An English and German surname the Garner family name comes from the Old French term of ‘grenier’ which refers to grain or wheat. So Garner relates to someone living near a barn or grain mill.

Spelling variations for Garner include Gerner and Garnier.

In England the Garner name is mostly in Lancashire and Yorkshire and in the city of London region. In Scotland the Garner families primarily live in Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire counties.

Across the eastern half of the United States the Garner surname is very common. The states with the higher numbers include North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Texas, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Arkansas.

Famous: David McNiven Garner (a physical oceanographer from New Zealand), Phil Garner (professional baseball player and manager), James Garner (film and TV actor), Andy Garner (footballer from England), John Nance Garner (Vice President of the U. S. under President Franklin D. Roosevelt), Jennifer Garner (actress) and William Garner (English novelist).