This is a list of free Rhode Island Genealogy Records.
These records include birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, former slave records, freedmen records, pension records, military records and more. Included as well are general United States collections if they include or could reasonably include Rhode Island residents.
Most of these collections are at free sites. Fee sites are noted. All collections at FamilySearch are free but you’ll need to be logged in with a free FamilySearch account to search these records. It’s easy to register for a free account at FamilySearch.
Rhode Island Birth Records
Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914, index
Rhode Island, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1630-1945, index & images
Rhode Island, Vital records, 1846-1898, 1901-1953, index & images
United States Births and Christenings, 1867-1931, index
United States Native American Birth and Death Records, 1885-1940, index
United States National Register of Scientific and Technical Personnel Files, 1954-1970, index
United States Public Records, 1970-2009, index
Rhode Island Marriage Records
Rhode Island Marriages, 1724-1916, index
Rhode Island Town Marriages Index, 1639-1916, index
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872, index & images
United States Western States Marriage Index, index
United States Marriages, 1733-1990, index
Rhode Island Death Records
Rhode Island Deaths and Burials, 1802-1950, index
United States, Cemetery Abstracts, index & links to images
United States Deaths and Burials, 1867-1961, index
United States Deceased Physician File (AMA), 1864-1968, images
United States Social Security Death Index, index
United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014, index & images
United States Native American Birth and Death Records, 1885-1940, index
United States, Obituaries, American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1899-2012, index & images
United States, Panama Canal Zone, Index to the Gorgas Hospital Mortuary Registers, 1906-1991, index & images
United States Public Records, 1970-2009, index
United States Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans, 1879-1903, index & images
United States, Burial Registers for Military Posts, Camps, and Stations,1768-1921, index & images
BillionGraves Index, index & links to images
CurrentObituary Index, 2001-2014, index & links to images
Find A Grave Index, index & links to images
Rhode Island Residence Records
Rhode Island Naturalization Records 1907-1991, index & images
Rhode Island, District Court Naturalization Indexes, 1906-1991, index & images
Rhode Island State Census, 1885, index & images
Rhode Island State Census, 1905, index & images
Rhode Island State Census, 1915, index & images
Rhode Island State Census, 1925, index & images
Rhode Island State Census, 1935, index & images
United States Census 1790, index and images
United States Census 1800, index and images
United States Census 1810, index and images
United States Census 1820, index and images
United States Census 1830, index and images
United States Census 1840, index and images
United States Census 1850, index and images
United States Census (Slave Schedule) 1850, index and images
United States Census (Mortality Schedule) 1850, index and images
United States Census 1860, index and images
United States Census 1870, index and images
United States Census 1880, index and images
United States Census 1890, index and images
United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890, index and images
United States Census 1900, index and images
United States Census 1910, index and images
United States Census 1920, index and images
United States Census 1930, index and images
United States Census of Merchant Seamen, 1930, index
United States Census 1940, index and images
United States Enumeration District Maps for the Twelfth through the Sixteenth US Censuses, 1900-1940, images
United States, Native American, Census of the Ute Tribe, 1944, index
United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940, index & links to images
United States, Native American, Eastern Cherokee Enrollment Records, 1908-1910, index & links to images
United States, Native American, Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation Rolls, 1848-1970, index and images
United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800 – circa 1955, images
United States, Cancelled, Relinquished, or Rejected Land Entry Case Files, 1861-1932, images
United States Homestead Final Certificates, 1863-1909, images
Rhode Island Daily Life Records
Compiled Genealogies
Family Group Records Collection, Archives Section, 1942-1969, images
United States National Register of Scientific and Technical Personnel Files, 1954-1970, index
Court Records
United States Index to Naturalizations of World War I Soldiers, 1918, index & links to images
United States Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1862-1874, images
United States, Freedmen’s Bank Records, 1865-1874, index & images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau, Freedmen’s Court Records, 1865-1872, index & images
Directories
New England – 1916 – New England Business Directory, (Part 1)
New England – 1918 – New England Business Directory, (Part 1)
Rhode Island – 1853 – The Rhode Island Register
Rhode Island – 1853 – The Rhode Island Register
Rhode Island – 1856 – The Rhode Island Register
Rhode Island – 1856 – The Rhode Island Register
Rhode Island – 1887 – The Rhode Island Business Directory
Rhode Island – 1889 The Providence Directory and Rhode Island Business Directory
Rhode Island – 1899 The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book
Rhode Island – 1900-1901 – Rhode Island German directory 1900-1901
Rhode Island – 1919 Providence Directory and Rhode Island State Business Directory
Rhode Island – 1930 – The Providence Directory and Rhode Island State Business Directory
