The original company that made Johnson outboard motors was the Johnson Brothers Motor Company of Terre Haute, Indiana, United States. Starting in 1922, they designed and built Johnson Outboard Motors, a radical new, lightweight outboard made largely of aluminum. By the mid-1920s, they surpassed Evinrude in sales and dominated the outboard racing scene.

In 1935, Johnson was acquired by Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC). OMC filed for bankruptcy in December 2000. It has since been owned by the Canadian firm Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP). Bombardier discontinued Johnson and Evinrude outboard production in June 2020.

Marine Parts Warehouse offers used, remanufactured, and new parts for Johnson and Evinrude outboards.