John is used as a family name or surname in Wales, England. It is 4 characters long in length.

Family Name / Last Name: John
No. of characters: 4
Origin: Wales, England
Meaning:

Descendant of John meaning "gracious gift of Jehovah".

John is form of Johns. Descendant of John meaning "gracious gift of Jehovah".

Family name is a variant of the Johns. Descendant of John meaning "gracious gift of Jehovah".

This baptismal name, which is of Norman introduction, has rarely passed into a surname. The Lond. Direct. for 1852 affords but one instance. It has been, however, the source, in various modified forms, of a considerable number of names, some of which are amongst the most common in the whole circle of our nomenclature. Its immediate derivative, John son, and its Welsh genitive form , Jones, substantiate this assertion; but we have besides Johns, Johnes, Joanes, Johncock, Janson, Jannings, Jennings, Jenks, Jenkyn, Jenkins, and Jinkins, Jenkinson, and perhaps Janes and Jenson. The Flemish nickname Hans from Johannes, seems to be the root of Hanson, Hancock, etc. Jack and Jackson might seem to claim the same parentage, but I think there is more reason for affiliating them upon James.

A termination of several surnames, as Littlejohn, Micklejohn, Upjohn, Prettyjohn, Applejohn, Properjohn, and Brownjohn.

Some of these, as Upjohn and Apple john, may be corruptions—the rest seem to be significant and descriptive. John is a personal name so common throughout Christendom that some prefix by way of epithet seems occasionally to have been necessary, in order to distinguish between two or more persons bearing it; thus the French have their Grosjeans, 'big or fat Johns;' the Dutch their Grootjans, or ó bulky Johns; ' the Italians their Gioranizzi, or 'handsome large Johns;' the Highlanders their Mac- Fadyeans, the sons of 'long John,' as also their Mac-Trors or sons of 'big John;' and the Lowland Scotch their Mickejohns or 'large stout Johns.' In the Hundred Rolls, we have one Duraund lo Bon Johan-'Durrant the Goodl-John!'.

How popular is John?

John is common in Nigeria, Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, India, Kenya, United States, Germany, Sierra Leone, England, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Wales, Yemen, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Oman, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Iran, Canada, Liberia, South Africa, Madagascar, Guyana, Iraq, Pakistan, Vanuatu, Kuwait, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Botswana, Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, Chad, Grenada, New Zealand, France, Saint Lucia, Malawi, Solomon Islands, Dominica, Poland, Indonesia, Switzerland, Bahrain, Ireland, Hong Kong, Czechia, Haiti, Brazil, Zambia, Austria, Fiji, Uganda, Marshall Islands, Spain, Venezuela, Scotland, Thailand, Netherlands, Qatar, DR Congo, Morocco, Micronesia, Philippines, Lebanon, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, Namibia, United States Virgin Islands, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Portugal, Panama, Sweden, Sudan, Northern Ireland, Argentina, Bahamas, China, Kiribati, Benin, Denmark, Hungary, Jamaica, Tonga, Italy, Belgium, Chile, Egypt, Brunei, Suriname, Sri Lanka, Malta, Senegal.

John is ranked 240 on our list.

As per 2010 US census, number of Johns grew by 21.34 per cent to 33543 since 2000 and ranked 1034 after elevating 127 spots. The last name was found in around 1 per ten thousand population. Please refer to following table for race and ethnicity.

