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origin
From the Hebrew, the river of Judgement. Jardain in Gaelic the western river with respect to the Euphrates. The name is derived from its two springheads Jar and Dan. The family was seated Dorsetshire, England, as early as 1400.
The history of the Jordan Surname in England can be traced back almost 1000 years. One of the more colorful legends, mixed with facts, credits a man named Sir William Deardon who participated in the 3rd Crusade in the Holy Lands. Sir William performed a number of heroic deeds during a battle at the River Jordan. These deeds were witnessed by King Richard the Lionhearted who promptly dubbed Sir William as "Sir Jordan" in honor of his heroic performance. Sir William asked the King for permission to change his Surname to "Jordan" and also to change the name of the Hamlet where he lived to Jordan. The King granted this request and according to the Dartmoor Historical Society the Surname of Jordan was born. The Hamlet of Jordan still exists in the Moors of Dartmoor in Devonshire, England. A Jordan Manor House is there and is over 500 years old while resting on an original foundation, which is estimated at 1000 years old. The Jordan name is found in ancient records in many parts of England. Some of the more notable areas are Dorchester, Lyme-Regis, Melcombe-Regis in Weymouth, and Gloucestershire.