Kent County

Genealogy Research in Kent county, Rhode island

Research in Rhode Island can be an exciting and rewarding experience. With records available for more than 400 years of the state's history, your family is sure to be found in a variety of records available online and at the many archives and libraries located throughout the state.

African American Genealogy

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Archives and Libraries

Apponaug Branch Warwick Public Library - Kent County, RI

Coventry Public Library

East Greenwich Free Library

Greene Public Library

Hathi Trust - Kent County, Rhode Island

Library of Congress

Louttit Memorial Library

Norwood Branch

Pontiac Free Library

State Archives - Rhode Island

State Library - Rhode Island

Warwick Public Library

West Warwick Public Library

Bible records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Kent County, Rhode Island Family Bible Records

biographies

Biographies - Kent County Rhode Island

Genealogy Trails History Group - Kent County, Rhode Island Biographies

Rhode Island GenWeb Project - Biographies East & West Greenwich

Rhode Island GenWeb Project - Biographies East & West Greenwich Vol III

Rhode Island GenWeb Project - Warwick, Rhode Island Biographies

cemeteries

census records

Access Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Census Records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Kent County, Rhode Island Census Records

Kent County, Rhode Island Census Records

Kent County, Rhode Island Census Records - Familysearch.org

Kent County, Rhode Island Federal Census Index

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Census Records

Rhode Island USGenWeb Census Project - Kent County, RI 1800 Federal Census Index

Rhode Island USGenWeb Census Project - Coventry Census 1774

Rhode Island USGenWeb Census Project - East Greenwich Census 1774

Rhode Island USGenWeb Census Project - Warwick Census 1774

Rhode Island USGenWeb Census Project - West Greenwich Census 1774

USGenWeb Archives - Kent County, Rhode Island 1790 Federal Census Coventry Town

USGenWeb Archives - Kent County, Rhode Island 1790 Federal Census East Greenwich Town

USGenWeb Archives - Kent County, Rhode Island 1790 Federal Census Warwick Town

USGenWeb Archives - Kent County, Rhode Island 1790 Federal Census West Greenwich Town

USGenWeb Archives - Kent County, Rhode Island - 1800 Census Index

church records

Internet Archive - Historical Sketches of Warwick Churches

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Church Records

Internet Archive - Historical Sketches of Warwick Churches

Rhode Island USGenWeb Project - Historical Sketches of the Churches in Warwick

court records

Court Records - Kent County Rhode Island

Kent County, Rhode Island - Justice Court Records. Warwick, Rhode Island, 1773-1784

Kent County, Rhode Island Courthouse Records

Kent County, Rhode Island Court Records - Familysearch.org

Kent County, Rhode Island - Kent County Court of Common Pleas, 1784

Kent County, Rhode Island - List of Several Judgments in Favor of the Colony Unsatisfied

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Court Records

disasters

GenDisasters.com - East Greenwich, RI Greenwich Academy Dormitory Explosion, Nov 1907

GenDisasters.com - Warwick, RI Trolley And Auto Collision, July 1911

GenDisasters.com - Warwick, RI Trolley - Auto Wreck, Jul 1911

GenDisasters.com - Warwick, RI Trolley Wreck, Jun 1900

GenDisasters.com - West Warwick, RI Terrible Nightclub Fire, Feb 2003

estate records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Kent County, Rhode Island Wills & Probate Records

Kent County, Rhode Island Probate Records - Familysearch.org

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Probate Records

Wills - Kent County Rhode Island

history

immigration and Naturalization records

Immigration Ships- Kent County, Rhode Island

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Immigration Records

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Minority Records

Kent County, Rhode Island Maps - FamilySearch Naturalization and Citizenship Records

land records

maps

Digital Commonwealth - Kent County, Rhode Island

Historic Map Works - Kent County, Rhode Island

Histopolis - Kent County, Rhode Island, United States Maps

Kent County, Rhode Island Maps - FamilySearch

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Map Records

miscellaneous records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Kent County, Rhode Island Miscellaneous Index

Histopolis - Kent County, Rhode Island, United States Links

Kent County, Rhode Island External Links

Kent County, Rhode Island Resources

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Miscellaneous

Queries - Kent County Rhode Island

military records

municipalities

Histopolis - Kent County, Rhode Island, United States Cities

Internet Archive - Historical Sketches of Warwick Churches

Rhode Island USGenWeb Project - Extractions From West Greenwich Town Council Records

Rhode Island USGenWeb Project - Original Grantees and Freemen of East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Rhode Island USGenWeb - 1709 Deed of Additional 35,000 Acres - East Greenwich, Rhode Island History

native american genealogy

Access Genealogy - Rhode Island Indian Tribes

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Minority Records

National Archives - American Indian Records in the National Archives

newspapers

Digital Commonwealth - Kent County, Rhode Island Newspapers

Digital Commonwealth - Kent County, Rhode Island Postcards

Genealogy Trails History Group - Kent County, Rhode Island Index to Newspaper Gleanings

The Kent County Daily Times

Kent County, Rhode Island Newspapers - Familysearch.org

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Newspapers

Newspaper Abstracts - Kent County, Rhode Island

Newspaper Articles - Kent County Rhode Island

USGenWeb Archives - Rhode Island American

obituaries

Genealogy Trails History Group - Kent County, Rhode Island Obituaries and Death Notices

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Obituaries

Obituaries - Kent County Rhode Island

Obituary Central - Kent County, Rhode Island

Obituary Index - Kent County, Rhode Island

Southern Rhode Island Newspapers Obituaries

photos

Digital Commonwealth - Kent County, Rhode Island Photographs

Family Old Photos - Rhode Island

USGenWeb Archives - Penny Postcards from Rhode Island

school records

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island School Records

societies

Kent County, Rhode Island Societies, Libraries and Museums - Familysearch.org

Pawtuxet Valley Preservation & Historical Society

Steamship Historical Society of America

Varnum House Museum

Warwick Historical Society Rhode Island

The Western RI Civic Historical Society

tax records

LDS Genealogy - Kent County, Rhode Island Tax Records

Kent County, Rhode Island Taxation Records - Familysearch.org

vital records

Rhode Island County Records

Many Rhode Island family records can be found online and at large state level archives and libraries in Hartford. Many millions of records aren't yet available online, though, and many of these are awaiting your discovery at the local level at county courthouses, historical societies, churches, town clerks' offices, cemeteries, and elsewhere in Rhode Island. To find these and other records, click on the links below to find more information about the specific counties where your ancestors lived in Rhode Island. You'll find information on these pages that will lead you to the specific documentation you're searching for.

It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain counties in Rhode Island have changed over the past few hundred years. Your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family history might have been located in another area entirely. When searching for land, court, tax, and other records it is also a good idea to search for these records in adjacent counties. Following is a complete list of Rhode Island's 5 counties along with their formation dates, county seats, and names of parent counties.

County

Formation Date

1747

1750

1703

1729

County Seat

Bristol

East Greenwich

Newport

Providence

South Kingstown

Parent County

Bristol County, MA

Providence County

Rhode Island County

Providence Plantations

Kings County

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