Riordan Last Name: Meaning and Heraldic Roots

The last name Riordan is one of the recorded forms of O'Riordan, a well-known Irish family name. The family name meaning is “Descendant of the royal poet”, the same as for O'Riordan.

Riordan and O'Riordan

Records show Riordan as one of the forms O'Riordan took over time. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them. Other spellings include Reardon and O'Rearden.

Family crest and blazon

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the O'Riordan surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon.

Research your Riordan family history with a full surname report and painted coat of arms.