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Reardon History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Reardon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The name Reardon has changed considerably in the time that has passed since its genesis. It originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Riordain. The original form of the surname was Ó Rioghbhardain, which was originally derived from the words "riogh bhard," meaning "royal bard."

Early Origins of the Reardon family

The surname Reardon was first found in County Cork (Irish: Corcaigh) the ancient Kingdom of Deis Muin (Desmond), located on the southwest coast of Ireland in the province of Munster.

Early History of the Reardon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Reardon research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1172 and 1750 are included under the topic Early Reardon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reardon Spelling Variations

Because early scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded, a person could have many various spellings of his name.Many different spelling variations of the surname Reardon were found in the archives researched. These included O'Riordan, Riordan, O'Rearden, Rearden and others.

Early Notables of the Reardon family

More information is included under the topic Early Reardon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Reardon World Ranking

In the United States, the name Reardon is the 2,372^nd most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Reardon is ranked the 492^nd most popular surname with an estimated 96 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name Reardon is the 800^th popular surname with an estimated 4,907 people with that name. 3

Reardon migration to the United States +

Ireland saw an enormous decrease in its population in the 19th century due to immigration and death. This pattern of immigration began slowly in the late 18th century and gradually grew throughout the early portion of the 19th century. However, a dramatic increase in the country's immigration numbers occurred when the Great Potato Famine struck in the 1840s. The early immigrants to North America were primarily destined to be farmers tending to their own plot of land, those that came later initially settled within pre-established urban centers. These urban immigrants provided the cheap labor that the fast developing United States and soon to be Canada required. Regardless of their new lifestyle in North America, the Irish immigrants to the United States and Canada made invaluable contributions to their newly adopted societies. An investigation of immigrant and passenger lists revealed many Reardons:

Reardon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Daniel Reardon, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1745 4
Jeremiah Reardon, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 4
John Reardon, aged 30, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1776 4

Reardon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Morrice Reardon, aged 49, who arrived in Maryland in 1812 4
Anne, David, Denis, Edward, James, Michael, Patrick, Thomas, and William Reardon, who all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860
Timothy Reardon, who landed in Colorado in 1879 4

Reardon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Reardon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ann Reardon, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1837
Miss. Ellen Reardon, aged 16 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Jessie" departing 3rd June 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 24th July 1847 but she died on board 5
Miss. Judith Reardon, aged 7 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Ninian" departing 13th April 1847 from Limerick, Ireland; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but she died on board 5
Mrs. Reardon, aged 22 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Saguenay" departing 5th June 1847 from Cork, Ireland; the ship arrived on 22nd August 1847 but she died on board 5

Reardon migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Reardon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Reardon, (Riordan, Riordon), (b. 1780), aged 39, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Canada" on 23rd April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Denis Reardon, English convict from Kent, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
Mr. Andrew Reardon, (b. 1796), aged 26, Irish convict from County Kerry, Ireland who was convicted in Chennai (Madras), India for 7 years, transported aboard the "Calder" in 1822, arriving in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 8
Patrick Reardon, a weaver, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Mrs. Honora Reardon, (Norah, Barrett), (b. 1788), aged 38, Irish laundress who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 3rd October 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1839 1 child on board 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Reardon migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Reardon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Michael Reardon, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Prince of Wales" in 1842
Johanna Reardon, aged 21, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Prince of Wales" in 1842
Margaret Reardon, aged 1, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Prince of Wales" in 1842
John Reardon, aged 1 month, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Prince of Wales" in 1842
William Reardon, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Reardon (post 1700) +

Betty A. Reardon (1929-2023), American teacher and the founder and director of the Peace Education Center and Peace Education Graduate Degree Program at Teachers College, Columbia University
John Reardon (1930-1988), American baritone and actor
Phil Reardon (1883-1920), American professional baseball player
Jeffrey James Reardon (b. 1955), American former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball
Bill Reardon (b. 1941), American politician and educator
Dennis Reardon, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Hudson County, 1872-73 10
Daniel V. Reardon, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Herkimer County, 1938 10
Cornelius F. Reardon, American politician, U.S. Collector of Customs, 1951 10
Christopher J. Reardon, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Massachusetts, 1928 10
Bill Reardon, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kansas, 1984 10
... (Another 39 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Reardon family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Daniel Reardon, British Greaser from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 11

HMS Repulse

Mr. George Reardon, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 12

The Reardon Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Pro Deo et patria
Motto Translation: For God and country.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 93)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 9th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canada
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calder
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/brothers
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html