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English and Scottish: patronymic from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Johan Jo(h)n (see John ) + -son. It was often interchanged with Jenson and Janson . In North America this surname has absorbed cognates from other languages e.g. Norwegian Danish or North German Johnsen Johannesen Johannsen Johansen Jansen Jantzen and Jensen Swedish Johnsson (see below) Johansson Jonsson and Jansson Dutch Janssen German Janz Czech Jansa 1 and Slovenian Janša (see Jansa ) and Janežič (see Janezic ). Johnson (including in the sense 2 below) is the second most frequent surname in the US. It is also the second most common surname among Native Americans and a very common surname among African Americans. Americanized form (and a less common Swedish variant) of Swedish Johnsson: patronymic from the personal name John a variant of Jon (see John ). Compare 1 above.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022