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Johston Family History

Johston 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, Royston, Colston, Rolston, Boston, Holston, Houston

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Johston family from?

You can see how Johston families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Johston family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Johston families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 7 Johston families living in London. This was about 47% of all the recorded Johston's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Johston families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Johston 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 Johston ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Johston. 100% of Johston women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Johston | 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.

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Johston family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Johston. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Johston census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Johston

Passenger Lists

There are 322 immigration records available for the last name Johston. 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 Johston immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 267 military records available for the last name Johston. For the veterans among your Johston ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Johston military records

You've only scratched the surface of Johston family history

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What is the average Johston lifespan?

Between 1996 and 2003, in the United States, Johston life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1999, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Johston in 1996 was 76, and 46 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Johston

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Johston 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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