What is John B’s last name in Outer Banks?

A lot has happened in the Netflix original series Outer Banks. From finding the Royal merchant gold to losing it, fans of the show have been on this wild ride for awhile.

Of course, the more time we spend with the Pogues, the more this story twists and certain information gets lost in the shuffle. Surnames for instance. We know these characters primarily by their first names. John B. is no exception.

While his last name has been said and seen on the series multiple times, it’s easy to lose track of especially when its importance to the plot was more significant in the first season than it was in the second.

If you’ve been wondering what John B.‘s surname is, we’ve got you covered.

John B’s surname in Outer Banks and its importance to the show

The leader of OBX‘s Pogues comes from a long line of Routledge men who have met an unfortunate end. Each of them has carried a golden compass that has been passed down from generation to generation. The Pogues even refer to it as a death compass in season 1, but for John B. it was the last thing his father left him before he died.

However, the compass holds more than sentimental value. It also holds a clue. For most of his life, John B. has brushed off his father’s obsession with the Royal Merchant gold. It was a point of contention between the two as Big John spent much of his time and money on his search for the treasure.

However, before succumbing to heat exposure and dehydration, John B.’s father managed to carve the word ‘Redfield’ into the compass. When John B. went diving to check out a sunken boat, he found it. After a failed attempt on deciphering the clue, he realized the word was a last name belonging to one of his ancestors. She, too, was a Routledge, but she’d kept her maiden name as well.

It was out her grave that the Pogues found the map to the gold that Big John left for his son just in case anything were to happen to him. So Routledge is not only John B.’s last name in the show, it also serves as a key plot point in the first season.

Outer Banks season 1-2 are available to stream now on Netflix.