Show ContentsJohnstone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Johnstone Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Johnstone

What does the name Johnstone mean?

The ancient roots of the Johnstone family are found in the Scottish-English border region where the ancestors of the name Johnstone lived among the people of the Boernician tribe. The Johnstone family 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).

Johnstone Coat of Arms Creation

The Johnstones have for ages been a famous Border family who had their home in Dumfriesshire. They once were wardens of the West Marches, and then had as their motto, " Light thieves all," which means "Alight from your horses and surrender," and which they shouted to Border marauders.

As a crest they had a winged spur, and their motto then became " Nunquam non paratus" (Never unprepared), and both crest and motto were very appropriate for their duty. They were great enemies of the Maxwells, and much blood was shed in the fights between these two families. Another tradition as to the origin of this crest is that when Robert Bruce was in England one of the Johnstones heard that Edward I. wished to capture him, and therefore sent him a spur and a feather. Bruce at once knew what was meant and fled to Scotland, and the "winged spur" as a crest for the Johnstones was the result. 1

Early Origins of the Johnstone family

The surname Johnstone 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.'" 2

Early History of the Johnstone family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Johnstone research. Another 240 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 Johnstone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Johnstone Spelling Variations

Since medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, and since there were no consistent rules for the translation of rules from Gaelic to English, spelling variations are extremely common in Boernician names of this vintage. Johnstone has been spelled 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 Johnstone family

  • 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 Earl of Hartfell (1602-1653), Scottish peer and Royalist
  • James Johnstone, 2nd Marquess of Annandale (c. 1687-1730), Scottish peer
  • Sir James Johnstone, 3rd Baronet (1697-1772), Scottish politician, Member of Parliament for Dumfries Burghs 1743-1754
  • John Johnstone (d. 1711), Baron of Westerhall in the County of Dumfries on 25 April 1700

Johnstone World Ranking

the United States, the name Johnstone is the 5,487th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Johnstone is ranked the 823rd most popular surname with an estimated 6,524 people with that name. 4 And in Australia, the name Johnstone is the 225th popular surname with an estimated 14,956 people with that name. 5 New Zealand ranks Johnstone as 187th with 2,962 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Johnstone as 372nd with 16,987 people. 7

Migration of the Johnstone family to Ireland

Some of the Johnstone 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.

Johnstone migration to the United States +

Many of the Boernician-Scottish families who crossed the Atlantic settled along the eastern seaboard in communities that would become the backbone of the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. In the War of Independence, American families that remained loyal to the Crown moved north into Canada and became known as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestral culture of all of these proud Scottish families remains alive in North America in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Johnstone or a variant listed above:

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 8
  • David E Johnstone, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1770 8
Johnstone Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Jane Johnstone, who landed in New York, NY in 1843 8
  • James Johnstone, who landed in New York in 1849 8
  • W S Johnstone, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 8
  • Alexander Johnstone, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 8
  • Helen Walker Johnstone, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1855 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Johnstone migration to Canada +

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

Johnstone migration to Australia +

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 9
  • 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) 10
  • 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 11
  • William Johnstone a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Glenalvon" in 1838 12
  • Mary Anne Johnstone, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Glenalvon" in 1838 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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 13
  • Mr. J. Johnstone, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Blundell" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1848 13
  • Mrs. Johnstone, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Blundell" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1848 13
  • Mr. Johnstone, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Blundell" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1848 13
  • E. Johnstone, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Agra" in 1852 13
  • ... (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
  • Hugo Kingsley Johnstone -Burt (b. 1988), Scottish-Australian actor, known for his roles in Home and Away (2012-2013) and San Andreas (2015)
  • Sir John Raymond Johnstone CBE (1929-2022), Scottish accountant, investment manager and public official, Chairman of the Forestry Commission (1989 to 1994) and of the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland (1995 to 2000)
  • James Connolly "Jimmy" Johnstone (1944-2006), Scottish football player
  • James Johnstone (1870-1932), Scottish biologist and oceanographer
  • ... (Another 28 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 14
  • 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 15
  • Mr. Norman Johnstone, British Signal Boy, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales May 1941 and died at the battle of Denmark Strait, before the sinking of the HMS Prince of Wales 16
  • William Johnstone, Australian coal miner who was killed in the Mount Mulligan Mine explosion in 1921
  • Florence Johnstone, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
  • ... (Another 3 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
  1. Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
  2. 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)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  6. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  8. 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)
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th February 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1837
  12. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) EDEN 1838. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1838Glenalvon.gif
  13. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  14. 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
  15. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  16. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html

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