Gardner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the name Gardner dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from a member of the family who worked as a gardener. The surname Gardner originally derived from the Old French word gardinier. [1]

It was later adopted in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries. Occupational names have remained fairly common in the modern period. This is attested to by the continuing appearance of occupational suffixes at the end of many English surnames. Some of these suffixes include: herd, monger, maker, hewer, smith, and wright. Similarly, surnames of office, which include military, judicial, papal and other positions of authority, are widespread throughout Europe. Those who were involved in the military, or feudal armies, were given names such as the English surname Archer, the French name Chevalier and the German name Jeger, which means hunter. Names that were derived from judicial and papal titles, such asBailiffe, Squire and Abbott, are still commonly seen with the same surname spelling today. 

Early Origins of the Gardner family

The surname Gardner was first found in Oxfordshire where they held a family seat from very early times. Early records show William le Gardinier in county Rutland in 1199; William Gardin, listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of Huntingdon in 1218, John atte Gardyne, listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296; and Walter le Gardiner listed in the Subsidy Rolls for London in 1292. [2]

The name is “most characteristic of the midland counties, and of the eastern counties south of the Wash. Singularly rare in the south – west, and in the north of England, excepting Lancashire. At present best represented in Essex, Lancashire, and Warwickshire.” [3]

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 has the following entries for the family: Geoffrey le Gardiner, Oxfordshire; Richard le Gardiner, Cambridgeshire; Ralph le Gardener, Huntingdonshire; and William le Gardiner, or Gardener, Lincolnshire. [4]

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had only two entries:Thomas Gardiner; and Thomas Garchiner as holding lands there at that time.

In Scotland, the name was rendered in Latin charters as ortolanus and under that spelling the first Scottish record was found: Rogerus Ortolanus, who was juror on an inquest in 1296. “In 1329 there is record of meal delivered to Nicholas Gerdener who is again referred to as Nicholas ortolanus. Gilbert ortolanus is also referred to in the same source. Robert Gardnar was a notary public in the diocese of Dunblane in 1426.” [5]

Early History of the Gardner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gardner research.

Gardner Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Gardner has undergone many spelling variations, including Gardiner, Gardner and others.

Early Notables of the Gardner family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Stephen Gardiner (c.1493-1555), English prelate, who was made Bishop of Winchester (1531); Richard Gardyner, Lord Mayor of London in 1478; Thomas Gardiner (1591-1662), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1640, supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War; Thomas Gardner (c. 1592-1674), English settler to Massachusetts.

Gardner World Ranking

In the United States, the name Gardner is the 164^th most popular surname with an estimated 141,759 people with that name. [6] However, in Canada, the name Gardner is ranked the 518^thmost popular surname with an estimated 9,416 people with that name. [7] And in Australia, the name Gardner is the 224^th popular surname with an estimated 14,965 people with that name. [8] New Zealand ranks Gardner as 228^th with 2,552 people. [9] The United Kingdom ranks Gardner as 173^rd with 31,363 people. [10]

 Migration of the Gardner family to Ireland

Some of the Gardner family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.

 Gardner migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Gardner were among those contributors: 

Gardner Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• George Gardner, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship ” Zouch Phoenix” [11]
• Mrs. Gardner, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship ” Zouch Phoenix” [11]
• Thomas Gardner, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship ” Zouch Phoenix” [11]
• Richard Gardner, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship “Zouch Phoenix” [12]
• Joseph Gardner, who landed in Massachusetts in 1624 aboard the ship “Zouch Phoenix” [12]

Gardner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Jasper Gardner, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 [11]
• Peeter Gardner, who landed in New York in 1709 [11]
• Ringing Gardner, who landed in Virginia in 1711 [11]
• Rachel Gardner, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 [11]
• Thoda Gardner, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1718 [11]

Gardner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Thomas Gardner, who landed in America in 1804 [11]
• Elizabeth Gardner, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 [11]
• Eleanor Gardner, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 [11]
• Debarah Gardner, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 [11]
• Deborah Gardner, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 [11]

 Gardner migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Gardner Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• James Gardner, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Thomas Gardner, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Mary Gardner, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Luke Gardner was a shoreman of St. John’s, Newfoundland in 1758 [13]
• Mr. Alexander Gardner U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 [14]
• … (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gardner Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• James Gardner, who arrived in Canada in 1812
• James Gardner, aged 17, who landed in Canada in 1812
• Robert Gardner, who landed in Canada in 1815
• Robert Gardner, aged 32, a farmer, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship “Atlas” in 1815
• William Gardner, who arrived in Canada in 1831
• … (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gardner Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

• Miss D Gardner, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

 Gardner migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Gardner Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

• Mr. David Gardner, English convict who was convicted in Ely (Isle of Ely), Cambridgeshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Barwell” in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [15]
• Mr. John Gardner, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the “Barwell” in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia[15]

Gardner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. William Gardner, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Fanny” on 25th August 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia[16]
• Mr. William Gardner, (Gardener), (b. 1774), aged 41, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for theft with violence, transported aboard the “Baring” in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1834 [17]
• Mr. Matthew Gardner, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the “Atlas” on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia[18]
• James Gardner, English convict from Kent, who was transported aboard the “Almorah” on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia [19]
• Miss Lydia Gardner who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Brothers” on 20th November 1823, arriving in New South Wales, Australia and Tasmania (Van Diemen’s Land) [20]

 Gardner migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Gardner Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• George Gardner, who landed in Bay of Islands, New Zealand in 1840
• Robert Gardner, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship Geo Fife
• William Gardner, who landed in Nelson, New Zealand in 1842
• William Gardner, aged 39, a ropemaker, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship “New Zealand” in 1842
• Margaret Gardner, aged 40, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship “New Zealand” in 1842

 Gardner migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960’s many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [21]

Gardner Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

• Miss Ann Gardner, (b. 1599), aged 36, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship “Alexander” arriving in Barbados in 1635 [22]
• Martin Gardner, aged 28, who arrived in Barbados in 1684 [11]

Contemporary Notables of the name Gardner (post 1700) +

• John William Gardner (1912-2002), American Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under President Lyndon Johnson, President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Rita Gardner (1934-2022), née Schier, an American actress and singer, best known for P.S. I Love You (2007), Law & Order (1990) and Shiva Baby (2020)
• Burgess LaMarr Gardner (1936-2021), American jazz musician, educator, and composer who played the trumpet with jazz legends such as Count Basie, Horace Silver, Louie Bellson and Ray Charles
• Lisa Gardner (b. 1972), American novelist, author of more than 20 suspense novels
• Richard Newton Gardner (1927-2019), American Rhodes Scholar and diplomat, United States Ambassador to Italy (1977-1981), United States Ambassador to Spain (1993-1997)
• Floyd “Jelly” Gardner (1895-1977), American baseball player in the Negro Leagues
• William H. “Speed” Gardner (1895-1972), American racecar driver from East Liberty, Pennsylvania
• James Knoll Gardner (1940-2017), American jurist, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (2002-2017)
• Arthur Gardner (1910-2014), born Arthur Goldberg, an American actor and film producer, best known for his television western, The Rifleman (1958-1963) and The Big Valley (1965-1969)
• James Daniel Gardner (1839-1905), Union Army soldier during the American Civil War, recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm