'ardeidae' originates from New Latin, specifically formed from the genus name 'Ardea' (Latin), where 'Ardea' comes from Latin 'ardea' meaning 'heron' and ultimately from Greek 'ardeia' meaning 'heron'.

'ardeidae' evolved via Greek 'ardeia' → Latin 'ardea' (genus name 'Ardea') → New Latin formation 'Ardeidae' (the family name formed with the suffix '-idae').

Initially associated with the word for 'heron', it came to denote the broader taxonomic family containing herons, egrets, and bitterns.