Gartner
A German occupational surname meaning “gardener” or “one who works in a garden.”
The #6,034 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 54,223 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Gartner is a German surname from Middle High German gartenaere and related forms, ultimately from the word for “garden.” It originally referred to a gardener or someone who tended cultivated ground. In older German spelling, the same family of forms could appear as Gärtner, Gartner, or related variants without the umlaut.
History
The surname is common in German-speaking areas and spread more widely through migration to North America and elsewhere. It is often found alongside the umlauted spelling Gärtner, while simplified forms like Gartner became established in English-speaking countries. Historical surname dictionaries treat it as a straightforward occupational name rather than a nickname or place-name.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
German surname dictionaries note that the word behind Gartner appears in medieval spellings as well, showing how long this occupational name has been in use.
From the historical record
“Page 356. — For Seamen, read Seaman; for BaUxM- GARTNER, read Baumgardner ; for Bootright, read Boatright. Mr. Feller was a member of the New- York Assembly. The Boston "Courier" of Julv 6, 1860, mentions Mrs. Poacher, a dairy-woman at Madison, Wis., who, in addition to her other merits, " has but one Christian…”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)