Clan Jardine is a Lowland Scottish clan.^[2]

The surname Jardine is derived from jardin which is French for garden or orchard.^[2] However the genealogist, Black, has suggested that this does not mean that they were gardeners, but that they resided near to a garden.^[2]

The du Jardon family came over to England in 1066 with William the Conqueror.^[2] The name is first found in Scotland in charters to Kelso Abbey and Arbroath Abbey prior to 1153, when Wmfredus de Jardin appears as a witness.^[2] In about 1178 Humphrey de Jardin witnessed a charter by Robert Bruce to Arbroath Abbey.^[2]

The name Jardine is also found in the form of de Gardinus and Patrick de Gardinus was chaplain to the Bishop of Glasgow during the early thirteenth century.^[2] Sir Humphrey de Gardino witnessed a registration of the lands of Annandale in 1245.^[2]

Another variant of the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296 where Jorden del Orchard appears rendering homage for his lands in Linlithgow to Edward I of England.^[2]

The chiefly line of the Clan Jardine appears to have been established by the fourteenth century at Applegirth on the River Annan in Dumfriesshire.^[2] Their first stronghold was Spedlings Tower which was abandoned in the late seventeenth century.^[2] From there the family moved across the river to Jardine Hall.^[2] This was allegedly to escape the ghost of a miller who had been left to starve to death in the tower's dungeon.^[2]

Sir Alexander Jardine of Applegirth was actively involved in defending the Scottish Borders against English incursions.^[2] In 1524 Sir Alexander Jardine, along with Lord Maxwell attacked an English host near Carlisle and routed them, taking nearly three hundred English prisoners.^[2] However Alexander's son, John Jardine, faced English retribution in 1547 when Lord Wharton, with a force of over five thousand, overran Annandale.^[2] The Jardine lands were ravaged and he was forced to submit.^[2] Later that year the Jardines and some French troops harried the English and exacted a terrible retribution.^[2]

The Jardines followed the Clan Johnstone in supporting Mary, Queen of Scots.^[2] However, when the queen married the Earl of Bothwell the Jardines declared allegiance to the infant James VI of Scotland.^[2] For the support of his clan, Jardine was to receive a pension from the Archbishopric of Glasgow, but it was never paid.^[2]

Another John Jardine, fourth in descent from Sir Alexander, married Margaret Douglas who was the sister of the first Duke of Queensberry.^[2] Their elder son, Alexander Jardine, was created a Baronet of Nova Scotia in 1672.^[2] The fourth baronet lived on the Continent and embraced the Catholic faith, becoming a Knight of the Sovereign Order of Malta.^[2] He died in 1790 and was succeeded by his brother, Sir William.^[2] Yet another William was Sir William Jardine, 7th Baronet who distinguished himself as an author and editor of works of natural history.^[2]

Sir William Jardine, twelfth Baronet and twenty-third chief of Clan Jardine was active in promoting clan activities and also served on the Committee of the Council of Chiefs.^[2]

Spedlings (Spedlins) Tower, the original seat of the chiefs of Clan Jardine.^[3]

• Spedlings Tower was the original seat of the chiefs of Clan Jardine.^[2]
• Jardine Hall was the seat of the chiefs of Clan Jardine from the late seventeenth century.^[2]

• Chief: Sir William Murray Jardine of Applegirth, 13th Baronet and Chief of the Name and Arms of Jardine.^[4]
• Chief's crest: A spur rowel of six points Proper
• Chief's arms: Argent, a Saltire Gules, on a chief of the last three mullets of the first pierced in the Second
• Chief's motto: Cave Adsum (Latin: Beware I am here)
• Plant badge: Apple blossom^[5]