Kloster Rüti
Johann was born around 1330, probably in the Rapperswil Castle in the Swiss medieval city of Rapperswil, as the oldest son of "Agnes von Werd" († 1354) and Johann († 1337), Countess Elisabeth von Rapperswil's († 1309) son of second marriage with Count "Rudolf von Habsburg-Laufenburg" († 1315). He had three younger siblings: Agnes who became a nun, Rudolf (IV) and Gottfried (II). Johann may be raised in Rapperswil and even educated at the royal Habsburg court after the dead of his father on 21 December 1337 on occasion of a battle against Zürich-Toggenburg invaders at the Grynau Castle. As his grandmother, Johann II also supported the Rüti Abbey and assigned an estate and all rights in the name of his younger siblings on 17 June 1340.