The Garner surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 74,324 people carried this name — #442 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 3,970 people counted. That is up 3% from 72,052 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Garner surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Garnier’ — the first of the origins he gives.

An early record he cites: Stephen Gerner, Lincolnshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Garner and Gerner.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 309 · public domain.

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 30 people named Garner.

13 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 7 départements, most often Paris.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 13
Paris 6
Bas-Rhin 5
Somme 2
Alpes-Maritimes 1
Lot-et-Garonne 1
Moselle 1
Vaucluse 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In the Nordic population registers

70 people named Garner are counted in Sweden and Finland.

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

Sweden (2022) 41
Finland (2026) 29

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

Garner was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Cheshire: 24 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 417. 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.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cheshire 24
Leicestershire and Rutland 17

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’s registers today

Garner was recorded 17 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1299th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 10. 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

107 families named Garner, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 604 people lived in those households, 5.6 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. 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

North Carolina 38
Virginia 22
South Carolina 19
Pennsylvania 13
Maryland 8
New York 4
Vermont 1
Massachusetts 1
Connecticut 1

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

Garner in American newspapers,
1909–1915.

Newspaper page from The Hattiesburg News carrying the name Garner
The Hattiesburg News 1909-06-10
Newspaper page from The Hattiesburg News carrying the name Garner
The Hattiesburg News 1909-06-17
Newspaper page from The Hattiesburg News carrying the name Garner
The Hattiesburg News 1915-12-03

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 279,205 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Garner in Australian newspapers,
1810s–1990s.

33,719 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Garner. The most, 6,221, date from the 1930s. 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 Tasmania, at 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 11,916
Victoria 7,831
Queensland 4,383
Tasmania 3,990
South Australia 2,914
Western Australia 2,512
ACT (Canberra) 93
Northern Territory 16

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Garner.

Who carried it

People named Garner,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Frederick Garner d. 1915 · painter
  • Fay Garner d. 1979
  • Mary Garner d. 1940
  • Mary Garner d. 1817
  • John Garner d. 1731
  • Susanna Garner 1708–

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Garner,
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 States4,414 records

4,414 records of the Garner name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 2,445
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 943
  • Other U.S. records 1,026
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Larry Arthur Garner

    Born 1939; from Mulkeytown, Illinois. U.S. Army, infantry unit commander; killed in action 1967 in Dinh Tuong, South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Worthington J. Garner

    Born 1916 in Oregon. Enlisted 1941 at Los Angeles, California; stock clerk. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1993, buried at Riverside National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Celine Garner

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the La Bretagne from Havre, aged 18; servant. From Monroe, Switzerland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,414 records for Garner in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · 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) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain). 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).

Australia1,113 records

1,113 records of the Garner name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 436
  • Tasmanian Names Index 229
  • Other Australian records 448
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Michael Garner

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the St Vincent, sailing from London in 1852. Native of Kirkburton, Yorkshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1858.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Garner

    Died 1864 in Emu Bay, Tasmania, aged 46. Will registered in Tasmania in 1864.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Garner

    Died 1930 in Wynyard, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1930.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,113 records for Garner 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). 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).

Canada120 records

120 records of the Garner name in Canada
  • City of Niagara Falls (Ontario) cemetery records 37
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 24
  • Other Canadian records 59
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Joseph Garner

    Came to Ontario in 1872 aboard the Prussian, landing at Quebec, bound for London, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Charles Burton Garner

    Died 1981, aged 78; buried at Transcona Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record George Frederick Garner

    Buried in 1980 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 97.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 120 records for Garner in Canada.

Counts: City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: 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 Kingdom82 records

82 records of the Garner name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 66
  • Welsh wills index cards 7
  • Other British records 9
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Leonard C. G. Garner

    Buried in 1903 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 24.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Garner

    Will proved in 1936; of Rhosllanerchrugog, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Martha Garner

    Buried in 1796 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 30.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 82 records for Garner in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Germany42 records

42 records of the Garner name in Germany
  • Germany's First World War casualty lists, 1914–1919 41
  • German emigration and citizenship files 1
  1. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Adam Gärner

    From Schönau, Heidelberg. Reported wounded in the Prussian casualty list of 23 January 1915 (Pioneer Regiment No. 19).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)
  2. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Bernhard Garner

    Left Burkheim for Plainfaing, France in 1836.

    Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek / Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg (CC0)
  3. A page of the German First World War casualty lists, 18 April 1918
    Example: German casualty list, 1918
    Casualty list Fritz Gärner

    From Pößneck, Saalfeld. Reported missing in the Prussian casualty list of 28 October 1915 (Infantry Regiment No. 184).

    Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0)

Showing 3 of 42 records for Garner in Germany.

Counts: Verein für Computergenealogie e.V. (2026). Deutsche Verlustlisten des Ersten Weltkriegs – Datensammlung (Version 1.0), DOI 10.5281/zenodo.18330751 (CC0) · Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Deutsche Verlustlisten, Prussian list 1116, 18 April 1918 (scan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0); Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0).

Netherlands37 records

37 records of the Garner name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 20
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 16
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Wilhelmina Garner

    Married in 1829 in Dalfsen; farmer. Died 1876 in Welsum (Dalfsen), aged 86.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jan Garner

    Born 1815 in Dalfsen. Died 1835 in Helder (Nh), aged 19; soldier.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel locatie Zwolle (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Philips Garner

    Married in 1625 in Vlissingen; boatman.

    Open Archives, Zeeuws Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 37 records for Garner in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand17 records

17 records of the Garner name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 11
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 4
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Francis Garner

    Buried in 1905 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 69.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Naomi Garner

    Died 1970, aged 90; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 17 records for Garner in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District 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).

France8 records

8 records of the Garner name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Victor Emile Garner

    Born 1891 in Haguenau; died 1981 in Oberhausbergen (Bas-Rhin).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Roy Garner

    Born 1931 in Great Britain; died 2000 in Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 8 records for Garner 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Garner.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Garner 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.

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