Bristol County

Genealogy Research in Bristol county, Rhode island

If you would like research assistance from a professional genealogist, please click the link below

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-American History of Rhode Island - Wikipedia

African Americans in Rhode Island Who Used Food to Achieve Independence

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Rhode Island's Black Heritage - Rhode Tour

Rhode Island Black Heritage Society

Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame - Inductees in African Americans

The Rhode Island Historical Society - African American History

Rhode Island African Heritage & History Timeline: 17th through 19th Centuries

Archives and Libraries

Barrington Public Library - Bristol County, Rhode Island

George Hail Free Library

HathiTrust Digital Library - Bristol County, Rhode Island

Library of Congress - Bristol County, Rhode Island

Rogers Free Library

State Archives - Rhode Island

State Library - Rhode Island

Bible records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Biographies - Familysearch.org

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

biographies

Biographies - Bristol County Rhode Island

Genealogy Trails History Group - Bristol County, Rhode Island Biographies

cemeteries

census records

Access Genealogy - Rhode Island Census Records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Census Records

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

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Census Records

Rhode Island USGenWeb Genealogy & History Project - Census Records

The USGenWeb Census Project - Bristol County, Rhode Island

church records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Church History and Records - Familysearch.org

Congregational Library & Archives - Congregationalism's Biggest Mistake

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Church Records

Rhode Island USGenWeb Genealogy & History Project - Church Records

court records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Court Records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Court Records - FamilySearch

directories

Bristol County, Rhode Island Directories - Familysearch.org

Court Records - Bristol County Rhode Island

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island City Directories

disasters

GenDisasters - Bristol, RI Fireworks Plant Explosion, Aug 1926

GenDisasters - Bristol, RI Train Runs into Cattle, Jul 1873

estate records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Probate Records - FamilySearch

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

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Probate Records

Wills - Bristol County Rhode Island

history

immigration and Naturalization records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Naturalization and Citizenship - FamilySearch

Immigrant Ships - Bristol County, Rhode Island

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Immigration Records

land records

BLM GLO Records - Bristol County, Rhode Island

Bristol County, Rhode Island Land and Property - FamilySearch

Deeds - Bristol County Rhode Island

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Land Records

maps

Bristol County, Rhode Island Maps - FamilySearch

Digital Commonwealth - Bristol County, Rhode Island Maps

Historic Map Works - Bristol County, Rhode Island Maps

Histopolis - Bristol County, Rhode Island Map

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Map Records

State and County Maps of Rhode Island

miscellaneous records

Bristol County, Rhode Island External Links

Bristol County, Rhode Island Resources

Digital Commonwealth - Bristol County, Rhode Island

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

Historic Map Works - Bristol County, Rhode Island Links

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Miscellaneous Records

Rhode Island USGenWeb Genealogy & History Project - Links

Queries - Bristol County Rhode Island

military records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Military History and Records - FamilySearch

Genealogy Trails History Group - Bristol County, Rhode Island Military Records

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Military Records

National Archives - Bristol County, Rhode Island WWII Army Casualties

New Horizons Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Military Records

Rhode Island USGenWeb Genealogy & History Project - Military Records

municipalities

Historic Map Works - Bristol County, Rhode Island Cities

New Horizons Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Cities, Towns & Villages

Rhode Island USGenWeb Genealogy & History Project - Cities & Towns

native american genealogy

Access Genealogy - Rhode Island Indian Tribes

American Indian Records in the National Archives - National Archives

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Minority Records

newspapers

Bristol County, Rhode Island Newspapers - FamilySearch

Digital Archives of The Bristol Phoenix

Digital Commonwealth - Bristol County, Rhode Island Newspapers

East Bay Newspapers

Genealogy Trails History Group - Bristol County, Rhode Island Newspaper Gleanings

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Newspapers

Newspaper Abstracts - Bristol County, Rhode Island Newspapers

Newspaper Articles - Bristol County Rhode Island

obituaries

Bristol County, Rhode Island Obituaries - FamilySearch

East Bay Newspaper Obituaries

Genealogy Trails History Group - Bristol County, Rhode Island Obituaries & Death Notices

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Obituaries

Obituaries - Bristol County Rhode Island

Obituary Central - Bristol County, Rhode Island

Obituary Index - Bristol County, Rhode Island

photos

Digital Commonwealth - Bristol County, Rhode Island Photographs

Digital Commonwealth - Bristol County, Rhode Island Postcards/Cards

Family Old Photos - Bristol County, Rhode Island

USGenWeb Archives - Penny Postcards from Rhode Island

school records

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island School Records

societies

Bristol County, Rhode Island Societies, Libraries and Museums - FamilySearch

Bristol Historical & Preservation Society

The Rhode Island Historical Society

Warren Preservation Society – The Rhode Island Historical Society

tax records

Bristol County, Rhode Island Tax Records - FamilySearch

LDS Genealogy - Bristol County, Rhode Island Tax Records

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

USA state resources

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming