Rhode Island Naturalization and Citizenship

United States U.S. Naturalizations  Rhode Island  Naturalizations

Availability
Naturalization records have been filed in the town, county and district courts. Papers filed since 1729 are often found in the records of the superior courts of judicature and courts of common pleas in Rhode Island. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of some files, including declarations from Newport County (1888 to 1905) and Washington County (1881 to 1900). To locate county naturalization records go to the Place-names Search of the Family History Library Catalog under:


 * RHODE ISLAND, [COUNTY] - NATURALIZATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Soundex Index
In the late 1930s, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) copied and indexed New England naturalization records for 1791 to 1906. The copies and index are at the National Archives Northeast Region (Boston). The National Archives in Washington, D.C., and the Family History Library have microfilm copies of the index:


 * United States, Immigration and Naturalization Service. Index to New England Naturalization Petitions, 1791-1906. Washington, D.C.: The National Archives, 1983. Some of the records are more recent than 1906. The index gives the name and location of the court, the date of naturalization, and the volume and page number (or certificate number) of the naturalization record. Also online at . (Learn more.)

The National Archives Northeast Region (Boston) also has records of the:


 * U.S. District Court (1842-44, 1888-1945)
 * U.S. Circuit Court (1846-84, 1893-1906)

If you need naturalization records after September 1906, contact the National Archives—New England Region or use the Genealogy Program at www.uscis.gov.

Web Sites
National Archives--New England Region: http://www.archives.gov/northeast/boston/

National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/

FamilySearch: www.familysearch.org