NameCensus.

UK surname

Gardener

An occupational surname referring to a person who tended or cultivated gardens or worked as a gardener.

In the 1881 census there were 5,387 people recorded with the Gardener surname, ranking it #826 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,464, ranked #2,671, down from #826 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Caerphilly, Dacorum and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Gardener is 5,526 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 54.3%.

1881 census count

5,387

Ranked #826

Modern count

2,464

2016, ranked #2,671

Peak year

1891

5,526 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Gardener had 5,387 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #826 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,464 in 2016, ranked #2,671.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,526 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Gardener surname distribution map

The map shows where the Gardener surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Gardener surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Gardener over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 4,264 #664
1861 historical 5,275 #532
1881 historical 5,387 #826
1891 historical 5,526 #856
1901 historical 4,998 #1,126
1911 historical 3,837 #1,350
1997 modern 2,291 #2,713
1998 modern 2,411 #2,691
1999 modern 2,403 #2,722
2000 modern 2,359 #2,748
2001 modern 2,284 #2,766
2002 modern 2,363 #2,740
2003 modern 2,309 #2,746
2004 modern 2,244 #2,815
2005 modern 2,257 #2,763
2006 modern 2,227 #2,804
2007 modern 2,261 #2,783
2008 modern 2,330 #2,737
2009 modern 2,480 #2,666
2010 modern 2,502 #2,697
2011 modern 2,474 #2,697
2012 modern 2,468 #2,655
2013 modern 2,506 #2,654
2014 modern 2,521 #2,656
2015 modern 2,476 #2,677
2016 modern 2,464 #2,671

Geography

Back to top

Where Gardeners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth and St John Hackney. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Caerphilly, Dacorum, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St John Hackney London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Caerphilly 002 Caerphilly
2 Dacorum 011 Dacorum
3 South Gloucestershire 016 South Gloucestershire
4 South Gloucestershire 024 South Gloucestershire
5 North Somerset 015 North Somerset

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Gardener

These lists show first names that appear often with the Gardener surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Gardener

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Gardener, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Gardener surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Gardener household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Gardener is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Gardener is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Gardener falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Gardener is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Gardener, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Gardener

The surname Gardener is an occupational name derived from the Old English words 'gard' meaning yard or garden, and 'ner' meaning keeper. It originated in England and referred to someone who tended to and maintained gardens, particularly those belonging to estates, castles, or religious establishments.

The earliest known record of the surname Gardener dates back to the late 12th century in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire. This document mentions a William le Gardiner who was likely responsible for maintaining the gardens of a local noble or monastery.

During the Middle Ages, the Gardener surname was found in various English records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which listed a Robert le Gardiner in Oxfordshire. The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not contain the surname Gardener, but it does reference individuals with occupations related to gardening, such as horticularii and vinitores.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in the form Gardenere, as seen in the records of the Poll Tax of 1379 in Lincolnshire. This variant spelling reflects the evolution of the English language over time.

One notable person with the surname Gardener was John Gardener, a 16th-century English clergyman and author who served as Bishop of Winchester from 1534 to 1555. Another was Stephen Gardiner (c. 1495-1555), an influential English scholar, diplomat, and Bishop of Winchester during the reigns of Henry VIII and Mary I.

In Scotland, the Gardener surname can be traced back to the 15th century, with records showing a John Gardener in Aberdeen in 1489. The surname was also present in various locations throughout Scotland, including Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire.

Other notable individuals with the surname Gardener include Samuel Rawson Gardiner (1829-1902), an English historian and writer, and John Gardiner (c. 1530-1592), an English composer and musician during the Renaissance period.

