Clan Jardine
Jardine is a Dumfriesshire name linked with Applegarth on the River Annan. The chiefly house is Jardine of Applegirth, a Nova Scotia baronetcy created in 1672.
History
The name comes from the French jardin, a garden. A family called de Jardin or de Gardino appears in Scotland before 1153, in charters connected with the abbeys of Kelso and Arbroath. Older accounts place a Jardine at Hastings in 1066. The Jardine Clan Society calls that a claim, and suggests instead that the family came from Normandy around 1100, in the company of the Bruces.
The Bruces held Annandale, and the Jardines settled there. Their chief seat was Applegarth, on the River Annan in Dumfriesshire, where the Society says the family built a motte-and-bailey castle. Like many Border families, they were caught between Scottish and English kings. They are said to have fought for Edward I at Falkirk in 1297 and then to have backed Robert the Bruce.
Spedlins Tower was built across the river in 1460, according to the Society. Electric Scotland says that in 1587 the Scottish Parliament listed the Jardines as one of fourteen West March families to be treated as clans. In 1672 the head of the house, Sir Alexander Jardine of Applegirth, was made a baronet of Nova Scotia. That is the chiefly title still used today.
The family moved to the first Jardine Hall in 1704. A grander mansion replaced it after a fire in 1814, and was demolished in 1964. The estate was sold in 1888 to pay debts from a quarry and railway venture, which ended the chiefly line's centuries-long hold on those lands. A legend says the miller Dunty Porteous died in the Spedlins dungeon and haunted the family. We have not found any record that confirms the story.
Not every Jardine descends from the chiefly house. The Register of Tartans notes that the Jardines of Castlemilk settled in Dumfriesshire in the early 14th century. Electric Scotland also names the Buchanan-Jardines of Castlemilk and the Cunningham-Jardines of Fourmeikland among later branches, descended from the nephews and nieces of Dr William Jardine. He co-founded the trading house of Jardine Matheson and died unmarried.
The Jardine Clan Society links members across the world. COSCA lists many spellings, including Jardin, Jarden and Jerdin, and also the Gardner and Gardiner family of names. Those are best treated as associated names, because we found no source that proves each Gardner descends from the Jardines.
Clan Jardine tartans
Names and reference numbers follow the Scottish Register of Tartans. Mills sell most setts in modern, ancient and weathered colourways. The pattern is the same; only the shades change.
JardineClan tartan · Register ref. 1881The Register records that the clan chief of the time approved this sett. A letter of 1979 quoted in the entry says he had earlier rejected Jardine tartans as trade inventions, then adopted this one after family pressure.
Jardine DressDress tartan · Register ref. 1883The Strathmore Woollen Company of Forfar produced this sett in 1991. The Register says the chief approved the red version as a dress tartan, and it was recorded in the Lyon Court Books that September.
Get the kilt
When you order a kilt, ask for the tartan by its full name — for example “Jardine” — and say which colourway you want. “Modern” is dark and strong, “ancient” is lighter, “weathered” is muted. The sett is the same in each.
We are choosing retailers we trust and will list them here soon.
Wear the colours
Our own Jardine range is on its way: the name, the tartan and the motto on a heavyweight tee, a hoodie and a mug. About the shop.
Lands and seats
- Applegarth, Dumfriesshire. The Jardine Clan Society says the family built a motte-and-bailey castle here beside the River Annan, and the motte can still be seen.
- Spedlins Tower. COSCA lists it as the historic seat. The Jardine Clan Society dates the tower to 1460 and says the family later moved across the river to Jardine Hall.
Surnames
The clan name and its spellings
- Jardine
- Jardin
- Jarden
- Jerdin
- Jerden
- Jardyn
- Jarding
- Jardane
- De Jardin
Names associated with Clan Jardine
- Gardner
- Gardiner
- Garden
- Gairdner
- Gardyne
- Gardin
- Gardner: Listed by COSCA among Jardine surnames. The name is common elsewhere and has other origins.
- Gardiner: Listed by COSCA among Jardine surnames. The name is common elsewhere and has other origins.
- Garden: Listed by COSCA and Electric Scotland. Not every Garden is linked to the Jardines.
- Gairdner: Listed by COSCA and Electric Scotland.
- Gardyne: Listed by COSCA.
- Gardin: Listed by COSCA and Electric Scotland.
“Associated” means the name appears in published sept lists for this clan. It does not prove descent, and many names are linked to more than one clan. Where your family lived is often the better clue.
Questions people ask
What is the Jardine tartan?
The Scottish Register of Tartans lists a Jardine sett recorded in 1978 and approved by the chief of the day. There is also a Jardine Dress sett from 1991.
What is the Jardine motto?
The motto is Cave adsum, Latin for 'Beware, I am here', according to COSCA and Electric Scotland.
Are Gardner and Gardiner Jardine surnames?
COSCA lists Gardner, Gardiner and related spellings among Jardine surnames. We treat them as associated names, since these surnames also arose independently.
Where do the Jardines come from?
The chiefly line is tied to Applegarth on the River Annan in Dumfriesshire. The name itself is French in origin, and appears in Scottish charters before 1153.
Sources
- Jardine — COSCA - Council of Scottish Clans & Associations
- Clan Jardine — Electric Scotland
- Clan Jardine history — Electric Scotland
- Short History of the Jardines — Jardine Clan Society
- Jardine — Scotland.org (VisitScotland)
- Jardine (ref. 1881) — Scottish Register of Tartans
- Jardine Dress (ref. 1883) — Scottish Register of Tartans
Clan histories are contested and sources disagree. If you can correct something here with a source, write to hello@tartanflag.com. Last updated 2 November 2026.