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Riordan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Riordan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The name Riordan 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 Riordan family

The surname Riordan 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 Riordan family

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

Riordan Spelling Variations

Individual scribes in the Ireland during the Middle Ages would often record a person's name various ways. How the name was recorded depended on what that particular scribe believed the proper spelling for the name pronounced to him was. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origin of the Riordan family name include O'Riordan, Riordan, O'Rearden, Rearden and others.

Early Notables of the Riordan family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

Dr. M. O'Riordan, Author

Riordan Ranking

In the United States, the name Riordan is the 5,114^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Riordan migration to the United States +

Many destitute Irish families in the 18th and 19th centuries decided to leave their homeland, which had in many ways been scarred by English colonial rule. One of the most frequent destinations for these families was North America where it was possible for an Irish family to own their own parcel of land. Many of the early settlers did find land awaiting them in British North America, or even later in America, but for the majority of immigrants that arrived as a result of the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s the ownership of land was often a long way off. These Irish people were initially put to work on such industrial projects as the building of bridges, canals, and railroads, or they worked at manufacturing positions within factories. Whenever they arrived, the Irish made enormous contributions to the infant nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the earliest immigrants to bearer the name of Riordan were found through extensive research of immigration and passenger lists:

Riordan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Coleman Riordan, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 2
Catherine, Elizabeth, Joanna, and Kate Riordan, who all, who settled in Boston in 1844
Michael Riordan, who arrived in New York in 1847 2
John Riordan, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
C Riordan, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Riordan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Riordan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Riordan, aged 20, who landed in Canada in 1823
Judy Riordan, aged 21, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Thomas Hanford" from Cork, Ireland
Patrick Riordan, aged 24, a plasterer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Matilda" from Cork, Ireland
Mary Riordan, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Matilda" from Cork, Ireland
Michael Riordan, aged 2, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Matilda" from Cork, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Riordan migration to Australia +

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

Riordan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Riordan, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Almorah" on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia 3
Mr. Daniel Riordan, (b. 1808), aged 19, Irish weaver who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 19th July 1827, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
Miss Sarah Riordan, (Chapman), English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Diana" on 4th December 1832, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Bartholomew Riordan, (b. 1817), aged 21, Irish shoe makers boy who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years for assault, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 29th December 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. John Riordan, British Convict who was convicted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada for 14 years, transported aboard the "Cressy" on 28th April 1843, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Riordan 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:

Riordan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Timothy Riordan, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Oliver Lang" in 1858
James Riordan, aged 18, a farm labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dunedin" in 1875 8
Patrick Riordan, aged 23, a farm labourer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Caroline" in 1876 9
Bridget Riordan, aged 20, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Caroline" in 1876 9
Daniel Riordan, aged 5 mths., who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Caroline" in 1876 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Riordan (post 1700) +

Richard Joseph Riordan (1930-2023), American investment banker, businessman, lawyer, politician, and Korean War veteran, 39th Mayor of Los Angeles from 1993 to 2001
Jennifer Riordan (1975-2018), American banking executive who was killed during an accident aboard Southwest Airlines Flight 1380
Second Lieutenant Paul F Riordan (1920-1944), American officer awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
Daniel Joseph Riordan (1870-1923), U.S. Representative from New York from 1899 to 1901
Ray J. Riordan Jr., American Republican politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Senate 24th District, 1972 10
Philip J. Riordan, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 1924 10
Leo A. Riordan (1909-2007), American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Senate 28th District, 1940 10
Joseph A. Riordan, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Hudson County, 1905, 1907 10
James J. Riordan, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1928 10
Francis J. Riordan, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Erie County 4th District, 1927 10
... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Riordan family +

RMS Titanic

Miss Hannah Riordan, aged 18, Irish Third Class passenger from Glenlougha, Cork who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 13 11

The Riordan 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/
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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Almorah voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1817 with 180 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/almorah/1817
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Diana
Convict Records Australia. Retrieved on 18th March 2022 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st May 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/cressy
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 9th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html