The Johnson surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 1,932,812 people carried this name — #2 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 153 people counted. That is up 4% from 1,857,160 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Johnson surname
A patrilineal surname transferred from the given name. The second most common surname in the United States.
A patronymic surname from John + -son, literally “son of John”.
In the U.S. the name Johnson has been adopted by numerous European immigrant families originally named Johansson, Johnsson, Johansen, Jonsson, etc.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Johnson» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 58 births for the Johnson name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Munster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 2,600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 656 people named Johnson live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
634 people named Johnson live in Switzerland.
They live in 21 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 409 people named Johnson.
Most of them — 282 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 32 départements, most often Paris.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 317 people named Johnson live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Antwerp.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In Poland’s population register
203 people named Johnson have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 653 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in all 16 of Poland’s voivodeships, most of all in Lublin.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In the Nordic population registers
3,821 people named Johnson are counted in Sweden, Norway and Finland.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Norway publishes only surnames with 200 or more bearers. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
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) · Statistics Norway (SSB, ssb.no), table 12891, 2025 — CC BY 4.0 · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Johnson in American newspapers,
1897–1963.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 6,531,925 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Johnson,
with a public archive behind them.
-
William Samuel Johnson 1727–1819 · judge -
Tom Johnson 1750–1797 · boxer -
Richard Mentor Johnson 1780–1850 · lawyer -
Andrew Johnson 1808–1875 · mayor -
James A. Johnson 1829–1896 · lawyer
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 110 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Johnson.
- Joffrion 654 · U.S. census
- Johan 151 · U.S. census
- Johann 962 · U.S. census
- Johannes 3,455 · U.S. census
- John 33,543 · U.S. census
- Johner 241 · U.S. census
- Johnston 131,373 · U.S. census
- Joint 332 · U.S. census
- Jolet 174 · U.S. census
- Joliat 125 · U.S. census
- Jolibois 171 · U.S. census
- Jolicoeur 1,359 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Johnson is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.