Rhode Island – 1932 – The Providence Directory and Rhode Island State Business Directory
Rhode Island – 1934 – The Providence Directory and Rhode Island State Business Directory
Bristol County – Bristol, Warren, Barrington – 1917-1918 – The Bristol Warren and Barrington Rhode Island Directory 1917-1918
Newport County – Jamestown and North Shoreham – 1918-1919 Jamestown and North Shoreham (Block Island) Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1856 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1858 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1863 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1871 – The Newport City Directory by Boyd’s
Newport County – Newport – 1881 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1884 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1887 – Newport household directory
Newport County – Newport – 1893 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1898 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1900 – The Newport Directory by Sampson & Murdock
Newport County – Newport – 1900 – The Newport directory : containing a directory of the citizens, street directory, the city record and business directory, also directory of the summer residents
Newport County – Newport – 1904 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1910 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1917 – The Newport Directory
Newport County – Newport – 1921 – The Newport Directory Part 1
Newport County – Newport – 1921 – The Newport Directory Part 2
Newport County – Tiverton & others – 1921-1922 – Tiverton, Portsmouth, Middletown, and Little Compton Rhode Island DIrectory
Newport County – Tiverton & others – 1910 – Resident and Business Directory Tiverton, Portsmouth, Middletown, and Little Compton Rhode Island
Providence County – Johnston – 1892 – Johnston [Rhode Island] directory 1892 containing a general and business directory and street directory of Johnston, also a record of the Johnston town government, societies, churches, etc (Internet Archive)
Providence County – Johnston – 1892-1893 Johnston [Rhode Island] directory 1892-[1893-94] containing a general and business directory and street directory of John of Johnston, also a record of the Johnston town government, societies, churches, etc. (FamilySearch)
Providence County – Johnston – 1893-1894 – Johnston [Rhode Island] directory 1893-94 containing a general and business directory and street directory of Johnston, also a record of the Johnston town government, societies, churches, etc
Providence County – Providence – 1824 – The Providence Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1832 – Colored Persons Directory of Providence, Rhode Island (in Hardscrabble and Snowball)
Providence County – Providence – 1836-1837 – The Providence Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1838 – Colored Persons Directory Providence
Providence County – Providence – 1841 – Colored Persons Directory of Providence, Rhode Island (in Hardscrabble and Snowball)
Providence County – Providence – 1844 – The Providence Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1844 – Colored Persons Directory Providence 1844
Providence County – Providence – 1844-1845 – The Providence Almanac and Business Directory 1844-45
Providence County – Providence – 1844 – The Providence Almanac and Business Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1846-1847 – The Providence Almanac and Business Directory 1846-47
Providence County – Providence – 1848-1849 – The Providence Almanac and Business Directory 1848-49
Providence County – Providence – 1850-1853 – Brown’s Providence Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1856 – The Providence Almanac and Business Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1857 – The Providence Almanac and Business Directory 1857
Providence County – Providence – 1881 – The Providence Almanac and Business Directory 1881
Providence County – Providence – 1885 – Providence Rhode Island Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1889 – The Providence directory 1889
Providence County – Providence – 1889 – The Providence Directory and Rhode Island Business Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1892 – The Providence directory 1892
Providence County – Providence – 1905 – The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book
Providence County – Providence – 1912 – The Providence directory 1912
Providence County – Providence – 1913 – The Providence directory 1913
Providence County – Providence – 1914 – The Providence directory 1914
Providence County – Providence – 1919 – The Providence directory 1919
Providence County – Providence – 1919 – The Providence Directory and Rhode Island State Business Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1920 – The Providence directory 1920
Providence County – Providence – 1928-1929 – Directory of officers and students, 1928-1929 by Brown University
Providence County – Providence – 1930 – The Providence Directory and Rhode Island State Business Directory 1930
Providence County – Providence – 1932 – The Providence Directory and Rhode Island State Business Directory 1932
Providence County – Providence – 1934 – The Providence Directory and Rhode Island State Business Directory 1934
Providence County – Providence – 1935 – Providence City Directory, searches only/no images
Providence County – Providence – 1952 – Polk’s Providence (Providence County, R.I.) City Directory by Polk
Providence County – Providence – 1976 – Providence (Providence County, R.I.) City Directory
Providence County – Providence – 1990 – Providence Rhode Island City Directory by Polk
Providence County – Providence – 1993 – Providence Rhode Island City Directory by Polk
Providence County – Providence – 1996 – Providence Rhode Island Cross-Reference Directory by Polk
Providence County – Woonsocket – The Woonsocket, Rhode Island, directory 1910
Providence County – Providence – Providence House Directories, Providence City Archives, ONSITE ONLY
