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River Family History

River Name Meaning

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.

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


Similar surnames: Rider, Riser, Rivers, Diver, Rover, Lier, Driver, Riner, Rivet, Rizer

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Where is the River family from?

You can see how River families moved over time by selecting different census years. The River family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most River families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 33 River families living in Quebec. This was about 40% of all the recorded River's in Canada. Quebec had the highest population of River families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the River surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your River ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Cultivateur and Worker were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named River. 37% of River men worked as a Cultivateur and 100% of River women worked as a Worker. .

View Census Data for River | 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 1921

  • Cultivateur
    37%
  • Farmer
    37%
  • Labourer
    16%
  • Laborer
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Worker
    100%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What River family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 23,000 census records available for the last name River. Like a window into their day-to-day life, River census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for River

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name River. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all River immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 54,000 military records available for the last name River. For the veterans among your River ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average River lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, River life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1999, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for River in 1963 was 76, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for River

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