Show ContentsGardener History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Gardener

What does the name Gardener mean?

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Gardener family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Gardener is an occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a family whose profession was gardening. The surname Gardener is derived from the German noun "gartner," which means "gardener."

Early Origins of the Gardener family

The surname Gardener was first found in Bavaria, where the family came from noble beginnings as a patrician family of Nuremberg and gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates, some in foreign countries, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society.

Early History of the Gardener family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gardener research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1654, 1712, 1720, 1732, 1791, 1792 and 1858 are included under the topic Early Gardener History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gardener Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Gardener include Gaertner, Gardner, Gardener, Gartener, Gaertener, Gaerdener, Gaerdner, Gaerthner, Gaerthener, Garthner and many more.

Early Notables of the Gardener family

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gardener Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gardener Ranking

In the United States, the name Gardener is the 9,966th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


Gardener migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Gardener Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Gardener, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620 2
  • William Gardener, aged 15, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Thomas & John" 2
  • Susanna Gardener, who landed in Maryland in 1675 2
Gardener Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jean Gardener, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1792 2
Gardener Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Gardener, who arrived in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1805 2
  • William Gardener, who landed in America in 1823 2
  • James Gardener, who arrived in America in 1823 2
  • Stephen Gardener, who arrived in America in 1836 2
  • D L Gardener, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2

Gardener migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gardener Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Alan Hyde Gardener was a JP in the Ferryland District, Newfoundland in 1792 3

Gardener migration to Australia +

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

Gardener Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Gardener, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on September 21, 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia 4
  • Miss Jane Gardener who was convicted in Surrey, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Edward" on 23rd April 1834, arriving in Tasmania, (Van Diemen's Land) 5
  • Triphena Gardener, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Moffatt" in 1839 6
  • Eliza Gardener, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Fairlee" in 1840 7
  • Mr. William Gardener, English convict who was convicted in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 30th September 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gardener 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:

Gardener Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Gardener, aged 28, a farmer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "New Zealand" in 1842
  • Ann Gardener, aged 28, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "New Zealand" in 1842
  • William Slater Gardener, aged 8, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "New Zealand" in 1842
  • George Gardener, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1843
  • Florence Gardener, who landed in Auckland, New Zealand in 1843
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gardener (post 1700) +

  • Daryl Ronald Gardener (b. 1973), former American football defensive tackle
  • John H. Gardener, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Tennessee, 1876 9
  • Nico Gardener (1908-1989), British international bridge player
  • Jason Carl Gardener (b. 1975), retired British six-time gold medalist sprint athlete
  • Mark Stephen Gardener (b. 1969), English rock musician

HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Allan Gardener, British Musician, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 10


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  4. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826
  5. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th January 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
  6. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MOFFATT 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Moffatt.htm
  7. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FAIRLIE/FAIRLEE 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Fairlie.htm
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  10. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html


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