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Riordan Family History

Riordan Surname Meaning

Irish (Kerry): shortened form of O'Riordan an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Ríoghbhárdáin ‘descendant of Rióghbhárdán’.

A byname composed of the elements ríogh- ‘royal’ + a diminutive of bárd ‘bard poet’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Riordan family from?

You can see how Riordan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Riordan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Riordan families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 100 Riordan families living in London. This was about 43% of all the recorded Riordan's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Riordan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Riordan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Riordan ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Riordan. 24% of Riordan men worked as a General Labourer and 73% of Riordan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Riordan were French Polisher and Unpaid Household Duties.

View Census Data for Riordan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    24%
  • Builders Labourer
    15%
  • Bricklayer Labourer
    10%
  • French Polisher
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    73%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    6%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%

What Riordan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 58,000 census records available for the last name Riordan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Riordan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Riordan

Passenger Lists

There are 16,000 immigration records available for the last name Riordan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Riordan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Riordan. For the veterans among your Riordan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Riordan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Riordan family history

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What is the average Riordan lifespan?

Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Riordan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Riordan in 1945 was 54, and 71 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Riordan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Riordan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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