Employment Records
United States Panama Canal Zone, Employment Records and Sailing Lists, 1905-1937, index & images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Hospital and Medical Records, 1865-1872, index & images
United States National Register of Scientific and Technical Personnel Files, 1954-1970, index
United States Index to General Correspondence of the Pension Office, 1889-1904, index and images
Ethnic Records
African American
United States Freedmen’s Branch Records, 1872-1878
United States, Freedmen’s Bank Records, 1865-1874, index and images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau, Freedmen’s Court Records, 1865-1872, index and images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Hospital and Medical Records, 1865-1872, index and images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau Miscellaneous Records, 1865-1872, index & links to images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau, Records of Freedmen, 1865-1872, index & images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau Ration Records, 1865-1872, index and images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau Claim Records, 1865-1872, index and images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau Labor Contracts, Indenture & Apprenticeship Records, 1865-1872, index and images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau Records of Persons and Articles Hired, 1865-1872, index and images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau, Land and Property Records, 1865-1872, index and images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau, Freedmen’s Bureau, Records of the Superintendent of Education and of the Division of Education, 1865-1872, index and images
United States Freedmen’s Branch Records, 1872-1878, images
United States Freedmen’s Bureau, Records of Freedmen’s Complaints, 1865-1872, index and images
United States Freedmen’s Branch Records, 1872-1878, images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872, index & images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Hospital and Medical Records, 1865-1872, index and images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Ration Records,1865-1872, index and images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau, Records of the Assistant Commissioner, 1865-1872, images
United States, Freedmen’s Bureau, Records of the Commissioner, 1865-1872, images
Native American
United States Native American Birth and Death Records, 1885-1940, index & links to images
United States, Native American, Census of the Ute Tribe, 1944, index
United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940, index & links to images
United States, Native American, Eastern Cherokee Enrollment Records, 1908-1910, index & links to images
United States, Native American, Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation Rolls, 1848-1970, index and images
Japanese American
United States, War Relocation Authority Centers, final accountability rosters, 1942-1946, index and images
United States Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II, 1942-1946, index
Government & Legal
United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925, index
Libraries, Museums, & Archives
Onsite at a FamilySearch Library / Family History Library
FamilySearch Catalog collections for Rhode Island available onsite only
FamilySearch Catalog collections for Rhode Island, onsite and possibly online
For example, in the second link above, there is a Bible Records collection, if you follow the link to a single collection, a digital version of Miscellaneous Bible and cemetery records is available online. You may need to be logged in to your FamilySearch account to view these library collections from home.
Immigration, Emigration, & Citizenship Records
United States, New England Petitions for Naturalization Index, 1791-1906, index & images
United States, New England Passenger & Crew Lists, 1911-1954, index & images
United States, New England Seamen’s Identification Cards, 1918-1940, images
United States Index to Naturalizations of World War I Soldiers, 1918, index & links to images
United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925, index and images
United States Border Crossings from Canada to United States, 1895-1956, index
United States, Border Crossings from Canada to United States, 1894-1954, index & links to images
United States Border Crossings from Mexico to United States, 1903-1957, index
United States Germans to America Index, 1850-1897, index
Unites States Russians to America Index, 1834-1897, index
United States Italians to America Index, 1855-1900, index
United States Index to Alien Case Files, 1940-2003, index & links to images
United States Index to Passenger Arrivals, Atlantic and Gulf Ports, 1820-1874, index and images
United State Famine Irish Passenger Index, 1846-1851, index
United States Panama Canal Zone, Employment Records and Sailing Lists, 1905-1937, index and images
Names & Surnames
Irish Surnames in Rhode Island & the Irish Counties they Represent, Providence City Archives
Passenger & Crew Lists
United States, New England Passenger & Crew Lists, 1911-1954, index & images
United States, New England Seamen’s Identification Cards, 1918-1940, images
Pension Records
United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934, index & images
United States Index to General Correspondence of the Pension Office, 1889-1904
Prisons/Prisoners Records
United States, War Relocation Authority Centers, final accountability rosters, 1942-1946, index and images
United States Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II, 1942-1946, index
Societies
American-Canadian Genealogical Society
Taxes
United States Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1862-1874, images
Rhode Island Military Records
Revolutionary War
United States Revolutionary War Compiled Service Records, 1775-1783, index links to images
