Gordner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Bavaria, Germany is the ancestral home of the Gordner family. The Germans began using hereditary surnames in the 12th century. Gordner is an occupational name, which was derived from the kind of work done by the original bearer. It is a name for a family whose profession was gardening. The surname Gordner is derived from the German noun "gartner," which means "gardener."

Early Origins of the Gordner family

The surname Gordner was first found in Bavaria, where the family came from noble beginnings as a patrician family of Nuremberg and gained a significant reputation for its contribution to the emerging mediaeval society. It later became more prominent as many branches of the same house acquired distant estates, some in foreign countries, always elevating their social status by their great contributions to society.

Early History of the Gordner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gordner research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1575, 1654, 1712, 1720, 1732, 1791, 1792 and 1858 are included under the topic Early Gordner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gordner Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Gordner include Gaertner, Gardner, Gardener, Gartener, Gaertener, Gaerdener, Gaerdner, Gaerthner, Gaerthener, Garthner and many more.

Early Notables of the Gordner family

Another 43 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gordner Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gordner migration to the United States +

The great European flow of migration to North America, which began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century, was particularly attractive to those from Bavaria who wished to escape either poverty or religious persecution. For many Bavarian tenant farmers, the chance to own their own land was a major incentive. So the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlement centered in Ontario and the prairie provinces. Among those of this surname listed in various historical records were:

Gordner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes Gordner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 1
George Gordner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 1
Geo Gordner, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1765 1

Gordner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

B Gordner, who landed in Mississippi in 1850 1
Johann Gordner, who landed in North America in 1855 1
Paul Friedrich Gordner, who arrived in North America in 1858 1
Peter Gordner, who landed in North America in 1859 1
Christian Gordner, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1860 1
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Gordner (post 1700) +

John R. Gordner, American politician, Member of the Pennsylvania Senate (2003-)

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)