The Johns surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 47,246 people carried this name — #739 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 6,240 people counted. About the same as in 2000 (47,289).

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What the name means

The meaning of the Johns surname

An English surname originating as a patronymic derived from John.

Variant of John with genitival or excrescent -s or a variant of Jones.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Johns» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of John’.

An early record he cites: Robert Johns, Somerset, 1327–28 (1 Edward III) — Kirby's Quest (Somerset).

His entry covers Johns, Johnson and Johnes.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 433 · public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

34 people named Johns is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 34

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Johns was found among the farmers of 4 counties.

It was most frequent in Cornwall: 78 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 128. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cornwall 78
South Wales 27
Monmouthshire 17
Devon 13

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

113 families named Johns, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 643 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Johns, John, Johnes, Johnns, Jon, Jonnes, Jons. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 41
Virginia 23
Maryland 18
Connecticut 7
Maine 5
South Carolina 5
Massachusetts 4
North Carolina 4
Vermont 3
New Hampshire 2
New York 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 247 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Johns in American newspapers,
1892–1930.

Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name Johns
The Anaconda Standard 1892-04-24
Newspaper page from The Poplar Standard carrying the name Johns
The Poplar Standard 1930-06-26
Newspaper page from Fergus County Argus carrying the name Johns
Fergus County Argus 1900-09-05

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,226,389 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Johns in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

117,055 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Johns. The most, 19,050, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 28,588
Victoria 27,715
New South Wales 25,564
Queensland 15,902
Western Australia 14,414
Tasmania 3,657
ACT (Canberra) 724
Northern Territory 253

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Johns.

Who carried it

People named Johns,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Danny Johns d. 1969 · American football player
  • Anna Alexander Johns d. 1927
  • Ethel May Johns d. 1955
  • Georgiana Margaret Yorke d. 1967
  • Josephine Honoria Hardman d. 1928
  • Harriett Johns d. 1851

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Johns,
in the records of 9 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,279 records

4,279 records of the Johns name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,787
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 763
  • Other U.S. records 1,729
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Paul Frederick Johns

    Born 1931; from Laconia, Indiana. U.S. Air Force, pilot; declared dead 1968 in Laos. Buried at New Albany National Cemetery, Indiana.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Tony Johns

    Born 1917 in Mississippi. Enlisted 1941 at Camp Shelby; commercial artist. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1997, buried at Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Clarksdale, Mississippi.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Micky James Johns

    Born 1946; from Levittown, New York. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; died of wounds 1966 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 4,279 records for Johns in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain).

Australia2,862 records

2,862 records of the Johns name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,466
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 619
  • Other Australian records 777
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record William Johns

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Clyde, sailing from Portsmouth in 1830. Native of Gloucestershire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1838.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Samuel Johns

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Equestrian, sailing from London in 1844. Native of Tavistock, Devon. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850. Married 1850 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 42.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Johns

    Died 1922 in District Hospital, Campbelltown, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1922.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,862 records for Johns in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada294 records

294 records of the Johns name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 180
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 27
  • Other Canadian records 87
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Marshal Johns

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the L'Abondence, bound for Port Roseway, aged 32.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Johns

    Came to Ontario in 1877 aboard the Sarmatian, bound for Prince Arthur's Ld., Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Clara Rebecca Johns

    Buried in 1965 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 50.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 294 records for Johns in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

Germany107 records

107 records of the Johns name in Germany Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Jakob Johns

    Born 1884; from Westermoor, Steinburg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 28 August 1917; then reported dead in the list of 30 November 1918 (Reserve Field Artillery Regiment No. 68).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Heinrich Johns

    From Hamburg. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 27 October 1914 (Infantry Regiment No. 163).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Adolf Johns

    From Grittel, Ludwigslust. Reported dead in the Prussian casualty list of 21 July 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 163).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 107 records for Johns in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand74 records

74 records of the Johns name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 55
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 19
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eva Eliza Johns

    Died 1976, aged 87; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Peter Johns

    Buried in 1919 at Omahu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 78.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Joseph Stanley Johns

    Died 1983, aged 72; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 74 records for Johns in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom72 records

72 records of the Johns name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 28
  • Welsh wills index cards 24
  • Other British records 20
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Herbert Johns

    Buried in 1967 at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 67.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record David Johns

    Will proved in 1941; of Carmarthen.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Johns

    Buried in 1823 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 53.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 72 records for Johns in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Netherlands55 records

55 records of the Johns name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 21
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 18
  • Dutch population registers 16
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Johan Simon Johns

    In the population register of Nijmegen; joiner, born 1807 in Nijmegen.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Nijmegen (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Anna Maria Johns

    In the population register of Legden - Duitsland; milliner, born 1828 in Legden - Duitsland.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Midden-Holland (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 55 records for Johns in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Norway12 records

12 records of the Johns name in Norway Norway's 1910 census
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Olaf Johns

    Census of 1910: Steinsland (gaard), Haaland; farmer and fisherman, born 1880 in Haaland.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Census record Olav Johns

    Census of 1910: Findal nordre (gaard), Solum; forestry worker, born 1858 in Kvitseid.

    Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO)

Showing 2 of 12 records for Johns in Norway.

Counts: Arkivverket, Digitalarkivet, 1910 census (CC BY 3.0 NO). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France3 records

3 records of the Johns name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Gertrude Eugenia Johns

    Born 1900 in the United Kingdom; died 1991 in Meyzieu (Rhône).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 3 records for Johns in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Johns.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Johns is.
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