English
The surname Gairdner is of English origin.It was an occupational name derived from the Middle English,Old Norman French 'gardin' garden (itself derived from the Germanic 'gard' enclosure).It historically normally refered to a cultivator of edible produce in an orchard or kitchen garden,rather than a tender of ornamental lawns and flower beds.As might be expected it is a common entry in medieval records.To earn a living a man must work,of which he normally devotes eight hours a day,he then rests eight hours,and devotes the remaining eight hours to eating,minor chores,and recreation.Since work invovles such a large portion of a mans life,it is no suprise that it was used as an adequate system of identification.The ordinary pursuits of the Middle Ages have become some of the most common surnames in the United States.On estates of kings and wealthy nobles many servants were required whose specific duties were a means of identification which developed into family names.As such the kitchen garden was cultivated by the Gardner in England,by the Racine in France,and by the Zahradnik in Czechoslovakia.The name dates back to the eleventh century were a William le Garenier is recorded in historical archives.The name was brought to America by English immigrants.One of the first fore fathers to bring this name to America is that of a Thomas Gardner,a shoe maker,who came to America aboard the Harmony;he settled in Boston,New England.This name is the one hundredth and fifty-seventh most common surname in America.