Show ContentsRives History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Rives family

The surname Rives was first found in Dorset where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Rives family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rives research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1570, 1583, 1596, 1643, 1648, 1652, 1677, 1690 and 1693 are included under the topic Early Rives History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rives Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ryves, Rives and others.

Early Notables of the Rives family

Distinguished members of the family include Bruno Ryves (1596-1677), an English royalist churchman, Dean of Chichester, Dean of Windsor and in 1643, editor of the Oxford newsbook Mercurius Rusticus. He was grandson...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rives Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rives Ranking

In the United States, the name Rives is the 8,025th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Rives is ranked the 2,052nd most popular surname with an estimated 3,060 people with that name. 2

Ireland Migration of the Rives family to Ireland

Some of the Rives family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Rives migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rives Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Rives, who landed in Virginia in 1663-1664 3
  • Edward Rives, who arrived in America in 1674
Rives Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Rives, who settled in America in 1742
Rives Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Peter Rives, who landed in America in 1809 3
  • Reuben Rives, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
  • John Rives, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Rives (post 1700) +

  • Hallie Erminie Rives (1874-1956), American best-selling popular novelist
  • Jack L. Rives (b. 1952), Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the American Bar Association
  • Brigadier-General Tom Christopher Rives (1892-1975), American Chief of the Radio & Radar Subdivision, Air Material Command in 1945 4
  • Donald Earl Rives (b. 1951), former American professional American football player
  • Zeno John Rives (1874-1939), U.S. Representative from Illinois
  • Francis Everod Rives (1792-1861), U.S. Representative from Virginia
  • George Lockhart Rives (1849-1917), served as United States Assistant Secretary of State
  • Alexander Rives (1806-1885), Virginia lawyer, politician, and federal judge
  • William Cabell Rives (1793-1868), American lawyer, politician and diplomat
  • Joey Rives (b. 1963), former American professional tennis player
  • ... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Tom Rives. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Rives/Tom_Christopher/USA.html


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