Race 2010 2000
White 40.98 47
Asian and Native Hawaiian
& Other Pacific Islander		 21.27 14.41
Black 21.03 20.1
American Indian and Alaska Native 11.17 12.56
Hispanic or Latino 3.15 2.36
Others 2.41 3.58
John is quite popular family name mostly used in Nigeria however Papua New Guinea is ahead in terms of density. Around 2241129 people have been found who wears John as their family name. John is used widely across the globe. More detailed information can be found below:
RankCountryCount
Countries with hundred thousands of John:
23 Nigeria725,432
2 Tanzania624,273
1 Papua New Guinea238,519
5 South Sudan188,648
649 India101,527
Countries with ten thousands of John:
116 Kenya61,100
766 United States55,799
227 Germany33,282
41 Sierra Leone28,607
478 England15,845
324 Malaysia13,665
96 United Arab Emirates10,319
27 Wales10,302
Countries with thousands of John:
428 Yemen9,550
421 Australia8,881
11 Trinidad and Tobago8,744
59 Oman7,332
449 Afghanistan6,856
152 Zimbabwe6,582
1,618 Iran6,331
882 Canada6,051
112 Liberia5,314
1,496 South Africa4,530
1,367 Madagascar3,492
20 Guyana3,116
862 Iraq3,044
2,469 Pakistan2,641
3 Vanuatu2,636
172 Kuwait2,526
2 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines2,415
34 Botswana2,377
1,911 Saudi Arabia2,266
1,421 Cameroon1,948
1,004 Chad1,926
7 Grenada1,743
430 New Zealand1,552
5,525 France1,518
13 Saint Lucia1,518
1,970 Malawi1,381
8 Solomon Islands1,311
6 Dominica1,212
5,063 Poland1,156
12,688 Indonesia1,050
1,292 Switzerland1,028
180 Bahrain1,014
786 Ireland1,009
Countries with hundreds of John:
280 Hong Kong956
1,648 Czechia899
1,194 Haiti898
9,283 Brazil890
2,034 Zambia871
1,492 Austria782
177 Fiji660
7,550 Uganda581
1 Marshall Islands572
7,083 Spain566
2,630 Venezuela549
1,371 Scotland543
20,116 Thailand537
5,261 Netherlands532
474 Qatar515
15,864 DR Congo490
13,257 Morocco443
85 Micronesia320
44,398 Philippines317
2,313 Lebanon308
234 Barbados298
47 Antigua and Barbuda287
1,684 Namibia278
48 United States Virgin Islands216
11,368 Ghana210
5,570 Ivory Coast210
2,835 Portugal208
1,316 Panama203
3,879 Sweden196
2,603 Sudan189
1,612 Northern Ireland181
19,247 Argentina181
320 Bahamas178
546 China173
250 Kiribati171
7,838 Benin162
3,690 Denmark159
6,555 Hungary155
1,781 Jamaica140
219 Tonga140
50,350 Italy124
14,539 Belgium122
5,147 Chile117
48,017 Egypt117
604 Brunei114
1,155 Suriname109
9,103 Sri Lanka103
291 Malta102
1,236 Senegal101
Countries with low frequency i.e., 50 - 100:
584 Djibouti100
2,790 Mauritius99
19,564 Greece95
4,751 Dominican Republic92
23,926 Japan89
2,295 Taiwan84
7,619 Colombia78
9,320 Norway78
8,020 Ethiopia71
16 Cook Islands68
1,264 Rwanda68
1,800 Nicaragua67
98 British Virgin Islands63
288 South Korea63
182 Saint Kitts and Nevis62
19,878 Mexico55
13,474 Bangladesh51
Countries with very low frequency i.e., 10 - 50:
583 Myanmar47
4,783 Singapore47
16,774 Peru43
8,022 Lesotho39
1,760 New Caledonia36
2,245 Vietnam36
496 Burundi35
2,810 Cyprus35
321 Bermuda34
643 Guam33
5,519 Syria33
3,110 Angola31
41 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha30
529 Aruba28
228 Northern Mariana Islands28
4,425 Cambodia27
6,340 Togo27
21,534 Uzbekistan27
51,408 Romania26
152 Turks and Caicos Islands26
12,337 Ecuador23
300 Gambia23
1,201 Maldives23
767 Guernsey22
2,745 Costa Rica21
20,300 Finland21
43,760 Algeria19
631 American Samoa19
9,829 Burkina Faso19
8,646 Congo19
958 Isle of Man19
2,271 Mozambique19
41,728 Slovakia19
26,068 Croatia18
56 Montserrat18
784 Seychelles18
232 Eritrea16
1,336 Jersey15
86 Anguilla14
416 Greenland14
294 Liechtenstein14
19,471 Estonia12
2,374 Gabon11
14,945 Jordan11
Countries with very very low frequency i.e., 6 - 10:
9,545 Nepal10
16,217 Albania9
7,343 Cuba9
179 East Timor9
40,124 Niger9
3,608 Somalia9
719 Swaziland9
883 Laos8
441 Macau8
2,565 Belize7
55 Niue7
20,863 Azerbaijan6
19,750 Georgia6
5,474 Honduras6
6,198 Luxembourg6
3,707 Puerto Rico6
Show Full Last Name Distribution

Immigrants to US

From Ireland

Smith Munson John from Ireland aboard the Siddons from Liverpool during the Irish famine. He is registered to be 28 years old when he arrived in USA on November 4, 1848. Immigrant Michal John, Mason John John, Workman Patrick John, 21 years old George-T. John, Sarah-A. John, aged 22, Mechanic Benjamin John, Denis-F. John (26) Workman, Workwoman Jude John, and 7 other John around 46.15% of whom were workman while others worked as farmer migrated to US.

From Italy

John John was 30 years old when he migrated to New York on June 27, 1895. He lived in Italy where he worked as country man and took Aurania from Liverpool & Queenstown. 39 years old G. John, 35 years old J. John, Vegher John (34) Laborer, are other John that migrated to US from Aspinwall, Panama and Havre.

From Germany

Augustus John hailed from Germany. 18 years old embarked for USA from Liverpool on Harmonia and arrived on June 19, 1852. Farmer Mar.Bar. John, Anna John, Leonhard John, aged 29, Ernest John, aged 32, Hendrich John (40) Farmer, Marie John (38) Farmer, Laborer Johan John, Farmer Joh John, and 820 other John around 39.02% of whom were farmer while others worked as laborer and joiner, merchant, goldsmith, clerk, miner, baker, shoemaker, servant, tailor, dyer, brewer, weaver, gardener, undefined code, cooper, daughter, carpenter, miller, printer, spinster, butcher, painter, smith, machinist, mason, blacksmith, locksmith migrated to US from Hamburg, Havre, Bremen and Antwerp.

