What is the surname of Mrs. Bennet's brother?

Mrs Bennet’s brother has the surname Gardiner. He is Mr Edward Gardiner, usually called Mr Gardiner, and his wife is Mrs Gardiner in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

The Gardiners are among the most sensible and respectable adults connected to the Bennet family. They live in London, where Mr Gardiner is a successful tradesman. Although his profession places him below the landed gentry in social rank, Austen presents him as thoughtful, well-mannered, and morally dependable. His wife is equally sensible and becomes especially close to Jane and Elizabeth.

The Gardiners play an important practical role in the plot. They host Jane during her stay in London, accompany Elizabeth on the journey to Derbyshire, and help create the circumstances in which Elizabeth meets Darcy at Pemberley. Later, Mr Gardiner helps resolve the crisis caused by Lydia’s elopement with Wickham. Darcy secretly pays the principal expenses needed to secure Lydia’s marriage, but the Gardiners are initially credited with arranging the settlement. This is why their family name matters: they are not merely relatives in the background, but a stabilizing influence on the Bennets.