Reardon

Reardon is an Irish surname, a variant of the more common Riordan. It originates from the Gaelic Ó Ríordáin, a later form of Ó Ríoghbhardáin, meaning “descendant of Rígbarddán.” The root name Rígbarddán itself means “little poet of the king,” from Old Irish rí (“king”), bard (“poet”), and a diminutive suffix.

Cultural Significance

The name’s meaning reflects the high status of poets in early Irish society, where bards served as chroniclers, genealogists, and praise-poets to kings. The initial “r-” is often fossilized in anglicized forms like Reardon, whereas Riordan is more widespread.

The surname is emblematic of the rich Gaelic tradition of patronymics, where Ó denotes “grandson” or “descendant,” gradually becoming fixed as hereditary surnames in the Middle Ages. The original sept bearing this name was centered in County Cork, but today bearers are found throughout Ireland and in the Irish diaspora.

Notable Bearers

• Ann Reardon (born 1975), Australian YouTuber of the cooking series “How to Cook That”
• Beans Reardon (1897–1984), American Major League Baseball umpire
• Bill Reardon (born 1941), American politician and educator
• Casper Reardon (1907–1941), classical and jazz harpist
• Jeff Reardon (born 1955), American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball
• Eoin Reardon, Irish woodworking influencer
• David Reardon, American director of the Elliot Institute

• Meaning: Descendant of the royal poet
• Origin: Irish Gaelic (Ó Ríoghbhardáin / Ó Ríordáin)
• Type: Surname
• Usage Regions: Ireland, English-speaking world