Researching YourRhode Island Ancestors

Postal Code: RI Abbreviation: R.I.
Capital: Providence
First permanent settlement: 1634 (by Rev. William Blackstone)
1636: One of original colonies
1790: Admitted as the 13 th state in 1790
Statewide birth, death and marriage records begin 1853 (Individual towns will have earlier vital records. )
State-land state.
First extant federal census: 1790; there are also colonial and state census records for Rhode Island.
State Land State
   
Books & Articles
On the Web

Handybook for Genealogists (10th or 11th edition) and/or Ancestry's Redbook (you'll want the 3rd edition) section on Rhode Island includes maps, historical information, vital records coverage and a bibliography of resources,

Sperry. Rhode Island Sources for Family Historians and Genealogists.

 

Fiske. "Genealogical Research in Rhode Island" in NEHGS no. 136 (July 1892) pp. 173-219

"Genealogical Research in Rhode Island" in NGS Quarterly vo. 88 no. 1 (March, 2000) p. 5-31

Rhode Island Roots, quarterly journal of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society, published since 1974, includes both source material and compiled genealogy

Audiotapes of lectures taped at genealogy conferences with the word "Rhode Island " in the title.

 

 

 

 

First, bookmark or print out these FHL documents:

Use the catalog at the FHL to find out what has been filmed covering the state Rhode Island ; Click View Related Places in the upper right to find sources that have been filmed for the county you are researching and once there click View Related Places in the upper right to find sources that have been filmed for the township or city. You will want to check for resources in all three jurisdictions, although most people check the county holdings first, township next and state last.

Bookmark or print out this map of Rhode Island counties. For maps of each county, view the appropriate pages of the 1895 Rhode Island Atlas.


Visit the websites of these libraries , archives and societies:

*The Rhode Island State Archives website doesn't contain information helpful to the genealogical researcher, but there is a Secretary of State page Resources for Genealogists and Historians that outlines what is available.

*The Rhode Island Historical Society - Research Library has a more helpful site; see especially their Reference Librarian page.

* Rhode Island Genealogical Society ; Find other Genealogical Societies in Rhode Island

Newspapers
* Rhode Island Newspaper Project

Vital Records
* Rhode Island Vital Records (official)
* Vitalrec Rhode Island Page

Other Resources
* Rhode Island Black Sheep

More Links
* Genealogy Today's State Gen Site: Rhode Island
* Ancestors Rhode Island Resource Guide
* Rootsweb: Rhode Island
* Genealink's Rhode Island Page
* Access Genealogy's List of Rhode Island Links
* Cyndi's List Rhode Island Page