John Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

John Name Meaning: This popular name originally comes from the Hebrew name 'Yohanan', meaning 'gift of God', 'The Lord has Favored', 'HaShem is gracious'.

This common religious name was often given in respect of St John the Baptist and of St John the Evangelist along with many other Christian saints and also became popular after the Crusades. It is one of the most popular names in Europe.

Discover how your John ancestors earned their living and spread across the country. Find out more about your family history by using the Free Search box.

Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

John Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the John family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 1,291
Agricultural Labourer 289
Coal Miner 250
Labourer 232
House Servant 184
Dress Maker 106
Collier 98
Carter 88
Farmer 65
Servant 59
General Servant 58
Farm Servant 56
House Keeper 53
Farmers Wife 51
House Maid 48
Blacksmith 47
Pauper 47
Shoe Maker 47
Farmers Son 47
Carpenter 41
Mason 39
Laundress 38
Farmer's Son 37
Labourer Wife 37
Farm Labourer 36

John Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 John 100% 96,433
2 Jehan 60% 794
3 Jon 75% 424
4 Johan 80% 253
5 Jehn 75% 105

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The surname John is the most popular version of all its varients

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