Johns
A patronymic surname meaning “son of John,” widespread in England and Wales.
The #739 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 6,535 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Johns is a patronymic surname formed from the given name John, with the final -s marking “of John” or “John’s [son/family].” The personal name John ultimately comes from Latin Johannes, from Greek Ioannes, based on Hebrew Yochanan, meaning “God is gracious.” In England, Johns developed as a family name from medieval use of the baptismal name and its possessive or relational form.
History
The surname is recorded in English sources as a straightforward variant of John-related surnames, and it has long been especially familiar in Britain. It is common enough to have produced many independent family lines, so not all Johns families are necessarily related. The form is especially well established in England and Wales, and also appears in places shaped by British migration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older English records, Johns could function almost like a shorthand for “belonging to John,” which is why it sits alongside forms such as Johnes and Jones.
From the historical record
“JOHNES. See John. JOHNS. See John. JOHNSON. See John. The Johnsons of Ayscough-Fee, co. Lincoln, claim from the house of Fitz-John of Normandy. Guillim's Display of Herakby. JOHNSTON. JOHNSTONE. Post- towns and parishes in Dumfriesshire and Eenfrewshire. For a local surname this is exceedingly common, there being…”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom