Providence County

Genealogy Research in providence 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

African Heritage and Historical Sites

Black History in the Rhode

Brown University - Black History & Culture

Early Black History in Providence Rhode Island

GoProvidence.com - 10 Interesting Facts About Black History Month in Rhode Island

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Newport Middle Passage - African American History

RI Foundation - Black Philanthropy Empowers the Community

Urban League of Rhode Island

Archives and Libraries

Arlington Branch

Auburn Branch

Central Falls Free Public Library

Cranston Public Library

Cumberland Public Library

East Providence Public Library

East Smithfield Public Library

Foster Public Library

Fox Point Branch

Glocester Manton Free Public Library

Greenville Public Library

Harmony Library

Hathi Trust Digital Library - Providence County, Rhode Island

Hope Library

Jesse M. Smith Memorial Library

Knight Memorial Library

Knightsville Branch

Library of Congress

Lincoln Public Library

Marian J. Mohr Memorial Library

Mayor Salvatore Mancini Union Free Library

Mount Pleasant Branch

North Scituate Public Library

Oak Lawn Branch

Olneyville Branch

Pawtucket Public Library Bookmobile

Pawtucket Public Library

Providence Public Library

Rhode Island State Archives

Riverside Branch Library

Rochambeau Branch

Smith Hill Branch

South Providence Library

State Library - Rhode Island

Tyler Free Library

Wanskuck Branch

Washington Park Library

William Hall Library

Woonsocket Harris Public Library

Bible records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Providence County, Rhode Island Family Bibles & Records

biographies

Biographies - Providence County Rhode Island

Genealogy Trails History Group - Providence County, Rhode Island Biography Index

RIGenWeb Project - Providence County Biographies

USGenWeb Archives - Descendants of Rev. Chad Brown through John Nicholas Brown & Harold Brown

USGenWeb Archives - Ancestors of Charles Stone Brown. Descendants of William Bailey

USGenWeb Archives - Stephen Hopkins, a Native of that Part of Providence Which is now Called Scituate

USGenWeb Archives - Prof. Thomas L. Angell, of Bates College, Lewiston, Me. From the "Free Baptist

cemeteries

Cemetery Records - Providence County Rhode Island

Find A Grave - Providence County, Rhode Island

Genealogy Trails History Group - Providence County, Rhode Island Cemetery Index

GNIS Search Results - Providence County, Rhode Island

Histopolis - Providence County, Rhode Island Cemeteries

Histopolis - Providence County, Rhode Island Graves

Interment.com - Providence County, Rhode Island Cemetery Records

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Cemetery Records

The Political Graveyard - Providence County, Rhode Island

Swan Point Cemetery - Providence County, Rhode Island

USGenWeb Archives - Clayville Cemetery, Providence Co., RI

USGenWeb Archives - Saint Francis Cemetery - Zanella surname

USGenWeb Archives - Slatersville Cemetery, Providence Co., RI

USGenWeb Archives - St Anns Cemetery - Vellucci and Zanella surname

USGenWeb Archives - St Charles Cemetery - Viotto and Zanella surname

USGenWeb Archives - Union Cemetery - Gaus and Gobbi surname

census records

church records

Congregational Library & Archives - Congregational Education Society. Records, 1816-1956

Congregational Library & Archives - Taylor, Richard H. Papers, 1968-2014

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Church Records

Providence County, Rhode Island Church History Records - FamilySearch

The Rhode Island Historical Society - Providence County Court Records

court records

Court Records - Providence County Rhode Island

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Court Records

Providence County, Rhode Island County Courthouse - FamilySearch

Providence County, Rhode Island Courthouse Records

Providence County, Rhode Island County Court Records - FamilySearch

Providence County, Inferior Court of Common Pleas, Docket, June 1763 Term - The Rhode Island Historical Society

Providence County, Justice Court, Dockets, 1809-1812 - The Rhode Island Historical Society

Providence County, Justice Court, Warwick Miscellaneous Documents, 1729-1741 - The Rhode Island Historical Society

USGenWeb Archives - Declaration Of Intent.....Zanella, Giovanni October 2, 1929

USGenWeb Archives - Declaration Of Intent.....Zanella, Guiseppina October 2, 1929

USGenWeb Archives - Declaration Of Intent.....Zanella, Giovanni September 12, 1911

directories

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island City Directories

Providence County, Rhode Island Directories - FamilySearch

disasters

estate records

history

American Ancestors - Providence County, Rhode Island

East Providence Historical Society

Genealogy Trails History Group - Providence County, Rhode Island History Topics

Histopolis - Providence County, Rhode Island History

Internet Archive - Providence County, Rhode Island History

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Histories & Genealogies

National Register of Historic Places listings in Providence County, Rhode Island - Wikipedia

New England Historic Genealogical Society - Providence County, Rhode Island

People from Providence County, Rhode Island - Wikipedia

Providence, Rhode Island - FamilyHart

Providence County, Rhode Island Genealogy - FamilySearch

Providence County, Rhode Island History - FamilySearch

Providence County, Rhode Island - Wikipedia

RIGenWeb Project - Providence County History

USGenWeb Archives - 1854 Speech by Walter Raleigh Danforth (1787-1861), Fourth Mayor of Providence, RI

