Rhode Island Birth, Marriage, Divorce and Death Records

See Also Researching in Vital Records - Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century.......

Rhode Island State Vital Records Office, Rhode Island Dept of Health, 3 Capitol Hill, Rm. 101, Providence, RI 02908-5097; (401) 222-2811. It has:

• Event: Birth and Marriage 1899 to present; Cost of copy: $15.00
• Event: Death 1949 to present; Cost of copy: $15.00

Please be advised that in most cases you will receive your records more quickly from the City and Town locations than from the State Office or Order Birth and Death Records Online using Vital Chek Services! .

Rhode Island State Archives, 337 Westminster Street, Providence, RI, 02903; The repository maintains the original statewide manuscript filings for birth and marriage for the period 1852 - 1898; deaths 1853 - 1948. Alphabetical indices for these records include 1852 - 1900 (birth and marriage); 1853 - 1945 (deaths). Additionally, there are also original reported out-of-state deaths recordings for the period 1900 - 1948 (alphabetical index available) and records of delayed birth filings, 1846 - 1898 (index available). Aside from these original manuscripts the archives also maintains an extensive collection of pre-1852, municipal vital record filings (microfilm copies) dating from the earliest recordings in Providence, Westerly, Protsmouth, etc.

Family History Center, Church Latter Day Saints, 1000 Narragansett Blvd, Warwick RI, 02888; (401) 463-8150; The Family History Center has all vital records on microfilm from the colonial times to the present except divorce records, Arnold's Vital Record of Rhode Island

Rhode Island Historical Society, 121 Hope Street, Providence, RI 02906, (401)331-8575. It has

• Event: Birth, Death, Marriage or Divorce 1853 - ~1900; Cost of copy: Varies
• Event: Birth, Death, Marriage or Divorce since colonial periods; Cost of copy: Varies; Remarks: contact town clerk's office in the town where the event occurred
• Event: Divorce prior to 1962; Cost of copy: Contact Court; Remarks: Providence College Archives, Providence, RI
• Event: Divorce 1962 to present; Cost of copy: Contact Court; Remarks: Divorces were granted through all of the courts. Those granted before 1962 are at the various county superior courts. After 1962 records can be obtained-with some restrictions-from Family Court,  Garrahy Judicial Complex, 1 Dorrance Plaza, Providence, RI  02903

Although many vital events before 1853 were not recorded, those that were are fairly easy to locate. The general assembly mandated that marriage intentions be recorded beginning in 1647, although the law was not enforced. More often, marriages were reported by ministers to town clerks. Births were often recorded in family groups at different times in a family's life. Not all births were recorded even when some in the family were. Births, deaths, and marriages (both bride and groom listed separately) are recorded from the earliest settlement to 1850 and are organized according to county and town. More information is often given under the groom's entry. Towns, for the most part, still hold all of these originals in the clerk's office.

Copies of vital events recorded in towns beginning in 1853 were sent to the Rhode Island Division of Vital Statistics. The records for this time period have been stored at the Records Center, although births are still at the Health Department along with the indexes for both births and deaths. There are computerized indexes to marriages and deaths to 1900 at the Rhode Island Historical Society.

Links For Birth Records

• Rhode Island Birth Record Books at Amazon.com
• Rhode Island Births, 1636-1930: One of the smallest states in the Union, Rhode Island was also one of the earliest settlements in British North America. This database is a collection of birth records between 1636 and 1930. Each record provides the child's name, parents' names, and birth date. Taken from existing copies of the original records, this can be a useful source of detailed information. Providence Births 1636-1920, Providence Marriages 1851-1920, Providence Deaths 1636-1930, Bristol County - Barrington, Bristol, and Warren; Kent County - Coventry, East Greenwich, Warwick, and West Greenwich; Washington County - Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, and Westerly.

• Search All U.S and Foriegn Birth, Marriage and Death Records
• Search County Birth Records
• Order Birth Certificates Online

Links For Marriage Records

• Rhode Island Marriage Record Books at Amazon.com
• Order Marriage Certificates or Divorce Records Online
• Rhode Island Marriages, 1636-1930: One of the smallest states in the Union, Rhode Island was also one of the earliest settlements in British North America. This database is a collection of marriage records between 1636 and 1930. Each record provides the names of bride and groom, and marriage date. Taken from existing copies of the original records, this can be a useful source of detailed information. Providence Births 1636-1920, Providence Marriages 1851-1920, Providence Deaths 1636-1930, Bristol County - Barrington, Bristol, and Warren, Kent County - Coventry, East Greenwich, Warwick, and West Greenwich, Washington County - Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, and Westerly.
• Search U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900
• Search County Marriage Records
• Search County Divorce Records

Links For Death Records

• Rhode Island Death Record Books at Amazon.com
• Rhode Island Deaths, 1630-1930: One of the smallest states in the Union, Rhode Island was also one of the earliest settlements in British North America. This database is a collection of death records between 1636 and 1930. Each record provides the decedent's name, death date, relatives, and age. Taken from existing copies of the original records, this can be a useful source of detailed information. Providence Births 1636-1920, Providence Marriages 1851-1920, Providence Deaths 1636-1930, Bristol County - Barrington, Bristol, and Warren, Kent County - Coventry, East Greenwich, Warwick, and West Greenwich, Washington County - Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, North Kingstown, Richmond, South Kingstown, and Westerly.
• Social Security Death Index
• Obituary Collection
• Search County Death Records
• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Rhode Island obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Rhode Island newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Rhode Island.
• Search America's Obituaries (1977 to current) at Genealogybank.com - Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries - includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!