River Family History

English: variant of Rivers. Americanized form of some similar (like-sounding) surname in some other language such as German Riffer (see Riffey) and Spanish Rivera.

English: topographic name from a misdivision of Middle English atter evere ‘at the brow or edge’ (Old English yfer). The surname may denote someone who lived on the slope or brow of a hill or someone who came from River in Tillington (Sussex) or perhaps River Hill (Binstead Hants) which have the same etymology.

English: perhaps also a nickname from Middle English revere ‘reiver robber’. This would normally become modern English Reever or Reaver, which are both exceptionally rare in Britain but they may have become assimilated to River.