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Bristol County, Rhode Island Genealogy

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


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Bristol County, Rhode Island
Map
Map of Rhode Island highlighting Bristol County
Location in the state of Rhode Island
Facts
Founded 1685
County Seat Bristol
Courthouse
Named for: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Website: Bristol Rhode Island


Description[edit | edit source]

Bristol County is located in the east-central area of the state.[1]. The county was named for its "shire town" (county seat) - Bristol, Gloucestershire, England.

Bristol County, Rhode Island Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Known Beginning Dates for Major County Records[2]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
at town creation at town creation at town creation 1747 1747 1747 1747
Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1853. General compliance by 1915.

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Bristol County Courthouse
1 Dorrance Plaza
Warren, RI 02885-4369
Phone: 508.823.6588 

There is no Co Clk in Bristol Co; Twn & City Clks have
birth, marriage, death and probate records;
Clerk District Court has court records
Four twns in Bristol County)
Towns Organized Before 1800: Barrington 1717, Bristol 1681, Warren 1746-7

There is no county government. Government level is at town and state levels.

Parent County[edit | edit source]

17 February 1746: Created from land gained from Bristol County, Massachusetts after resolution of a boundary dispute between the two colonies .[3]

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

For animated maps illustrating Rhode Island County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Rhode Island County Boundary Maps" (1643-1963) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Places / Localities[edit | edit source]

Rhode IslandMassachusettsBristol CountyBristol CountyProvidence CountyKent CountyWashington CountyNewport CountyBristolWarrenBarringtonEast ProvidenceProvidenceCranstonWarwickEast GreenwichNorth KingstownNarragansettJamestownNewportMiddletownPortsmouthLittle ComptonTivertonSeeknokRehobothDightonSwanseaSomersetBerkleyFreetownFall RiverWestport
Modern towns and cities in Bristol County, Rhode Island. Click map to go to each respective town page.


Populated Places[edit | edit source]

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:[4]

Towns


Resources[edit | edit source]

Archives and Libraries[edit | edit source]

Asylums[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Tombstone Transcriptions Online Tombstone Transcriptions in Print List of Cemeteries in the county
Findagrave.com Family History Library Findagrave.com
RIGenWeb WorldCat Billion Graves
RIGenWeb Archives
Tombstone Project
EPodunk
Billion Graves
See Rhode Island Cemeteries for more information.

Census[edit | edit source]

For tips on accessing Bristol County, Rhode Island Genealogy census records online, see: Rhode Island Census.

Church History and Records[edit | edit source]

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Genealogy[edit | edit source]

Mailing Lists[edit | edit source]

Message Boards[edit | edit source]

History[edit | edit source]

Land and Property[edit | edit source]

Maps[edit | edit source]

ProvidenceKentWashingtonNewportBristol, MasssachusettsRI BRISTOL.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources


Military History and Records[edit | edit source]

Revolutionary War[edit | edit source]

World War I[edit | edit source]

World War II[edit | edit source]

Korean Conflict[edit | edit source]

Vietnam[edit | edit source]

Mines, Mining and Mineral Resources[edit | edit source]

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

Marriages[edit | edit source]

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Passenger Lists[edit | edit source]

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

Online Probate Records

Taxation[edit | edit source]

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

See also How to order Rhode Island Vital Records, order electronically online or download an application for Rhode Island Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate Application to mail.

Births[edit | edit source]

Marriages[edit | edit source]

Deaths[edit | edit source]

Societies, Libraries and Museums[edit | edit source]

Libraries[edit | edit source]

  • Rhode Island State Library,
    State House, 2nd floor,
    Providence, RI 02903
    Phone: (401) 222-2473
  • Rhode Island Historical Society Library,
    121 Hope Street,
    Providence, RI 02906
    TEL: (401) 273-8107
  • East Greenwich Free Library,
    82 Pierce Street East,
    Greenwich, RI 02818
  • Lincoln Public Library,
    Old River Road,
    Lincoln, RI 02865,
    Phone: (401) 333-2422
  • Louttit Memorial Library,
    274 Victory Highway,
    West Greenwich, RI 02817
    Phone: (401) 397-3434
  • Robert H Champlin Library,
    1043 Main Street,
    West Warwick, RI 02893,
    Phone: (401) 828-3750
  • Warwick Public Library,
    600 Sandy Lane,
    Warwick, RI 02886



Family History Centers
[edit | edit source]

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

Websites[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bristol, Rhode Island" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_County,_Rhode_Island accessed 3 Dec 2018
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Bristol County, Rhode Island . Page 602 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 589-591.
  3. ↑ WorldCat 50140092 ▲ FHL Collection Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed.] (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002)
  4. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Bristol County, Mississippi," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bristol_County,_Mississippi, Last accessed 10 October 2019.
v • d • e
Links to Rhode Island-related articles
Topics
Counties
Extinct Counties
Major
Repositories
American Antiquarian Society (Worcester MA) · American-French Genealogical Society · Brown University Rockefeller Library · Connecticut State Library (Hartford CT) · Davisville Free Library · Department of Health Office of Vital Records · East Greenwich Free Library · Judicial Records Center · National Archives at Boston (Waltham MA) · New England Historic Genealogical Society (Boston MA) · Newport Historical Society · Providence City Hall · Providence Public Library · Rhode Island Black Heritage Society · Rhode Island Genealogical Society · Rhode Island Historical Society · Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association · Rhode Island State Archives · Rhode Island State Library · Roger William University Library · Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence · Tiverton Public Library · University of Rhode Island Carothers Library · Westerly Public Library
Migration Routes


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