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

Riviera, 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 Riviera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Riviera in America

Riviera is the 20709th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Riviera surname appeared 1,277 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 Riviera.

We can also compare 2010 data for Riviera to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Riviera

The surname Riviera is of Italian origin, deriving from the Italian word "riviera" which means "coastline" or "shore." It is believed to have originated in the coastal regions of Italy, particularly in areas such as the Ligurian Riviera and the Amalfi Coast.

The name Riviera can be traced back to the 13th century, where it was used to refer to individuals who lived or worked along the coastlines of Italy. In historical records, variations of the name, such as "Riviera," "Riviere," and "Rivières," can be found.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Riviera can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Siciliano," a collection of Sicilian diplomatic documents from the Middle Ages. In this collection, there is a mention of a certain "Guglielmo Riviera" from the late 13th century.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Riviera was Giovanni Riviera, an Italian painter who lived from 1492 to 1561. He was known for his religious works and frescoes, many of which can still be found in churches throughout Italy.

In the 17th century, a famous Spanish sailor named Tomás Riviera sailed with the Spanish Armada and was known for his bravery and navigation skills. His name can be found in various naval records from that time period.

Moving into the 19th century, a prominent Italian politician and writer named Costanzo Riviera (1823-1892) made significant contributions to the Italian unification movement and served as a member of the Italian parliament.

Another noteworthy individual with the surname Riviera was the French artist Henri Riviere (1864-1951), known for his Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings depicting scenes from everyday life in France.

The name Riviera has also been associated with various place names, such as the famous Riviera region along the Mediterranean coast of France and Italy, as well as towns like Riviere-Pilote in Martinique and Riviere-du-Loup in Quebec, Canada.

While the surname Riviera has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Italian immigration. Today, individuals bearing the surname Riviera can be found in various countries, carrying on the legacy of this coastal-inspired name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Riviera

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

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 Riviera 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Riviera has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Riviera was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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