Johnsons

Johnsons is a surname that functions as both a plural form of Johnson and an independent family name. It is most commonly encountered in English-speaking countries and among communities with British and American ancestry. The name derives from the given name John, with the suffix son indicating a patronymic origin meaning “son of John.” Over time, the compound became a hereditary surname, and the form Johnsons can be used to refer to a family as a group or to individuals who bear the surname Johnsons.

The surname is widespread in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and parts of Africa and the Caribbean due to migration and settlement patterns. Variants and cognates exist in other languages, such as Johansson in Scandinavian contexts, though those forms are distinct surnames. In genealogical records, Johnsons may appear in parish and civil registers dating back to medieval England and early modern Britain, and later in North American censuses and immigration lists.

In contemporary use, Johnsons may appear in fiction, popular media, or as the name of businesses and organizations, but the term is used here in a neutral, descriptive sense to outline its demographic and historical aspects. See also Johnson (surname) for broader etymology and related forms, including Jonson and Johansson in their respective linguistic contexts.