Rhode Island Genealogy

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Overview of Rhode Island records

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Overview of Rhode Island Genealogy Records

• History: Rhode Island was first settled in 1647. It became a state in 1790.
• Birth records: Some birth records were kept by town clerks in Rhode Island as early as the 1630s with more complete records after 1700. Statewide registration of births began in 1853 with complete records by 1915.  Birth records from 1853 to 1920 can be obtained from the Rhode Island State Archives . Birth records from 1853 to the present can be obtained from the Rhode Island Department of Health.
• Marriage records: Some marriage records were kept by town clerks in Rhode Island as early as the 1630s with more complete records after 1700. Statewide registration of marriages began in 1853 with complete records by 1915. Marriage records from 1853 to 1920 can be obtained from the Rhode Island State Archives. Marriage records from 1853 to the present can be obtained from the Rhode Island Department of Health.
• Death records: Some death records were kept by town clerks in Rhode Island as early as the 1630s with more complete records after 1700. Statewide registration of deaths began in 1853 with complete records by 1915.  Death records from 1853 to 1970 can be obtained from the Rhode Island State Archives. Death records from 1853 to the present can be obtained from the Rhode Island Department of Health.
• Divorce records: Divorce records previous to 1905 are held by the supreme court. Divorce records after 1905 are held by the Rhode Island Family Court.
• Census records: The first federal census available for Rhode Island is 1790. There are federal censuses publicly available for 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940, and 1950. There was a colonial census taken in 1774. There were state censuses taken in 1782, 1885, 1905, 1915, 1925, and 1935.
• County records: Court, land, probate, naturalization, and tax records were kept by the individual town clerks for Bristol, Kent, and Washington counties, and by the counties for Newport and Providence counties.
• Other records: Many cities and towns kept newspapers, churches kept records, and there are records of cemeteries, histories, schools, city directories, and other records that can be located by using the city pages on this site. Records specific to minority groups can be found in the Minority Records section.
• All records: Use the links on this site to locate the online indexes and images of many of the above records.