Early Hisory
The Jardin name is derived from the French word "jrdin" meaning garden or orchard. The name did not mean that early bearers of the name were gardeners but rather that their homes were near a garden. A family of du Jardin accompanied William the Conqueror from Normandy in 1066 and the name had travelled to Scotland before 1153 when it appears on the charters of Kelso and Arbroath abbeys. A Humphrey de Jardin witnessed a charter to the Abbey of Arbroath around 1178. Early forms were also spelt "de Gardinus" and "de Gardino" and Jorden del Orchard from Linlithgow signed the Ragman Roll pledging loyalty to King Edward I of England in 1296. (The picture here is of members of the Jardine family at the Clan Gathering in Edinburgh in 2009).
Dumfriesshire
The main Jardine line became established at Applegirth on the River Annan in Dumfriesshire by the 14th century with a stronghold at Spedlings Tower until the late 17th century when the tower was abandoned to escape from a the ghost of a miller who had been allowed to starve to death in the dungeons. A new home was built on the other side of the Annan at Jardine Hall. Sir Alexander Jardine of Applegirth helped to defend the Borders from English invaders, taking nearly 300 prisoners near Carlisle in 1524. His son John was overwhelmed by an English force of 5,000 in 1547 and the Jardine lands were ravaged. The pendulum swung back later in the same year, however, when the Jardines were helped by French troops and exacted fierce retribution.
Mary Queen of Scots
The Jardines supported Mary Queen of Scots until she married Bothwell and then declared allegiance to the infant King James VI.
Baronet of Nova Scotia
A later head of the family married Lady Margaret Douglas, sister of the first Duke of Queensberryand his elder son, born in 1645, was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1672. A later baronet was a distinguished author and editor of works of natural history while a nephew married Princess Sana, the niece of the King of Samoa. The royal connections helped him to develop north-east Australia and the new state of Queensland where he had an estate named after Lockerbie back in Scotland.
Jardine Matheson
Dr William Jardine was a surgeon with the East India Company and went into partnership with James Matheson creating Jardine, Matheson & Company which dominated trade in the Far East and continues to trade strongly with 239,000 employees as of January 2007.
Current Chief
Sir Alec Jardine is 12th baronet and the 24th chief of the clan.
The Jardine clan motto is "Cave adsum" which means "Beware, I am present".
Spelling variations and septs of the Clan Jardine include: Jardine, Jardines, Gardino, Gardin, Gardinus, Garden, Jardin, Jardane, Jerdane, Jerden, Jerdone, Jarden, Jardyne, Jarding, Jardyn, Gerden, Gerdain, Gairdner, Gardynnyr, Gardynsr, Gardnsrd, Gardinare, Gardinar, Gardenar, Gardenare, Gardnare, Gardener, Gardennar, Gardnar, Gardiner, Gardner.
There is a Jardin clan Web site here.
