"nunquam non paratus" Variations in Spelling: Johnson, Joneson, Jonson, Joynson Johnson is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. Johnson is a name that comes from the given name John and the name literally means "son of John." The given name John is derived from the Hebrew name Johanan, which means Jehovah has favored. The name was extremely popular in the Middle Ages as a result of the numerous connections between the name John and the Christian Church.
"With the exception of the south - western counties, where it is absent or conspicuously rare, this name is distributed all over England, but in much less numbers in the south than in the midlands and in the north. The counties most conspicuous for the number of Johnsons are Cambridge, Cheshire, Derby, Durham, Lancashire, Leicester and Rutland, Lincoln, Norfolk, Northumberland, Notts, Stafford, Warwick, and York." Johnson is the 10th most popular surname in England and Wales. The surname Johnson was first found in Lincolnshire, where many of the ancient and leading houses of the family name claim descent originally from the house of FitzJohn in Normandy, particularly that of one of the leading branches and oldest, the Johnsons of Ayscough-Fee.
Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list many of the name: Willelmus Joneson; Willelmus Johnson, 1379; Robertus Johanson; Juliana Jonesson; Ricardus Joneson; and Robertas Jonson. Johnson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Mr. William Johnson, laborer who arrived in Jamestown, Virginia aboard the ship "Discovery" in 1607
• Mr. Joseph Johnson, who arrived in Virginia in 1618 aboard the ship "William and Thomas"
• Mrs. Johnson, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Bona Nova"
• Mr. Edward Johnson, (b. 1595), aged 26, British settler who arrived in Virginia in 1621 aboard the ship "Abigaile"
• Mr. Richard Johnson, aged 22, who arrived in Virginia in 1622 aboard the ship "Southampton"

Johnson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Catherine Johnson, who landed in Virginia in 1703
• Arthur Johnson, who arrived in Virginia in 1713
• Anne Johnson, who arrived in Virginia in 1714
• Adam Johnson, who landed in New England in 1738
• Abraham Johnson, who landed in New England in 1760

Johnson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Bryan Johnson, aged 25, who arrived in New York in 1812
• Archibald Johnson, aged 21, who arrived in Maryland in 1813
• Deborah Johnson, who landed in Massachusetts in 1813
• Michael Johnson, who was living in New York in 1818
• Ellen Johnson, aged 40, who landed in America in 1822

• Daniel Johnson (1629-1675), an English buccaneer born in Bristol, who sailed against the Spanish during the late 17th century becoming known among the Spanish as "Johnson the Terror"
• Sir Nathaniel Johnson (1644-1713), an English soldier and a Member of Parliament for Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1680-1689)
• Sir Henry Johnson (c. 1659-1719) of The Gate House, Blackwall, Middlesex
• Maurice Johnson (1688-1775), who founded the Spalding Gentlemen's Society, a forum of discussion for local men who over the years have included Sir Isaac Newton and Alfred Lord Tennyson