Rhode Island County Record Description & Facts

The major genealogical use for counties in Rhode Island is the pursuit of court records and federal census returns. Before 1729 there were no county courts in Rhode Island. Two counties became incorporated in 1703, Providence and Newport. By 1750 all of Rhode Island's present counties existed, and no more developed after these were formed. Bristol became a county in 1746–47 when five towns, originally belonging to Massachusetts, were ceded to Rhode Island. Probably because the rest of the country is so oriented to counties, some of the vital records have been published in “county” groups, but the records themselves only exist on a town level.

Modern court records are at the superior court at the county seat; earlier ones have been moved.

No other state has the emphasis on the town that Rhode Island enjoys. Town resources are extensive, and what follows is only a brief summary. In Rhode Island, the “town records” are usually found in the town council book or the town meeting records. Brigham’s inventory (see Court Records), Fiske’s article , and the Works Progress Administration (WPA) Historical Records Survey for the state all contain excellent summaries of what records are available for each town.

Since so much of the early material is already in print, it is wise to consult those sources first. The second column lists the date formed and the parent town/s. There are no parent counties, as such, in Rhode Island. The “Date Formed” also indicates the year one can expect to find the first recorded vital records in that town. Fiske’s article indicates which volume of Arnold (see Vital Records) corresponds to that town’s vital records. The last column indicates the beginning dates that land and probate records can be found and where the court records for that town can be located.

Chosse a link below to learn more about the stated records. These pages describes the type of records that can be found in Rhode Island research. Or you can go to a county page to learn about more localized records