834, arriving in Tasmania, (Van Diemen's Land) 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Johns Settlers in Australia in the 20th Century
  • Miss Ruth Johns, (b. 1857), aged 49, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Oroya" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 19th January 1906 19
  • Miss Jane Grace Johns, (b. 1876), aged 30, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Ophir" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th February 1906 19
  • Mr. Joseph Beare Johns, (b. 1876), aged 30, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Ophir" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th February 1906 19
  • Mrs. Elizabeth I. Johns, (b. 1858), aged 48, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Ophir" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 14th February 1906 19

New Zealand Johns 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:

Johns Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Johns, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Melpomene' arriving in Nelson, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1856 20
  • Mr. Johns, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Melpomene' arriving in Nelson, South Island, New Zealand on 14th October 1856 20
  • Mr. Frederick George Johns, British settler travelling from Liverpool (Mersey) aboard the ship "Viscount Sandon" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand then Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in 1860 21
  • Mrs. Martha Ann Johns née Holliday, British settler travelling from Liverpool (Mersey) aboard the ship "Viscount Sandon" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand then Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in 1860 21
  • Miss Martha Elizabeth Johns, British settler travelling from Liverpool (Mersey) aboard the ship "Viscount Sandon" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand then Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in 1860 21
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Johns (post 1700) +

  • Jasper Johns (b. 1930), American contemporary artist, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
  • Glynis Margaret Payne Johns (1923-2024), British stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer who appeared in more than 60 films and 30 plays receiving a Tony award and a Drama Desk Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award, perhaps best known for her roles in Mary Poppins (1964) and A Little Night Music (1973)
  • Robert James "Bobby" Johns (1932-2016), American race car driver
  • Brigadier-General Dwight Frederick Johns (1894-1977), American Assistant Chief of Engineers for Military Operations (1945-1947) 22
  • Tracy Camilla Johns (b. 1963), American film actress
  • Denice Johns, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from New York, 2008 23
  • David B. Johns (b. 1871), American Republican politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Allegheny County, 1909; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1912 23
  • Charley Eugene Johns (1905-1990), American politician, Member of Florida State House of Representatives, 1935-37; Member of Florida State Senate, 1947, 1955-66; Governor of Florida, 1953-55; Defeated, 1954 23
  • Charles G. Johns, American politician, Representative from Michigan 8th District, 1976 23
  • Charles A. Johns (b. 1857), American Republican politician, County judge in Oregon, 1883-85; Justice of Oregon State Supreme Court, 1918-21; Resigned 1921; Justice of Phillipine Islands supreme court, 1921- 23
  • ... (Another 63 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Flight TWA 800
  • Miss. Courtney Elizabeth Johns (1978-1996), from Clarkston, Michigan, USA, American passenger flying aboard flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; she died in the crash 24
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Charles William  Johns (1880-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 25
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. William R Johns, British Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 26
  • Mr. Alfred George Johns, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 26
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Leonard Herbert Johns, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 27
HMS Royal Oak
  • Percival Herbert Mitchley Johns (1902-1939), British Chief Electrical Artificer 2nd Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 28
North Sea Flood
  • S. J. Johns, British worker aboard the trawler "Michael Griffith" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

Suggested Readings for the name Johns +

  • The Chronicles of John Clark Johns and His Descendants by David Lamar Taylor.
  • Mt. Comfort Plantation by Richard L. Guild.
  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  8. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  9. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  10. 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)
  11. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
  12. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  13. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-cornwallis
  15. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
  16. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/clyde
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th January 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
  19. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
  20. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  21. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  22. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 30) Dwight Johns. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Johns/Dwight_Frederick/USA.html
  23. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  24. The Washington Post Passenger List TWA Flight 800. (Retrieved 2018, February 15th). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/twa800/list01.htm
  25. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  26. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  27. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  28. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Houseofnames.com on Facebook