Johnston is a surname of Scottish origin, derived from the given name John. It was originally a nickname for someone who had the reputation of being a 'son of John'. The name Johnston was also sometimes used as a given name in its own right, particularly in Scotland and Ireland.
The name Johnston appears to have experienced several peaks and valleys in popularity over the past century. The highest number of annual births occurred in 2007 with 18 newborns. However, it seems that from the late 1960s onwards, there has been a general decline in the number of babies being named Johnston each year, with many years seeing fewer than 10 births. Despite this trend, the name remains relatively consistent in popularity, with no dramatic drops or spikes over prolonged periods. Overall, there have been a total of 497 newborns named Johnston since 1914.