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Rivers Family History

Rivers Surname Meaning

English: variant of River with post-medieval excrescent -s.

Americanized form (translation into English) of French Larivière (see Lariviere).

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


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rivers family from?

You can see how Rivers families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rivers family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rivers families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 507 Rivers families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Rivers's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Rivers families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rivers surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rivers ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Rivers. 10% of Rivers men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Rivers women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Rivers were Incapacitated and Domestic Servant.

View Census Data for Rivers | 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 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Retired
    5%
  • Gardener
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%

What Rivers family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 159,000 census records available for the last name Rivers. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rivers census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rivers

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Rivers. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Rivers immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 29,000 military records available for the last name Rivers. For the veterans among your Rivers ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rivers military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rivers family history

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What is the average Rivers lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Rivers life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Rivers in 1941 was 36, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rivers

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rivers ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Rivers family tree

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