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Johnstons Family History

Johnstons Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Johnston, Johnstone, Johnson, Johnsen, Johansson, Jonsson, Jonson

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Johnstons family from?

You can see how Johnstons families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Johnstons family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Johnstons families were found in Canada in 1911. In 1891 there were 4 Johnstons families living in Cheshire. This was about 80% of all the recorded Johnstons's in United Kingdom. Cheshire had the highest population of Johnstons families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Johnstons surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Johnstons ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Johnstons. 23% of Johnstons men worked as a Farmer and 25% of Johnstons women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Johnstons were Salesman and Housewife.

View Census Data for Johnstons | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    23%
  • Manager
    17%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    25%
  • Looper
    25%
  • Librarian
    25%
  • Housewife
    25%

What Johnstons family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Johnstons. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Johnstons census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Johnstons

Passenger Lists

There are 421 immigration records available for the last name Johnstons. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Johnstons immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 221 military records available for the last name Johnstons. For the veterans among your Johnstons ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Johnstons military records

You've only scratched the surface of Johnstons family history

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What is the average Johnstons lifespan?

Between 1980 and 1986, in the United States, Johnstons life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1980, and highest in 1986. The average life expectancy for Johnstons in 1980 was 75, and 78 in 1986.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Johnstons

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Johnstons ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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