Hi Mike
Sometime ago Iattended the Carden gathering in Cheshire England there was
many interesting objects and plenty of infomation including this: The name
Carden has two distinct roots, one French and the other Scandiavian. The
Normans were found of giving people who had the attributes of plants and
then giving that person the plant's name. i.e. The old French word for
Thistle is "CARDON" a symbol of obstinance and stubborness, the name cmae
over with the Norman's.
in Cheshire England there was a village named Kauerthin meaning "enclosure
at a rock" from Scandinavian Karr(rock) wordign (enclosure). In time the
name became Carden, where the Carden family lived and spread out into other
parts of the county. The full story is much more complicated, I myself
belive the name comes from the Normandy and Picardy areas of France. Hope
this helps. John Carden (England)