How common is the surname Rivers?

38,662 people in the United States had the surname Rivers in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 7,986 Americans. It ranked 897th of 162,253 surnames.

Who is the most famous person named Rivers?

Joan Rivers, American comedian, actress, and television host (1933–2014), followed by Sam Rivers.

Where is the surname Rivers most common?

Wikidata records people named Rivers in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Is the surname Rivers getting more or less common?

More common. 35,980 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 38,662 in 2010, up 7.5%.

Is Rivers also a first name?

Yes. Rivers is used as a first name as well as a surname; its first-name page has the meaning and how many babies were given it.

The surname Rivers

A surname, carried by 38,662 people in the United States.

2 syllables Soundex R162 Also a first name

Every surname held by 100 or more people in the 2010 US Census, most common on the left (162,253 in all). Rivers is more common than 99.4% of them.

Origin

A surname.

Origin from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

How common it is

2010 US Census

There were 38,662 people named Rivers in the United States in 2010, about 1 in every 7,986 Americans. That is up 7.5% since 2000, when the Census counted 35,980.

#897

rank among US surnames

38,662

people in 2010

per 100,000 Americans

+7.5%

change since 2000 (was #879)

Rank	Surname	People	1 in
#888	Magana	39,105	7,895
#889	Blackburn	39,097	7,897
#890	Dunlap	39,063	7,904
#891	Gould	38,924	7,932
#892	Duffy	38,835	7,950
#893	Vaughan	38,830	7,951
#894	Herring	38,733	7,971

Who is named Rivers

Race and Hispanic origin as people reported it in the 2010 Census

51% of people named Rivers identified as Black (not Hispanic), 40% as white (not Hispanic) and 3.4% as Hispanic or Latino (any race).

Black (not Hispanic) 51%
White (not Hispanic) 40%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.4%
Two or more races 2.6%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.9%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.6%

Compare: most common surnames among Black Americans.

Famous Riverss

15 notable people on Wikidata, most written-about first

Joan Rivers
American comedian, actress, and television host (1933–2014)
Sam Rivers
American bassist (1977–2025)
Johnny Rivers
American rock musician, born 1942
Austin Rivers
American basketball player (born 1992)
Philip Rivers
American football player (born 1981)
Larry Rivers
American artist (1923-2002)
Sam Rivers
American jazz musician and composer (1923-2011)
K. C. Rivers
American professional basketball player, born 1987
Francine Rivers
American writer, born 1947
David Rivers
American basketball player (born 1965)
Eurith D. Rivers
American politician: Governor of Georgia (1895–1967)
Petra Rivers
Australian javelin thrower, born 1952

Notable Riverss come mostly from the United States (13), Australia (1) and the United Kingdom (1).

Questions

How common is the surname Rivers?: 38,662 people in the United States had the surname Rivers in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 7,986 Americans. It ranked 897th of 162,253 surnames.
What ethnicity is the surname Rivers?: In the 2010 Census, 51% of people named Rivers identified as Black (not Hispanic), and 40% as white (not Hispanic).
Who is the most famous person named Rivers?: Joan Rivers, American comedian, actress, and television host (1933–2014), followed by Sam Rivers.
Where is the surname Rivers most common?: Wikidata records people named Rivers in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Is the surname Rivers getting more or less common?: More common. 35,980 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 38,662 in 2010, up 7.5%.
Is Rivers also a first name?: Yes. Rivers is used as a first name as well as a surname; its first-name page has the meaning and how many babies were given it.