Map of Spain showing where the Rivas arms are recorded
The Rivas arms were recorded in Biscaye, c. 1722.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in Spain in this period.
Philip V of Spain
Sovereign of the period
Philip V of Spain
1714–1724
Reigning in Spain when the Rivas arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in Spain
In Spain, a coat of arms was considered a form of property that belonged to the entire family line. These arms were passed down from a father to all his children equally. Younger branches of the family usually kept the original design without needing to add any special marks to distinguish their specific line.
Granting authority
The Cronista Rey de Armas was the official body that regulated and granted coats of arms throughout Spain.
How they got arms
Families often obtained their arms through royal grants or by proving their noble status to the official heraldic authority.
Where arms were recorded
Coats of arms were officially recorded in the registers of the Cronista Rey de Armas starting in 1496.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Spain.
Origin & History of the Rivas Family in Spain
The surname Rivas is a topographic name that originated in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically derived from the Spanish word "ribas," which refers to the banks or shores of a river. Families carrying this name often lived near water, which was a vital resource for farming and travel in early communities. By the year 1722, historical records confirm that members of the Rivas family were well-established in the province of Biscay, located in the Basque Country of northern Spain. During this period, the family was deeply integrated into the local social structure, likely participating in the agricultural and maritime trades that defined the coastal region. As the family grew, its members moved across different Spanish territories, carrying the name from the northern mountains down to various regions in the south and eventually across the Atlantic.
Rivas Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
Ripa
Latin term meaning the bank or shore of a river.
This name
RivasA topographic surname for someone who lived near the banks of a river.
also spelled
Ryvas
Rivass
Rivaz
Reevas
Related arms
Rivazvariant spelling
Documented Sources
J. B. Rietstap, Armorial Général, Gouda: G. B. van Goor Zonen, 1884–87
Mogrobejo, Endika de. Diccionario hispano de apellidos y blasones. 1995
Archivo de la Real Chancillería de Valladolid, Registro de Ejecutorias
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cross symbolChristian faith and service
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
cross symbolChristian faith and service
fleur de lisPurity, light, and the sixth son
