Save Type Surname (from location) Usage English Pronounced Pron. RIV-ərz [key·IPA] Meaning & History Denoted a person who lived near a river, from Middle English, from Old French riviere meaning "river", from Latin riparius meaning "riverbank". Related NamesDetails Other Languages & CulturesRiva(Italian) Ribeiro(Portuguese) Rivera, Rivero(Spanish) Categories landforms, water, word names Entry updated December 14, 2019