The Gardiner surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,331 people carried this name — #3,192 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 26,000 people counted. That is up 4% from 10,886 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Gardiner surname
A surname originating as an occupation.
A spelling variant of Gardener.
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Gardiner» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 26 births for the Gardiner name in 1890.
They were registered in all four provinces, most of all in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 136 people named Gardiner live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
25 people named Gardiner live in Switzerland.
They live in 4 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In the Nordic population registers
60 people named Gardiner are counted in Finland and Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published. Finland counts its citizens, at home or abroad.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown) · Digital and Population Data Services Agency (DVV), Finland, surname statistics, August 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s
Gardiner was found among the farmers of 16 counties.
It was most frequent in Warwickshire: 45 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 222. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent. His list gives one count for the spellings Gardiner and Gardner.
Where it concentrates, on the mapPer 10,000 farmers, by county
And 8 more counties.
H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.
In Scotland, 1880s
Gardiner was 10 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.
That is about 1 in 1,000. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Dispersed over a large part of Scotland, and particularly frequent in Perthshire.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.
H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 589 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.
In Scotland’s registers today
Gardiner was recorded 82 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.
That made it the 318th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 130. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.
National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In the first U.S. census, 1790
In 1790, Gardiner was counted together with Gardner: 706 families in all.
Each family is counted by its head. About 3,945 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: Gardner, Gadner, Gardeneer, Gardener, Gardenor, Gardineer, Gardiner, Gardiners, Gardnier, Gardnir, Gardnor, Gardnʳ, Gartiner, Gartner, Guardner. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.
Families, by state
U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 241 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.
In print
Gardiner in American newspapers,
1874–1915.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 8,380 pages in all carry the name.
In print
Gardiner in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.
206,159 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Gardiner. The most, 31,199, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.6 times its expected share.
Articles, by state
Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Gardiner.
Who carried it
People named Gardiner,
with a public archive behind them.
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Stephen Gardiner 1483–1555 · judge -
James Gardiner 1637–1705 · Anglican priest -
James Gardiner 1686–1745 · military personnel -
Silvester Gardiner 1708–1786 · physician -
John Gardiner 1726–1807
Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 238 lives in all are documented under this name.
In the public record
People named Gardiner,
in the records of 8 countries.
Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.
United States2,407 records
- New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 827
- Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 399
- Other U.S. records 1,181
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Example: U.S. war memorial War record Robert Paul GardinerBorn 1948; from Anaheim, California. U.S. Army, utility/observation helicopter pilot; killed in action 1969 in Phuoc Long, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. registration card, 1942 Military record Percival A. GardinerBorn 1900 in California. Enlisted 1942 at San Francisco; mechanic from San Francisco County. U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II; died 1959, buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.
U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record James GardinerArrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of Rome from Glasgow and Moville, aged 40; laborer. From Glasgow, Scotland; bound for Cleveland.
U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
Showing 3 of 2,407 records for Gardiner in the United States.
Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).
Australia3,899 records
- Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,813
- Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 708
- Other Australian records 1,378
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Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Dora GardinerTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Kinnear, sailing from Dublin in 1848. Native of Fermanagh. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Richard GardinerTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Katherine Stewart Forbes, sailing from London in 1832. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1837. Married 1838 in Hobart, Tasmania.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: probate petition, 1848 Probate record Sarah GardinerDied 1894 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 65. Will registered in Tasmania in 1894.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 3,899 records for Gardiner in Australia.
Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).
Canada466 records
- Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 308
- Canadian Virtual War Memorial 52
- Other Canadian records 106
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Example: civil register, 1880 Civil record Richard GardinerKilled in 1950 at the Dominion No. 1B mine, Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Catharine GardinerCame to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Phoenician, bound for Meaford, Ontario; Scotch.
Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Andrew Adam GardinerBuried in 1995 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 22.
City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
Showing 3 of 466 records for Gardiner in Canada.
Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).
United Kingdom196 records
- War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 80
- Stirling Council burial records 77
- Other British records 39
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Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919 War record Thomas GardinerBorn 1890 at Elgin; gardener. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).
National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Peter GardinerDied 1978, aged 73; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.
Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record George GardinerBuried in 1820 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 36.
MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Showing 3 of 196 records for Gardiner in the United Kingdom.
Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
New Zealand99 records
- Christchurch City cemetery records 55
- Marlborough District cemetery records 27
- Other New Zealand records 17
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Charles Lawrence GardinerDied 1984, aged 49; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.
Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record James R. GardinerBuried in 1913 at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 70.
Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Robert Gilbert GardinerDied 1955, aged 93; buried at Tuamarina Cemetery, Marlborough.
Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 99 records for Gardiner in New Zealand.
Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
Netherlands22 records
- Dutch population registers 15
- Dutch church registers before 1811 5
- Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
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Example: civil register, 1880 Death record Sarah Jane GardinerDied 1907 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 67.
Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: marriage register, 1911 Marriage record Margarett GardinerMarried in 1713 in Rotterdam.
Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 2 of 22 records for Gardiner in the Netherlands.
Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).
Ireland10 records
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Delia GardinerDied 1988, aged 86; buried at Labane, Co. Galway.
Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Sonny GardinerDied 1998, aged 80; buried at Labane, Co. Galway.
Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 2 of 10 records for Gardiner in Ireland.
Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
France6 records
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Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Irenee Victorine Marcelline GardinerBorn 1922 in Elbeuf (Seine-Maritime); died 1989 in Caen (Calvados).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte) -
Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Charles Percy GardinerBorn 1908 in Chantilly (Oise); died 1999 in Mirebeau (Vienne).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
Showing 2 of 6 records for Gardiner in France.
Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).
Other spellings of this name
The same name, spelled another way.
Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Gardiner.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Gardiner.
- Garda 249 · U.S. census
- Garde 754 · U.S. census
- Gardella 2,150 · U.S. census
- Garden 1,917 · U.S. census
- Gardere 208 · U.S. census
- Gardin 886 · U.S. census
- Gardini 228 · U.S. census
- Gardinier 587 · U.S. census
- Gardner 142,894 · U.S. census
- Gardon 315 · U.S. census
- Garduno 6,912 · U.S. census
- Gardy 252 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Gardiner is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.