United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872, index and images
United States Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Applications, 1800-1900, index links to images
United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, index and images
United States Revolutionary War, Virginia Pension Application Files, 1830-1875, images
United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783, index and images
United States Casualties of Army Personnel, Dependents and Civilian Employees, 1961-1981, index
United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949, index & images
United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914, index & images
United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872, index & images
United States Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, index & images
United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783, index & images
United States, Burial Registers for Military Posts, Camps, and Stations,1768-1921, index & images
War of 1812
United States War of 1812 Index to Pension Application Files, 1812-1910, index and images
United States War of 1812 Index to Service Records, 1812-1815, index and images
Mexican-American War
United States Mexican War Pension Index, 1887-1926, index & images
United States Mexican War Index and Service Records, 1846-1848, index & images
US Civil War
United States Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865, index & links to images
United States Civil War Service Records of Union Colored Troops, 1863-1865, index & links to images
United States Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1864-1866, index & links to images
United States Civil War Soldiers Index, 1861-1865, index
United States Civil War Unfiled Papers of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865, index & links to images
United States Civil War Widows and Other Dependents Pension Files, 1861-1934, index & links to images
United States Civil War and Later Pension Index, 1861-1917, index & links to images
United States Confederate Navy and Marine Service Records, 1861-1865, images
United States Confederate Officers Card Index, 1861-1865, images
United States Civil War Confederate Applications for Pardons, 1865-1867, index & links to images
United States Civil War Confederate Papers of Citizens or Businesses, 1861-1865, index & links to images
United States Civil War Records of Confederate Nonregiment Soldiers, 1861-1865, index & links to images
United States Records of Headstones of Deceased Union Veterans, 1879-1903, index and images
United States Records of Confederate Prisoners of War, 1861-1865, images
United States Register of Confederates and Civilians Who Died in the North,1861-1865, index and images
Indian Wars
United States Index to Indian Wars Pension Files, 1892-1926, index & images
Spanish-American War
United States Index to Service Records, War with Spain, 1898, index & images
World War I
United States, YMCA World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919, index & images
United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, index & images
United States, World War I American Expeditionary Forces Deaths, 1917-1919, index
World War II
United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, index
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, index & images
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 images
United States World War II Prisoners of War of the Japanese, 1941-1945, index
United States, World War II Prisoners of War, 1941-1945, index
Korean War
United States, American Prisoners of War During the Korean War, 1950-1953, index
United States Casualties of Army Personnel, Dependents and Civilian Employees, 1961-1981, index
United States Korean War Battle Deaths, 1950-1957, index
United States Korean War Dead and Army Wounded, 1950-1953, index
United States Korean War Repatriated Prisoners of War, 1950-1954, index
Vietnam War
United States Casualties of the Vietnam War, 1956-1998, index
United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890, index and images
United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934, index and images
United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949, index and images
United States Index to General Correspondence of the Pension Office, 1889-1904, index and images
United States Military Personnel who Died During the Vietnam War, 1956-2003, index
United States Casualties of Army Personnel, Dependents and Civilian Employees, 1961-1981, index
United States Casualties of the Vietnam War, 1956-1998, index
Veterans, Enlistments, Pensions
Rhode Island Military Discharge Papers Index, 1944-1985, index
United States National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938, index and images
United States Naval Enlistment Rendezvous, 1855-1891, index and images
United States Navy Widows’ Certificates, 1861-1910 index & links to images
United States Old War Pension Index, 1815-1926, index and images
United States Registers of Enlistments in the U.S. Army, 1798-1914, index and images
United States Remarried Widows Index to Pension Applications, 1887-1942, index and images
United States Union Provost Marshal Files of Individual Civilians, 1861-1866, images
United States Union Provost Marshal Files of Two or More Civilians, 1861-1866, images
United States Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933, index & images
United States, Burial Registers for Military Posts, Camps, and Stations,1768-1921, index and images
United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940, index
United States General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934, index and images
United States Mormon Battalion Pension Applications, 1846-1923, index & links to images
United States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps, 1798-1937, index and images
Rhode Island Modern Helps
Research
Step-by-Step Rhode Island Research, 1880-Present
Comments