Providence County, Rhode Island Genealogy

Guide to Providence County, Rhode Island ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

Description
The County is located in the north area of the state.

County Courthouse
Providence County Courthouse 250 Benefit Street Providence, RI 02903 Phone: 401-222-3250 Providence Courthouse Records are kept on the town level and not the county level. Town and City Clerks have birth, marriage and death records. Probate Judge has probate records. Family Court has divorce records. Municipal Court has court records. Recorder Deeds has land records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Poccassett Cemetery, Cranston, Rhode Island

Census Records

 * 1905 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Church Records
List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Directories

 * 1861-1924 Fold3 ($) has Providence City Directories 1861-1924 available online.
 * 1895-1935 Providence House Directories at Providence City Archives website - free. 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1905, 1907, 1909, 1911, 1913, 1915, 1917, 1919-1920, 1921-1922, 1923-1924, 1925-1926, 1927-1928, 1929-1930, 1931-1932, 1933-1934, 1935.
 * 1940 Pawtucket and Central Falls, Providence County, Rhode Island, City Directory, 1940 at MyHeritage — index & images, ($)

African Americans
Cottrol, Robert J. The Afro-Yankees : Providence's Black Community in the Antebellum Era - Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press 1982. (Contributions in Afro-American and African Studies, 0069-9624; no. 68) FHL 974.52 F2c 

Genealogies

 * 1636 Genealogy of the Descendants of Thomas Angell Who Settled in Providence, 1636 at American Ancestors — index & images, ($)

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1907-1991 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * 1778-1784, 1799-1828 The Providence Gazette at Google News - free.
 * 1779-1781 The American Journal and General Advertiser at Google News - free.
 * 1785-1795 The Providence Gazette and Country Journal at Google News - free.
 * 1799-1801 The Providence Journal at Google News - free.
 * 1800s-1999 Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry ($)

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1582-1932 Island, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1663-1775 The Providence probate records to 1775 with index at

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007

Birth

 * 1630-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1636-1930 Rhode Island Births, 1636-1930 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1800-1855 Rhode Island and Pawtucket, Massachusetts Birth Index, 1800-1855 at Ancestry - index and images ($)

Marriage

 * 1522-1989 Rhode Island, United States Marriages at at Findmypast — index, ($)
 * 1630-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1636-1930 Rhode Island Marriages, 1851-1920 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1851-1920 Rhode Island Marriages, 1851-1920 Ancestry ($)

Death

 * 1630-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images

Family History Centers

 * Franklin Massachusetts Family History Center
 * North Dartmouth Massachusetts Family History Center
 * Providence Rhode Island Family History Center
 * American French Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * David Allen Lambert Library - an affiliate library
 * Middleborough Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Roger Williams University Library - an affiliate library

Libraries

 * Rhode Island State Library State House, 2nd floor 82 Smith Street, Room 208 Providence, RI 02903 Phone: 401-222-2473 Website
 * East Greenwich Free Library 82 Pierce Street East Greenwich, RI 02818 Phone: 401-884-9510 Website
 * Greenville Public Library 573 Putnam Pike Greenville, RI 02828 Phone: 401-949-3630 Website
 * Lincoln Public Library 145 Old River Road Lincoln, RI 02865 Phone: 401-333-2422 Website
 * Louttit Memorial Library 274 Victory Highway West Greenwich, RI 02817 Phone: 401-397-3434 Email: [mailto:louttitlibrary@gmail.com louttitlibrary@gmail.com] Website
 * Robert H Champlin Library 1043 Main Street West Warwick, RI 02893 Phone: 401-828-3750
 * Warwick Public Library 600 Sandy Lane Warwick, RI 02889 Phone: 401-739-5440 Website

Societies

 * Rhode Island Genealogical Society P.O. Box 211 Hope, RI 02831 Email: [mailto:info@rigensoc.org info@rigensoc.org] Website
 * Rhode Island Historical Society 110 Benevolent St Providence, RI 02906 Phone: 401-331-8575 Website
 * Blackstone Valley Historical Society P.O. Box 125 1873 Louisquisset Pike Lincoln, RI 02865 Email: [mailto:treasurerbvhs@gmail.com treasurerbvhs@gmail.com] Website
 * Burrillville Historical and Preservation Society Box 93 16 Laurel Hill Avenue Pascoag, RI 02859 Phone: 401-568-8534 Website
 * American-French Genealogical Society P.O. Box 830 78 Earle Street Woonsocket, RI 02895 Phone: 401-765-6141 Website
 * Rhode Island Historical Society Library 121 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 Phone: 401-273-8107 Ext. 410 Email: [mailto:reference@rihs.org reference@rihs.org] Website

Websites

 * Rhode Island RIGenWeb
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Providence County.
 * Providence County RI Genealogy
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.