Find out how popular the last name Ria is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ria.

Ria, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ria surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ria in America

Ria is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ria surname appeared 101 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Ria.

The history of the last name Ria

The surname Ria has its origins in Spain, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Basque word "arria," which means "stone" or "rock." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a rocky area or a quarry.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Juan Ria, a stonemason who lived in the town of Vitoria in the late 15th century. His name appears in several historical records from that time, including tax records and property deeds.

In the 16th century, the Ria surname began to spread beyond the Basque region of Spain. There are records of a family named Ria residing in the city of Seville, where they were involved in the textile trade. A notable member of this family was Rodrigo Ria, who was born in 1539 and became a successful merchant.

The name Ria also has ties to the town of Ria in the province of Navarre, Spain. This town's name is derived from the Basque word "erria," meaning "village" or "town." It is possible that some individuals with the surname Ria originally hailed from this location or a nearby area.

In the 17th century, the Ria surname began to appear in various parts of Spanish-controlled territories in the Americas. For example, there are records of a Pedro Ria who was a settler in the colony of New Spain (present-day Mexico) in the early 1600s.

One of the most notable individuals with the surname Ria was Diego Ria y Castillo, a Spanish military officer and explorer who was born in 1652. He led several expeditions into the interior of Mexico and is credited with establishing several settlements in the region now known as Texas.

Another notable bearer of the Ria surname was María Ria, a Spanish nun and writer who lived in the 18th century. She authored several religious texts and was known for her work in education and social welfare.

As the Ria surname spread throughout Spain and its colonies, it likely underwent various spelling variations, such as Ria, Rías, and Rias. However, the original Basque roots of the name remained intact, reflecting the enduring influence of the Basque language and culture on Spanish naming traditions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ria

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ria.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ria was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ria was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ria, please contact us.

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