Rhode Island Emigration and Immigration

Rhode Island Wiki Topics
Beginning Research
Guided Research Research Strategies Record Finder
Record Types
Bible Records Cemeteries Census Church Records Court Records Directories Emigration & Immigration Genealogies Land & Property	Military Records Naturalization & Citizenship Newspapers Online Records Periodicals Probate Records Taxation Vital Records
Rhode Island Background
Biography Gazetteers History	Maps Migration For Further Reading
Ethnicity
African Americans American Indians	Swedish Americans
Local Research Resources
Archives and Libraries Societies Family History Centers

United States

U.S. Emigration and Immigration

Rhode Island

Emigration and Immigration

Online Resources

• Rhode Island Passenger Lists ($)
• Rhode Island Passenger Lists by Maureen A. Taylor ($)
• Rhode Island, Davisville, Melville, Newport, and Quonset Point, Airplane Passenger and Crew Lists, 1955-1957 Browse only.

Pre-statehood settlers of Rhode Island generally were English Protestants, but liberal policies attracted French Huguenots, Blacks, Jews, and other minorities. Heavy Irish immigration began about 1830 and continued through the rest of the nineteenth century. A great influx of French Canadians began after the Civil War and continued to the turn of the century. Rhode Islanders leaving the state often went to areas such as Vermont and Nova Scotia.

Beginning about 1880, overseas emigration shifted from northern Europe to southern and eastern Europe. The Italians were the largest ethnic group to arrive at this time. Other groups who arrived in Rhode Island between 1880 and 1915 include the Portuguese colonials, Poles, and Jews from Russia.

Sources of information about ethnic groups, such as French Canadians, Blacks, and Jews, are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under RHODE ISLAND - MINORITIES.

More detailed information on immigration sources United States Emigration and Immigration.

Rhode Island Ports

• 1723-1790 Maritime Papers of Rhode Island FHL films 954931 (first of 12)

• 1726-1786 Admiralty Papers FHL films 954917–954922

• 1798-1872 Rhode Island passenger lists : port of Providence, 1798-1808, 1820-1872; ports of Bristol and Warren, 1820-1871 FHL book 974.5 W3t

• 1820-1870 Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island FHL film 830231

• 1820-1867 Providence, Rhode Island FHL films 830245-46

• 1820-1857 Newport, Rhode Island FHL film 830236

• 1829-1857 List of American seamen of Providence District pursuant to the act for the relief and protection of American seamen : found at U.S. Customs House, Providence, R.I. FHL film 022383 item 2

• 1912-1943 Passenger Lists, Providence, Rhode Island, 1911-1943; book indexes, 1911-1934; card indexes, 1911-1926 FHL films 1421060-68

• To see other indexes and information regarding Passenger Lists, access FamilySearch Catalog under:

RHODE ISLAND - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION

UNITED STATES - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION

UNITED STATES - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION - INDEXES.

• The Rhode Island Historical Society has Marine Hospital Records, Custom House passenger lists and alien passenger reports, 1798-1870, Maritime papers, 1723 to 1790 and Admiralty papers, 1726 to 1777.

Port of Boston

The major port of entry to New England is Boston, Massachusetts. The Family History Library and the National Archives have passenger lists for Boston for 1820 to March 1874 and 1883 to 1935 (listed in the FamilySearch Catalog under MASSACHUSETTS, SUFFOLK, BOSTON - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION). The following indexes are also available:

• 1820-1891 Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston 1820-1891; with index, 1848-1891 films 205656 (first film). Also online at FamilySearch Historical Records Massachusettts, Boston Passenger Lists, 1820-1891

• 1848-1891 The Massachusetts State Archives has an online searchable index for the Boston Passenger Manifest

• 1891-1943 Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, Aug. 1, 1891-1943; Book indexes to Boston Passenger Lists, 1899-1940; Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, Jan. 1, 1902-Dec. 31, 1920 FHL films 1324975 (first film)

Atlantic Ports

• 1820-1874 FamilySearch Historical Records on line United States, Index to Passenger Arrivals, Atlantic and Gulf Ports, 1820-1874 See Wiki Page article United States, Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports - FamilySearch Historical Records

• 1820-74. A Supplemental Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports (excluding New York) FHL films 418161-348

General

• Consult passenger lists of other New England ports and for ports in Canada. Records of Canadian border entries from 1895 to 1949 are on 400 films at the Family History Library. FHL films 1472801-1473201. This is also found on line at FamilySearch Historical Records United States Border Crossings from Canada to United States 1895-1956

• Names of immigrants listed in published sources to about 1920 are indexed in P. William Filby, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 15 Volumes (Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1981-) FHL book 973 W32p The first three volumes are a combined alphabetical index published in 1981. Supplemental volumes have been issued annually. There are also cumulative indexes.