Ríos
A Spanish surname meaning “of the rivers,” originally used for someone living by several rivers or a river district.
The #237 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 2,416 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Ríos is the plural of Spanish río, “river,” ultimately from Latin rivus, “stream” or “brook.” As a surname, it is topographic and locational in sense: literally “of the rivers” or “from the rivers,” usually referring to a person who lived near rivers or came from a place called Los Ríos or a similar river-associated locality. The plural form can suggest a place with more than one river or a river-rich landscape.
History
The surname is long established in Spain and later spread widely throughout the Spanish-speaking world, especially through migration to the Americas. It also appears in forms such as del Río, de los Ríos, and Los Ríos, all related to the same river-based naming pattern. In modern usage, Ríos is common across Latin America and among Hispanic communities in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it is plural, Ríos can feel a little unusual in English—but in Spanish surnames, plural place-based forms are perfectly normal and often point to a landscape feature rather than a family count.
From the historical record
“rios. Lie, (Loadoi”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances