gardiner

Gardiner is a surname of English origin. It is an occupational name for a keeper of a garden, derived from Middle English gardin(er) and Old French gardinier, meaning garden caretaker. The form Gardiner is a variant of Gardener or Gardner and shares the same etymology. The name is found in the United Kingdom and North America and is used in place names to honor families bearing the surname.

Gardiner, Maine, is a city in Kennebec County along the Kennebec River. Gardiner, Montana, is a town in Park County near Yellowstone National Park. There are other places named Gardiner in the United States and Canada; for example, Gardiner's Island is a privately owned island off Long Island, New York. The Gardiner Expressway is a major expressway in Toronto, Ontario, named after Fred Gardiner, a former mayor of Metropolitan Toronto.

In addition to places, the Gardiner surname is attached to various institutions and landmarks, including the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art in Toronto, named in honor of donors bearing the Gardiner name.

Notable bearers of the surname have appeared across politics, science, arts, and sports, among other fields. Variants of the name include Gardner and Gardener. See also Gardiner (disambiguation) for related uses and similarly named terms.