Early records on Armenian marriages in Rhode Island are dated to the early 19th century. The September 11, 1818 marriage records of Newport, a man named "Nubar Barbarian" married a Sarah Totton of St. Croix, the sister of an Army Marine. In another Vital Records Index", a person with only the name "Kourakin" passed away on September 4, 1818. In the same volume the name "Maravian" is indexed but with no information. Also in the Rhode Island Vital Records of 1827, a "T. Aronian" of Providence was married in Cranston.

Since many of the Armenian immigrants were men, they married local women. The situation changed as Armenian females started to arrive in America thereby enabling marriages within the culture. In most cases marriage occurred thanks to the efforts of match-makers exchanging photos of men and women. The groom in America was waiting for his spouse having only known her through photos. After journeying long distances filled with many dangers, Armenian young women arrived at Ellis Island ready for a new life with family commitments.

Many stories are told by first-generation Armenian Americans in Rhode Island about how their fathers, prior to 1900, came to America, worked and then returned to their villages and came back a second time, bringing with them a new wife or relative.

Early Armenian families in America were traditional with couples from the same village or area in the Ottoman Empire. Four, five, or more children were usual for traditional Armenian families, where despite difficulties, parents tried to keep the Armenian spirit and values as well as educate their children to keep their Armenian identity and language.