John Namesakes

  • Patrick John, Prime Minister of Dominica as well as the Premier of Dominica
  • Leafcutter John, recording name of John Burton
  • Jack St. John, Jack St
  • Charles William George St John, Charles William George St
  • Leee John, English musician, singer
  • Harold Bernard St. John, Sir Harold Bernard St
  • James Augustus St. John, James Augustus St
  • Alan John, Australian composer
  • Spenser St. John, was British Consul in Brunei
  • Lwiza John, Tanzanian athlete
  • Rebecca John, presenter and reporter for Wales Today
  • Eustace John, Deputy Governor-General of Nevis from 1992 to 2017
  • Beverly St. John, Beverly St
  • Brian John, Welsh writer
  • P. C. John, evangelist and Bible teacher
  • Philip John, director and screenwriter
  • J. Allen St. John, James Allen St
  • Prakash John, Canadian rock & rhythm 'n blues bassist
  • Harry G. John, Harry G. John, Jr
  • Lisa John, English ten-pin bowler
  • Cyrus and John, are venerated as martyrs
  • Frederick Robert St John, British diplomat
  • K. C. John, famous orator and author of several books
  • Marie-Elena John, Caribbean writer whose first novel, 'Unburnable'
  • Daniel B. St. John, Daniel Bennett St
  • Pamela St. John, Pamela St
  • Walter John, German chess master
  • Otto John, first head of West Germany's domestic intelligence service
  • Mary Louise St. John, Sister Mary Louise St
  • Hans John, German lawyer and World War II resistance figure
  • Florence St. John, Florence St
  • Jeffrey John, Church of England priest
  • Fritz John, German-born mathematician specialising
  • Augustus John, Welsh painter, draughtsman, and etcher
  • Fleming and John, musical husband and wife team
  • Little Willie John, American R&B singer
  • Mia St. John, Mia Rosales St
  • Jill St. John, Jill St
  • Barry John, former Welsh rugby union fly-half
  • Dr. John, musical artist
  • Chris John, American politician and lobbyist
  • Sajeev John, Professor of Physics at the University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair holder
  • Vincent Saint John, American labor leader and prominent Wobbly
  • Mark St. John, Mark St
  • Scatman John, American recording artist
  • Gwen John, Welsh artist
  • Trevor St. John, Trevor Marshall St
  • Oliver St John, English judge and politician
  • Kristoff St. John, Kristoff St
  • Edmund John, British poet of the Uranian poetry school
  • Lara St. John, Lara St
  • Tommy John, Thomas Edward John Jr

John Namesakes

  • Patrick John, Prime Minister of Dominica as well as the Premier of Dominica
  • Leafcutter John, recording name of John Burton
  • Jack St. John, Jack St
  • Charles William George St John, Charles William George St
  • Leee John, English musician, singer
  • Harold Bernard St. John, Sir Harold Bernard St
  • James Augustus St. John, James Augustus St
  • Alan John, Australian composer
  • Spenser St. John, was British Consul in Brunei
  • Lwiza John, Tanzanian athlete
  • Rebecca John, presenter and reporter for Wales Today
  • Eustace John, Deputy Governor-General of Nevis from 1992 to 2017
  • Beverly St. John, Beverly St
  • Brian John, Welsh writer
  • P. C. John, evangelist and Bible teacher
  • Philip John, director and screenwriter
  • J. Allen St. John, James Allen St
  • Prakash John, Canadian rock & rhythm 'n blues bassist
  • Harry G. John, Harry G. John, Jr
  • Lisa John, English ten-pin bowler
  • Cyrus and John, are venerated as martyrs
  • Frederick Robert St John, British diplomat
  • K. C. John, famous orator and author of several books
  • Marie-Elena John, Caribbean writer whose first novel, 'Unburnable'
  • Daniel B. St. John, Daniel Bennett St
  • Pamela St. John, Pamela St
  • Walter John, German chess master
  • Otto John, first head of West Germany's domestic intelligence service
  • Mary Louise St. John, Sister Mary Louise St
  • Hans John, German lawyer and World War II resistance figure
  • Florence St. John, Florence St
  • Jeffrey John, Church of England priest
  • Fritz John, German-born mathematician specialising
  • Augustus John, Welsh painter, draughtsman, and etcher
  • Fleming and John, musical husband and wife team
  • Little Willie John, American R&B singer
  • Mia St. John, Mia Rosales St
  • Jill St. John, Jill St
  • Barry John, former Welsh rugby union fly-half
  • Dr. John, musical artist
  • Chris John, American politician and lobbyist
  • Sajeev John, Professor of Physics at the University of Toronto and Canada Research Chair holder
  • Vincent Saint John, American labor leader and prominent Wobbly
  • Mark St. John, Mark St
  • Scatman John, American recording artist
  • Gwen John, Welsh artist
  • Trevor St. John, Trevor Marshall St
  • Oliver St John, English judge and politician
  • Kristoff St. John, Kristoff St
  • Edmund John, British poet of the Uranian poetry school
  • Lara St. John, Lara St
  • Tommy John, Thomas Edward John Jr

Related Family Names: