Throughout history, inventors with the last name Johnson have exemplified a spirit of creativity and progress, dreaming up inventions that have shaped the world. From early industrial thermostats to modern water guns, the lineage of Johnson inventors has contributed many impactful and clever innovations over the generations.
If you are someone who comes up with new product ideas or simply likes to tinker and improve things, perhaps one of these ingenious Johnsons is in your family tree!
Improved Velocipede
Denis Johnson (c. 1760–1833) pioneered a significant advancement in personal transportation by creating an enhanced version of the German Draisine, which was an early form of bicycle known as a velocipede. This innovation marked the advent of velocipedes in Britain in December 1818.
Denis’s invention, known as a “pedestrian curricle,” had a curved wooden frame with larger wheels and metallic parts, making it lighter than earlier European versions. Although riders were required to propel themselves by “swift walking,” Denis’s velocipede laid the groundwork for the evolution of bicycles in the 1860s, which saw the introduction of rotary cranks and pedals. By initiating this transition from merely walking, Denis’s invention opened a new chapter in personal mobility.
Foldable Bicycle Frame
Isaac R. Johnson (c. 1812–d. unknown), an African American inventor, may not have been the first to envision a bicycle frame, but his ingenuity led to a patented design on October 10, 1899, that stood out from prior iterations. The unique aspect of Isaac’s design was its foldability, allowing for easy disassembly and reassembly for compact storage, a feature particularly useful for travel or small spaces. This distinguished Johnson’s bicycle frame from others at the time.
It seems like a love for bicycles runs deep in the veins of those bearing the Johnson surname! Denis Johnson patented a precursor to modern bicycles. Isaac R. Johnson added his spin by patenting a folding bicycle frame, making bikes more portable. Not to be left behind, Iver Johnson patented a truss bridge frame, strengthening the bicycle’s structure for rough terrain. 🚴♂️🛠️🚴♀️
Firearm Safety Mechanisms
Iver Johnson (1841–1895) was a Norwegian-American inventor and industrialist. In 1871, he co-founded a firearms company that manufactured inexpensive top-break revolvers featuring new safety mechanisms he patented, including the hammer-block “safety automatic” system. Johnson held over 20 patents for firearm technologies and improvements. His company later became well-known for producing beautifully designed classic bicycles starting in the 1890s, as well as early American motorcycles until 1916. Johnson’s mechanical innovations across revolvers, bicycles, and motorcycles had a significant impact.
Electric Christmas Tree Lights
Edward Hibberd Johnson (1846–1917), an inventor and close associate of Thomas Edison, pioneered the concept of electric Christmas tree lights. During his tenure as Vice President of the Edison Electric Light Company, Edward unveiled the first known electrically illuminated Christmas tree at his residence in New York City in 1882. This innovative endeavor not only added a sparkling allure to Christmas celebrations but also marked a significant stride towards safer and more versatile decorative lighting, thus earning him the title “Father of Electric Christmas Tree Lights.”
Today, an estimated 150 million sets of electric Christmas tree lights are sold in America each year, illuminating approximately 80 million homes and consuming about 6% of the nation’s electrical load each December.🎄
Automatic Multi-Zone Temperature Control System
Warren Seymour Johnson (1847-1911) was originally a college professor who was frustrated by the inability to regulate temperatures in individual classrooms. This challenge inspired his invention of the automatic multi-zone temperature control system, which was a precursor to modern-day heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Warren’s invention was eventually adopted globally in large buildings like offices, schools, and hospitals. To commercialize this innovation, he founded the Johnson Electric Service Company in 1885, later known as Johnson Controls.
Phonograph Technology
Eldridge R. Johnson (1867-1945) was an American businessman and inventor who made pivotal contributions to early phonograph technology. In 1898, he patented significant improvements to phonograph record players, including the ability for records to tilt and move vertically while playing. This allowed the stylus to maintain contact with uneven discs. Johnson founded the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1901 which became RCA Victor.
Hard Disk Drive Technology
Reynold B. Johnson (1906-1998) pioneered a groundbreaking innovation in computer data storage in the 1950s while working at IBM. Given the task of developing faster mass storage technologies to replace the punched cards and magnetic tapes used for accounting and inventory control at the time, Reynold led a team at IBM’s R&D Lab in San Jose, California. In 1956, this work resulted in a breakthrough invention – the IBM 305 RAMAC, the first commercial computer to incorporate a moving-head hard disk drive for secondary storage.
This new hard disk drive technology marked a paradigm shift in computing, enabling computers to access vast amounts of data in just fractions of a second. For this seminal contribution that transformed computer data storage capabilities, Reynold Johnson earned the title “Father of the Hard Disk Drive.”
After retiring from IBM, Reynold B. Johnson crafted the microphonograph technology that breathed life into Fisher-Price’s “Talk to Me Books,” earning them a Toy of the Year award. Additionally, this inventive technology found a unique niche with the National Audubon Society, aiding bird watchers in identifying songbirds by their chirps. 📚🐦🎶
Routing Numbers on Checks
Robert Royce Johnson (1928-2016) was an American engineer who invented the system of encoding routing numbers on checks that is still universally used today. In the 1960s, Johnson developed the specialized font and magnetic ink encoding scheme that allows the 9-digit routing string to be read and processed by banks and machines. This innovation enabled automated check processing and was foundational for modern digital banking. Johnson was granted multiple patents for his contributions to check encoding and security. He also invented the “Johnson counter” used in computer circuit design while working as an early computing pioneer.
Super Soaker Water Gun
Lonnie George Johnson (b. 1949) invented the Super Soaker water gun, initially dubbed the “Power Drencher,” which hit toy store shelves in 1990. This high-powered water blaster became one of the world’s bestselling toys, redefining backyard water fights for generations. Holding over 250 patents, the majority of which belong to the Super Soaker, Lonnie’s innovative spirit is well-recognized. In 2015, the Super Soaker was honored with a place in the National Toy Hall of Fame, and later, in 2022, Lonnie himself was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Polarization Control Technology
Kristina M. Johnson (b. 1957) invented polarization control technologies for displays and imaging systems. The core of her inventions is detailed in U.S. Patent No. 5,132,826, which enables enhanced 3D imaging and color management capabilities. Kristina’s work has applications in projection televisions, front-projection displays, 3D digital cinema installations, and other systems. For these innovations, she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2015.
Beyond engineering, Kristina M. Johnson’s academia and government ventures are notable. She was the provost at Johns Hopkins, later becoming the chancellor of the State University of New York, and then the president of Ohio State University. Moreover, she was appointed as the U.S. Department of Energy’s undersecretary in 2009 by President Barack Obama. 🎓💼🏛️
Electronic Keyboard Instrument
Grant Johnson invented the chordboard, an electronic keyboard instrument patented in 1995. It uses MIDI and software to map chords intelligently, allowing musicians to change key signatures and genres on the fly. This innovative chord voicing system makes it easier to play complex multi-note chords on the chordboard. Johnson’s invention enabled new creative possibilities for keyboard players.
Recommended Reading:
- Denis Johnson: “Hobby-horse Bicycle.” London Remembers.
- Isaac R. Johnson: “Bicycle-frame”. Google Patents, US634823A, 10 Oct. 1899.
- Iver Johnson: “The History of Iver Johnson.” Simple Bike Insurance, 19 Nov. 2021.
- Edward Hibberd Johnson: “Who Invented Electric Christmas Lights?” The Library of Congress.
- Warren Seymour Johnson: “Our Founder”. Johnson Controls.
- Eldridge R. Johnson: Johnson, Eldridge R. US781429A – Sound Recording and Reproducing Machine. – Google Patents. 22 Dec. 1898.
- Reynold B. Johnson: IBM Archives: Reynold B. Johnson.
- Robert Royce Johnson: Salt Lake Tribune, By Mike Gorrell. “Robert Johnson, Utah Computer Science Professor Who Helped Develop Routing Numbers on Checks, Dies at 87.”
- Lonnie George Johnson: “Super Soaker.” Lemelson-MIT Program.
- Kristina M. Johnson: “NIHF Inductee Kristina M. Johnson Invented Polarizing Filters”. National Inventors Hall of Fame.
- Grant Johnson: “MERIDI | ENOCH Enterprises.” ENOCH Enterprises.