Over time, the surname Gardener has also evolved into various spellings, such as Gardner, Gardiner, and Gardener, reflecting regional variations and changes in language and orthography.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Gardener families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Gardener surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 669 Gardeners recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.28x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 669 1.28x
Kent 318 1.78x
Surrey 310 1.21x
Warwickshire 300 2.27x
Lancashire 287 0.46x
Gloucestershire 256 2.49x
Yorkshire 224 0.43x
Durham 220 1.41x
Hampshire 215 2.00x
Devon 166 1.52x
Worcestershire 166 2.42x
Staffordshire 150 0.85x
Suffolk 138 2.16x
Essex 137 1.32x
Berkshire 122 3.10x
Sussex 119 1.35x
Somerset 110 1.30x
Hertfordshire 91 2.52x
Wiltshire 88 1.90x
Northamptonshire 84 1.70x
Northumberland 78 1.00x
Lanarkshire 77 0.45x
Buckinghamshire 76 2.40x
Monmouthshire 73 1.93x
Cheshire 68 0.59x
Herefordshire 68 3.16x
Shropshire 65 1.44x
Glamorgan 61 0.67x
Oxfordshire 59 1.82x
Renfrewshire 44 1.08x
Bedfordshire 40 1.47x
Derbyshire 39 0.48x
Midlothian 39 0.56x
Stirlingshire 38 1.97x
Nottinghamshire 32 0.45x
Lincolnshire 29 0.35x
Aberdeenshire 28 0.58x
Leicestershire 28 0.48x
Clackmannanshire 23 5.31x
Angus 21 0.43x
Cambridgeshire 20 0.60x
Cumberland 20 0.44x
Dorset 20 0.58x
Fife 19 0.61x
Norfolk 18 0.22x
Perthshire 13 0.55x
Ayrshire 11 0.28x
Montgomeryshire 11 0.92x
Banffshire 10 0.92x
Cornwall 10 0.17x
Selkirkshire 8 1.69x
West Lothian 8 1.01x
Anglesey 6 0.65x
Pembrokeshire 6 0.36x
Westmorland 6 0.52x
Brecknockshire 5 0.48x
Dunbartonshire 5 0.35x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.29x
Royal Navy 3 0.48x
Shetland 3 0.56x
Buteshire 2 0.63x
Channel Islands 2 0.13x
Radnorshire 2 0.47x
Roxburghshire 2 0.21x
Argyllshire 1 0.07x
Cardiganshire 1 0.08x
Flintshire 1 0.07x
Peeblesshire 1 0.41x
Wigtownshire 1 0.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 80 Gardeners recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.82x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 80 1.82x
Aston 79 2.17x
Islington London 69 1.36x
Lambeth 63 1.38x
Hackney London 57 1.94x
St Pancras London 43 1.02x
Portsea 38 1.80x
Kidderminster Borough 36 8.99x
Brighton 35 1.96x
Mile End Old Town London 35 3.14x
St Marylebone London 31 1.11x
Kensington London 30 1.03x
Croydon 29 2.05x
West Ham 29 1.27x
Camberwell 28 0.84x
Chelsea London 26 1.65x
Isleworth 26 11.16x
Abergavenny 25 17.62x
Maidstone 24 4.50x
Tendring 24 157.69x
Swindon 23 6.40x
Bethnal Green London 22 0.97x
Preston 22 1.32x
St Luke London 22 2.62x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 21 0.74x
Shoreditch London 21 0.92x
Sunderland 21 7.62x
Alloa 20 9.53x
Battersea 19 0.99x
Bermondsey 19 1.22x
Leamington Priors 19 5.84x
Lewisham 19 1.99x
Reading St Giles 19 4.92x
Watford 19 6.78x
Barony 18 0.42x
Clerkenwell London 18 1.45x
Middlesbrough 18 2.66x
Monkwearmouth Shore 18 5.91x
Tonbridge 18 2.79x
Wolverhampton 18 1.32x
Bedminster 17 2.14x
Edgbaston 17 4.15x
Harborne 17 3.00x
Liscard 17 8.15x
Plumstead 17 2.85x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 16 1.76x
Cheshunt 16 12.67x
Ealing 16 3.42x
Westbury On Severn 16 39.28x
Avening 15 41.30x
Bishopwearmouth 15 1.12x
Kingston On Thames 15 2.44x
St George Hanover Square 15 1.62x
St Lawrence 15 12.20x
Warwick St Mary 15 13.07x
Barrow In Furness 14 1.65x
Bedwellty 14 2.09x
Bromley London 14 1.21x
Feltham 14 26.75x
New Monkland 14 2.79x
Ramsgate 14 4.80x
Stonehouse 14 23.96x
Bengeo 13 31.00x
Bosham 13 57.73x
Darlington 13 2.16x
Leeds 13 0.44x
Leigh 13 15.64x
Lye 13 11.41x
Paddington London 13 0.67x
Sale 13 9.16x
Ulverston 13 7.17x
Denham 12 53.07x
Deptford St Paul 12 0.87x
Eling 12 11.03x
Gloucester Barton St Mary 12 6.38x
Kingsthorpe 12 21.90x
Mitcham 12 7.43x
Pucklechurch 12 51.77x
Wandsworth 12 2.38x
Willingham 12 421.05x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Gardener surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 307
Elizabeth 202
Sarah 176
Jane 119
Eliza 102
Ann 97
Emma 91
Emily 74
Ellen 73
Annie 70
Alice 68
Hannah 49
Margaret 49
Martha 46
Fanny 40
Louisa 39
Caroline 38
Maria 37
Harriet 36
Kate 32
Charlotte 31
Edith 29
Ada 26
Catherine 26
Lucy 23
Anne 22
Amelia 20
Florence 19
Frances 19
Harriett 19
Rose 19
Susan 19
Clara 18
Isabella 17
Rosa 16
Sophia 16
Amy 15
Helen 15
Agnes 13
Matilda 13
Elizth. 12
Minnie 12
Bessie 10
Anna 9
Ethel 9
Priscilla 9
Ruth 9
Eleanor 8
Esther 8
Grace 8

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Gardener surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 322
John 286
George 179
James 169
Thomas 156
Henry 121
Charles 109
Frederick 67
Robert 62
Edward 61
Joseph 60
Richard 55
Alfred 53
Walter 38
Arthur 35
Samuel 33
Albert 31
Frank 31
Harry 27
Edwin 23
David 21
Ernest 18
Wm. 15
Francis 12
Herbert 12
Thos. 12
Daniel 11
Fredrick 11
Stephen 8
Benjamin 7
Isaac 7
Percy 6
Peter 6
Robt. 6
Chas. 5
Edgar 5
Geo. 5
Jesse 5
Ralph 5
Alexander 4
Christopher 4
Elijah 4
Fred 4
Fredk. 4
Luke 4
Mathew 4
Philip 4
Alan 3
Harold 3
Mark 3

FAQ

Gardener surname: questions and answers

How common was the Gardener surname in 1881?

In 1881, 5,387 people were recorded with the Gardener surname. That placed it at #826 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Gardener surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,464 in 2016. That gives Gardener a modern rank of #2,671.

What does the Gardener surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to a person who tended or cultivated gardens or worked as a gardener.

What does the Gardener map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Gardener bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.