Rivera Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Rivera last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Rivera last name
Meaning of the Rivera last name: "riverbank". Rivera is a Spanish surname for someone who lived by a riverbank, from ribera, "bank, shore". It is common in Galicia and Castile. The last name is one of the most frequent in Puerto Rico and is very widespread in Mexico.
Arms associated with the Rivera name
Coats of arms associated with the Rivera surname follow Spanish heraldry, each set out in a short blazon.
Get your full Rivera family history
This is only a glimpse of the Rivera story. The full Rivera history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Rivera coat of arms. Get the full Rivera report.
Rivera name FAQ
What does the Rivera name mean?
"riverbank". Common variants include Ribera, Riveira.
Where does the Rivera surname come from?
It originates in Spain, and is also found in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Colombia.
Is there a Rivera coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Rivera coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Roberto Faure, María Asunción Ribes & Antonio García, Diccionario de apellidos españoles (Espasa, 2001); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).