NameCensus.

UK surname

Rivera

A Spanish habitational surname indicating someone from a place near a riverbank or shore.

In the 1881 census there were 14 people recorded with the Rivera surname, ranking it #31,604 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 464, ranked #10,570, up from #31,604 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, South Oxfordshire and Islington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Rivera is 464 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 3214.3%.

1881 census count

14

Ranked #31,604

Modern count

464

2016, ranked #10,570

Peak year

2016

464 bearers

Map years

3

1998 to 2016

Key insights

  • Rivera had 14 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #31,604 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016, ranked #10,570.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 18 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Rivera surname distribution map

The map shows where the Rivera surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Rivera surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Rivera over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1861 historical 4 #33,628
1881 historical 14 #31,604
1891 historical 3 #34,257
1901 historical 18 #32,032
1911 historical 16 #31,804
1997 modern 102 #26,638
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 126 #24,239
2000 modern 132 #23,562
2001 modern 127 #23,781
2002 modern 141 #22,794
2003 modern 140 #22,634
2004 modern 165 #20,530
2005 modern 185 #19,051
2006 modern 214 #17,507
2007 modern 231 #16,835
2008 modern 253 #15,941
2009 modern 307 #14,192
2010 modern 335 #13,645
2011 modern 318 #14,023
2012 modern 389 #11,963
2013 modern 423 #11,422
2014 modern 433 #11,262
2015 modern 447 #10,873
2016 modern 464 #10,570

Geography

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Where Riveras are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, South Oxfordshire, Islington, Westminster and Barnet. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 008 Kensington and Chelsea
2 South Oxfordshire 004 South Oxfordshire
3 Islington 005 Islington
4 Westminster 013 Westminster
5 Barnet 010 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Rivera

These lists show first names that appear often with the Rivera surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Rivera

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Rivera, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Rivera surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Rivera household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Rivera is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Rivera is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Rivera falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Rivera is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Rivera, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Rivera

The surname Rivera has its origins in Spain, stemming from the Spanish word "ribera," which means "riverbank" or "shore." It first emerged in the regions of Castile and Aragon during the medieval period, likely referring to individuals who lived near a river or along the banks of a river.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Rivera can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a 14th-century manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile, which mentions several individuals with the surname.

The name Rivera is also found in historical documents from the 15th and 16th centuries, such as the "Repartimiento de Sevilla" (Distribution of Seville), a record of land grants made to settlers after the Reconquista of the city in 1248. This suggests that the surname was well-established in Spain during the Middle Ages.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Rivera throughout history are Diego Rivera (1886-1957), a renowned Mexican painter and a leading figure in the Mexican Muralism movement, and Anita Rivera (1924-2022), an American actress and dancer who was one of the last surviving Golden Age of Mexican cinema stars.

Another prominent bearer of the name was Fray Peyró Martínez de Rivera (1453-1521), a Spanish friar and diplomat who served as the ambassador of the Catholic Monarchs to the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century.

In the literary world, José Eustasio Rivera (1888-1928) was a Colombian novelist and poet, best known for his novel "La Vorágine" (The Vortex), considered a classic of Latin American literature.

The surname Rivera can also be found in other Spanish-speaking countries, such as Mexico, where it is one of the most common surnames, likely due to the large Spanish influence during the colonial period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Rivera families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Rivera surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 10 Riveras recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.18x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 10 6.18x
Middlesex 4 2.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 10 Riveras recorded in 1881 and an index of 182.48x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 10 182.48x
Hackney London 4 52.29x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Rivera surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 3
Catherine 1
Rosana 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Rivera surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Campbell 2
John 2
David 1
Joseph 1
Robt. 1
Samuel 1
Wm. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Rivera households.

FAQ

Rivera surname: questions and answers

How common was the Rivera surname in 1881?

In 1881, 14 people were recorded with the Rivera surname. That placed it at #31,604 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Rivera surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 464 in 2016. That gives Rivera a modern rank of #10,570.

What does the Rivera surname mean?

A Spanish habitational surname indicating someone from a place near a riverbank or shore.

What does the Rivera map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Rivera bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.