Johnston is in most cases a habitational surname derived from several places in Scotland; The surname is most common throughout Scotland, Ireland and North America.
The habitational surname originates in most cases from the place so called in Annandale, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. This surname is derived from the genitive case of the given name John and tone or toun ("settlement" in Middle English; tun in Old English), literally meaning "John's town". There are several similar place names in Scotland, including the city of Perth, which was once known as St. John's Toun. This and other similarly named locations may also be sources for the surname Johnston. In other cases, Johnston].
Alan Johnston (born 1962), BBC correspondent
Albert Johnston, Australian rugby league footballer
Albert Sidney Johnston (1803–1862), Texian Brigadier General, American Brevet Brigadier General, and Confederate (full) General. He was killed at the battle of Shiloh(American Civil War).
Andrew Johnston (Australian actor)
Andrew Galbraith Johnston (died 1886), brewer of Oakbank, South Australia
Arthur Johnston (poet) (1587–1641), Scottish physician and poet
Arthur Johnston (fl. 1877), British bell maker with Gillett & Johnston
Arthur Johnston (composer) (1898–1954), American composer and songwriter
Arthur Lawson Johnston, 3rd Baron Luke (born 1933), British peer
Arthur Johnston (politician) (born 1947), Canadian politician, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Ben Johnston (disambiguation)
Bertie Johnston aka Edward Johnston (politician)
Bill Johnston (disambiguation)
Brian Johnston, broadcaster and cricket commentator
Brian Johnston (rugby league), Australian former rugby league player and administrator
Charles Clement Johnston, U.S. Representative from Virginia
Charles John Johnston, New Zealand politician and mayor
Christina Johnston (1987-), British opera singer
Clyde M. Johnston, American politician from Wisconsin
Chris Johnston (ice hockey) (born 1974), Canadian retired professional ice hockey player
Daniel Johnston, musician
Darryl Johnston (born 1966), American football fullback, nicknamed "Moose"
David Johnston (disambiguation)
Denis Johnston (1901–1984), Irish playwright
Dick Johnston (1863–1984), American baseball player
Donald James Johnston, former Canadian politician and the Secretary General of the OECD
Edward Johnston, British teacher of calligraphy
Edward Johnston (artist), American artist and designer
Elmer E. Johnston (1898–1985), American politician
Fergus Johnston (born 1959), Irish composer
Francis Earl Johnston, Commander of 1st NZ Infantry Brigade, World War 1
General Washington Johnston (1776-1833), an American lawyer and politician
George Johnston (burgess) (1700–1766), American lawyer and politician
George Johnston (New South Wales), Lieutenant-Governor of New South Wales
George Johnston (novelist), Australian journalist and novelist
George Johnston (politician), Canadian politician
George Johnston (general), Australian Major General in World War 1 - Member of the Fitzroy City Council from 1896 to 1900
George Johnston (engineer), Designer of Scotland's first motorcar and co-founder of Arrol-Johnston Car Company Ltd.
George Johnston (ice hockey), former National Hockey League player
George Johnston (footballer), former Scottish footballer for Cardiff City, Arsenal, Fulham and others
George Benson Johnston (1913–2004), Canadian poet.
George Doherty Johnston (1832–1910), American General and politician
Gerald MacIntosh Johnston, a Canadian Broadway stage actor
Greg Johnston, former New Zealand rover
Harold I. Johnston, American Medal of Honor recipient
Harry Johnston, British explorer and administrator
Harry Johnston (footballer, born 1919), English international footballer
Harry Johnston (surveyor), Surveyor-General of Western Australia
Hunter Johnston, American professional wrestler
Ivan Murray Johnston (1898–1960), American botanist
James Johnston (disambiguation)
Jenifer Johnston, Scottish journalist
Jennifer Johnston (born 1930), Irish novelist
Jerry Johnston (born 1959), American clergyman
John S. Johnston (c.1839–1899), American maritime photographer
John W. Johnston (1818-1889), American lawyer and politician
Joseph E. Johnston, U.S. Brigadier General, later a Confederate (full) General.
Julie Johnston (born 1992), American soccer player
Ken Johnston (journalist), Deputy Head of Media Operations at Permanent Joint Headquarters (United Kingdom)
Kristen Johnston, American actress
Larry Johnston, NHL ice hockey player
Levi Johnston, American male model and entertainer
Luke Johnston (born 1993), Scottish footballer
Lynn Johnston, Canadian cartoonist
Mary Johnston, American novelist and women's rights advocate
Max Johnston, multi-instrumentalist (Uncle Tupelo, Wilco, The Gourds)
Naazmi Johnston, Olympic Athlete
Ollie Johnston, American pioneer of motion picture animation
Patrick Johnston (medieval courtier), producer of plays and probable lost fifteenth century Scottish poet
Reginald Johnston, Scottish teacher of Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China
Richard F. Johnston, American ornithologist, academic and author
Rita Johnston, Canadian politician
Robbie Johnston, New Zealand long-distance runner
Rod Johnston (born 1974), Scottish radio presenter
Ron Johnston, New Zealand speedway rider
Ron J. Johnston, British geographer
Samuel Johnston, Governor of North Carolina and Continental Congress delegate
Sam Johnston (wrestler), American professional wrestler
Sex W. Johnston, pseudonym of Irish poet John W. Sexton
Stiven De Johnston, 14th Century Founder of the Scottish Hilton Clan
Sue Johnston, English actress
Tarik "Rvssian" Johnston, Jamaican music producer
Tom Jack Johnston, an Australian DJ and music producer
Tom Johnston (disambiguation)
Tommy Johnston, Scottish footballer
Trent Johnston (born 1974), Irish cricketer
Willie Johnston, Scottish footballer
Zoë Johnston, British singer-songwriter