USGenWeb Archives - Banking Institutions In Providence, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Banking Institutions In Greenville, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Banking Institutions In Olneyville, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Banking Institutions In Pawtucket, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Banking Institutions In Pascoag, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Banking Institutions In Slatersville, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Banking Institutions In Woonsocket, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Faculty And Staff, Brown University 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Flax And Jute Manufacturers, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - An Historical Sketch of The Town of Scituate, R.I.; Part 1

USGenWeb Archives - An Historical Sketch of The Town of Scituate, R.I.; Part 2

USGenWeb Archives - An Historical Sketch of The Town of Scituate, R.I.; Part 3

USGenWeb Archives - An Historical Sketch of The Town of Scituate, R.I.; Part 4

USGenWeb Archives - An Historical Sketch of The Town of Scituate, R.I.; Part 5

USGenWeb Archives - An Historical Sketch of The Town of Scituate, R.I.; Part 6

USGenWeb Archives - Active Membership, Providence Board Of Trade 1898

USGenWeb Archives - In Memoriaum, Members, Providence Board Of Trade 1897-1898

USGenWeb Archives - Miscellaneous Manufacturers, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Pawtucket And Central Falls Manufacturers, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Providence Circa 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Providence Manufacturers, 1898

USGenWeb Archives - Woonsocket Manufacturers, 1898

immigration and Naturalization records

Immigrant Ships - Providence County, Rhode Island

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Immigration Records

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Minority Records

Providence County, Rhode Island Naturalization and Citizenship Records - FamilySearch

land records

BLM GLO Records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Providence County, Rhode Island County Records

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Land Records

Providence County, Rhode Island Land Records - FamilySearch

maps

Digital Commonwealth - Providence County, Rhode Island Maps

Historic Map Works - Providence County, Rhode Island

Histopolis - Providence County, Rhode Island Maps

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Map Records

Maps of Rhode Island

Providence County, Rhode Island Maps - FamilySearch

RIGenWeb Project - Providence County Maps

United States Digital Map Library

miscellaneous records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Providence County, Rhode Island Miscellaneous Data

Histopolis - Providence County, Rhode Island Links

Providence County, Rhode Island External Links

Providence County, Rhode Island Resources

military records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Providence County, Rhode Island Military Index

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Military Records

Providence County, Rhode Island Military Records - FamilySearch

RIGenWeb Project - Providence County Military Records

USGenWeb Archives - Cumberland, Providence County, Rhode Island 1777 Military Census

USGenWeb Archives - North Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island 1777 Military Census

WWII Army Casualties: Rhode Island - National Archives

municipalities

Histopolis - Providence County, Rhode Island Cities

Livingplaces.com - Providence County, Rhode Island

RIGenWeb Project - Providence County City/Towns

native american genealogy

American Indian Records in the National Archives - National Archives

History.com - Narragansett History

History of Rhode Island’s Five Indigenous Tribes - Moon Travel Guides

Narrangansett Indian Tribe – Official Website of the Narragansett Indian Tribe

Native Americans Shaped Rhode Island’s History - ProvidenceJournal.com

Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame - Inductees in Native Americans

Rhode Island Historical Society - Trails of Memory in “The Narragansett Country”

Rhode Island Indian Tribes and Languages

Rhode Island Indian Tribes - Access Genealogy

Rhode Island Tribes - 500 Nations

The Works of G. Wayne Miller - Historical Injustices Against Native Americans

newspapers

Block Island Times

East Providence Post

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

The Jamestown Press

Johnston Sun Rise

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Newspaper Records

The Newport Daily News

Newspaper Abstracts - Providence County, Rhode Island

Providence County, Rhode Island Newspapers - FamilySearch

The Pawtucket Times

The Providence Journal

The Rhode Island Echo

The Valley Breeze

obituaries

photos

Digital Commonwealth - Providence County, Rhode Island Photographs

Digital Commonwealth - Providence County, Rhode Island Postcards/Cards

FamilyOldPhotos.com - Providence County, Rhode Island Photos

Old-Yearbooks.com - Rhode Island

school records

Genealogy Trails History Group - Providence County, Rhode Island School Records

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island School Records

societies

American-French Genealogical Society

Armenian Historical Association of Rhode Island

Barrington Preservation Society

Blackstone Valley Historical Society

Bristol Historical & Preservation Society

Burrillville Historical and Preservation Society

Cambodian Society of Rhode Island - Facebook

Cranston Historical Society

Cremation Society of Rhode Island - North Scituate, RI

East Greenwich Historic Preservation Society

East Providence Historical Society

Foster Preservation Society

German-American Cultural Society

Glocester Heritage Society - Glocester, RI

Johnston Historical Society

North Smithfield Heritage Association

Pawtuxet Valley Preservation & Historical Society

Providence Preservation Society

Saint Anthony Society

Santa Maria Di Prata Society

Smith-Appleby House Museum

Steamship Historical Society of America

Rhode Island Genealogical Society

Rhode Island Historical Society

Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association

Rhode Island Welsh Society

Warwick Historical Society Rhode Island

The Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society

Woonsocket Historical Society - Facebook

tax records

LDS Genealogy - Providence County, Rhode Island Tax Records

Providence County, Rhode Island Taxation Records - FamilySearch

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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