The name ‘Johnston’ originates from Scottland. It is a habitation name, deriving in most cases from the place so called in Annandale, in the former county of Dumfries. This is derived from the general case of the given name ‘John’ and ‘ Tone’, ‘toun’ meaning settlement (from the Old English word ‘tun’). There are other places of Scotland so called, including the city of Perth, which used to be known as St John´s Toun, and some of these also may be sources of the surname. Compiled information from Historical and Private archive’s has confirmed that the surname ‘Johnston’ and or it’s variant’s, dates as far back as the 14th century were a ‘Willelmus Joneson’, from England, is recorded in 1379. The exact period of settlement in North America has not been definately determined but Information extracted from Public and Civil registry archive’s confirm that one of the first settlers was a certain ‘John Johnston’, a native of Annandale, Dumfrieshire, Scotland. He was the founder of this family in North America, and is thought to have emigrated to America before 1657. He settled first on the eastern shore of Maryland, before moving to…
Coat of arms: Argent a saltire sable on a chief a…