Rhode Island Genealogical Society

Rhode Island Towns and Counties

See map below

Suggestions for additions and corrections are welcome. We wish to provide the most accurate information possible.

Town Founded Separated from Original Names; Notes; etc.
Barrington 1717 From Massachusetts as part of the new town of Warren in 1747, re-established as Barrington in 1770
Bristol 1681 From Massachusetts in 1747; called Mt. Hope in 1697
Burrillville 1806 From Glocester
Central Falls 1895 From Lincoln
Charlestown  1738 From Westerly
Coventry 1741 From Warwick
Cranston 1754 From Providence
Cumberland 1747 From Massachusetts; formerly called Attleboro Gore
East Greenwich 1677 Called Dedford 1686-1689
East Providence 1862 From Massachusetts; originally Rehoboth then Seekonk
Exeter 1743 From North Kingstown
Foster 1781 From Scituate
Glocester 1731 From Providence
Hopkinton 1757 From Westerly
Jamestown 1678 Indian name Conanicut
Johnston 1759 From Providence
Lincoln 1871 From Smithfield
Little Compton 1682 From Massachusetts in 1747
Middletown 1743 From Newport
Narragansett 1901 From South Kingstown
Newport 1639 Original Town
New Shoreham 1661 Admitted to Colony in 1664 as Block Island; Incorporated and name changed in 1672
North Kingstown 1641 Incorporated as Kingstown in 1674; called Rochester 1686-1689; called North Kingstown after 1723
North Providence 1765 From Providence
North Smithfield 1871 From Smithfield; called Slater for 16 days in 1871
Pawtucket 1862 Part from Massachusetts in 1862; Part from North Providence in 1874
Portsmouth 1638 Original town called Pocasset until 1639
Providence 1636 Original town
Richmond 1747 From Charlestown
Scituate 1731 From Providence
Smithfield 1731 From Providence
South Kingston 1723 From Kingstown when divided into North and South
Tiverton 1694 From Massachusetts in 1747
Warren 1747 From Massachusetts towns of Barrington, Swansea and Rehoboth; part from Bristol in 1873
Warwick 1643 Original town; called Shawmet until 1648
Westerly 1669 Called Haversham 1685-1689
West Greenwich 1741 From East Greenwich
West Warwick 1913 From Warwick
Woonsocket 1867 From Cumberland in 1867; Part from Smithfield in 1871

 

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References: Rhode Island Manual; Rhode Island Boundaries 1638-1936 (1936) J. H. Cady, History of Barrington (1898) T.W. Bicknell, Historical Data Relating to Counties, Cities and Town in Massachusetts (1975) F. Gueei