The roots of the name Jerdon are found among the Strathclyde-Briton people of the ancient Scottish/English Borderlands. Jerdon was originally found in Angus. Jerdon is thought to have been a Norman name that made it's way North into Scotland. It is ultimately derived from the Old French word jardin, or "garden." Further research indicates that the family settled very early in the barony of Gardyne in the parish of Kirkden, Angus. It is from these lands that the family takes its name; although a more literal interpretation of the name would mean 'of the garden.' The family also held estates in Arbroath, Aberdeen, Banff and Perth for centuries. [1]
The surname Jerdon was first found in Angus (Gaelic: Aonghas), part of the Tayside region of northeastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, formerly known as Forfar or Forfarshire, where one of the first official records was Winefredus de Jardine in 1153 when he witnessed charters by King David 1st to the Abbeys of Kelso and Arbroath.
Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time.
"Umfrid de Jardin witnessed a charter by Robert de Bruys to the Abbey of Arnbroath, c. 1178-80, and as Humphrey del Gardin witnessed confirmation of a fishery in Torduf c. 1194-1211. Patrick de Gardinus was cleric to the bishop of Glasgow c. 1200, and Sir Humphrey de Gardino witnessed a resignation of lands in Annandale a. 1245." [1]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Jerdon research. Another 338 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1014, 1476, 1684, 1712, 1777, 1800, 1597, 1672, 1885, 1916, 1906, 1919, 1919, 1910, 1918, 1695, 1699, 1683 and 1737 are included under the topic Early Jerdon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Jerdon has appeared as Jardine, Jardin, Gardin, Gardyn, Garden and others.
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Jerdon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Jerdon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them: Andrew and Bessie Jardin landed in America in 1685; Christopher Jardine settled in New Orleans in 1822; George, Joseph, and Lewis Jardine settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1798 and 1846.