History of your Surname
Get access to Riva family records.Start a free trial

Riva Family History

Riva Name Meaning

Italian: topographic name for someone who lived by a wharf or landing at a port or seaport or on the bank of a river from riva ‘river bank’ (from Latin ripa). Catalan and Spanish: variant of Riba which has the same origin and meaning as 1 above. French (southern): topographic name of Italian origin (see 1 above) or from dialect riva ‘(river) bank shore’.

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


Similar surnames: Riba, Ripa, Oliva, Rita, Rivas, Rio, Niva, Ribas, Rada, Rivard

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Riva family from?

You can see how Riva families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Riva family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Riva families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 13 Riva families living in California. This was about 38% of all the recorded Riva's in USA. California had the highest population of Riva families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Riva surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Riva ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Riva. 35% of Riva men worked as a Laborer and 23% of Riva women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Riva were Farmer and New Worker. .

View Census Data for Riva | 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 1940

  • Laborer
    35%
  • Miner
    12%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Farmer
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    23%
  • Maid
    14%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • New Worker
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Riva family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 census records available for the last name Riva. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Riva census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Riva

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Riva. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Riva immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Riva. For the veterans among your Riva ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Riva military records

You've only scratched the surface of Riva family history

Discover More

What is the average Riva lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Riva life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Riva in 1944 was 56, and 86 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Riva

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Riva family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Riva last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial