Find out how popular the last name Johnson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Johnson.

Johnson, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Johnson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Johnson in America

Johnson is the 2nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Johnson surname appeared 1,932,812 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 655 people would have the surname Johnson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Johnson to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Johnson

The surname Johnson has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the late 12th century as an occupational name for the son of John. It is derived from the medieval English name "John" combined with the diminutive suffix "-son", meaning "son of". The popularity of the name John, which stems from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning "Graced by God", contributed to the widespread use of Johnson as a surname.

Johnson was initially found primarily in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Northumberland. Early records from the 13th century show variations in spelling, such as Jonessone and Johnessone, reflecting regional dialects and inconsistent record-keeping practices of the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Johnson can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1199, which mention a Robert Johnson. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also include several references to individuals with the surname Johnson, indicating its growing prevalence in medieval England.

During the 14th century, the name Johnson appeared in various historical documents, including the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327, where a William Johnson is listed. The Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 mention several Johnson families, further solidifying the surname's presence in the region.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname Johnson include:

1. Thomas Johnson (c. 1539-1619), an English botanist and herbalist, renowned for his work "The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes".

2. Isaac Johnson (1601-1630), an English settler in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and one of the founders of Boston.

3. Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), the celebrated English writer, poet, and critic, best known for his monumental work "A Dictionary of the English Language".

4. Andrew Johnson (1808-1875), the 17th President of the United States, who assumed office after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

5. Amy Johnson (1903-1941), a pioneering English aviator and the first woman to fly solo from Britain to Australia.

Over time, the surname Johnson spread throughout England and later to other parts of the British Isles, as well as to the British colonies and territories around the world, carried by migrants and settlers seeking new opportunities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Johnson

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Johnson.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Johnson was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Johnson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Johnson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Johnson, please contact us.

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