Marriage The European marriage pattern Historical American marriage patterns Marriage boom Contemporary U.S. trends Contemporary European trends

Europe around 1900, percentages single at selected ages Age and sex group Men Women Country 20-24 25-29 45-49 Austria 93 51 11 66 38 13 Denmark 88 50 9 75 42 France 90 48 58 30 12 Britain 83 47 73 15 Germany 91 71 34 10 Hungary 81 31 5 36 4 Bulgaria 23 3 24 1 Serbia 18 16 2

Mean age at first marriage in Europe Country and date Men Women Bavaria 1701-1720 28.7 26.5 1721-1750 27.4 25.4 1751-1780 27.6 25.6 1781-1800 26.6 25.1 Norfolk, 1561-1606 24.5 Somerset, 1634-1645 27.9 24.6 Parma, Italy 1650-1699 33.2 1700-1749 34.3 30.4 1750-1799 32.2 29.1 Belgian rural families 1680-1699 25.3 23.9 1720-1739 26.4 1760-1779 24.1 23.1

Ben Franklin on marriage “... marriages in America are more general, and more generally early, than in Europe. And if it is reckoned there, that there is but one Marriage per Annum among 100 Persons, perhaps we may here reckon two; and if in Europe they have but 4 Births to a Marriage (many of their Marriages being late) we may here reckon 8, of which if one half grow up, and our Marriages are made, reckoning one with another at 20 Years of Age, our People must at least be doubled every 20 Years.”

Marriage age in the American colonies Time period / region Men Women Before 1700 26.1 19.8 Early 18th C 25.4 21.2 Late 18th C. 25.6 22.7 New England 22.3 Middle & South 25.7 20.3

Proportions single by sex and age group Marriage boom! Proportions single by sex and age group Men Women 20-24 25-29 45-49 Country and year Britain, 1939 0.83 0.47 0.10 0.66 0.35 0.17 Britain, 1951 0.77 0.53 0.22 0.15 Sweden, 1935 0.94 0.78 0.49 0.23 Sweden, 1945 0.87 0.52 0.64 0.30 0.21 Australia, 1933 0.56 0.69 0.38 0.14 Australia, 1947 0.76 0.13 United States, 1940 0.72 0.36 0.11 0.09 United States, 1951 0.20 0.08 0.31 0.07

Female marriage ages around 1960 around the world Marriage boom! Female marriage ages around 1960 around the world Libya 16.8 Albania 20.3 Denmark 22.2 Iran 19.1 Bulgaria 21.0 Belgium 22.0 Tunisia 19.2 Romania 21.1 France 22.5 Israel 21.4 Yugoslavia Sweden 23.2 South Korea 21.3 Hungary 20.7 Netherlands India Greece 24.9 West Germany 22.9 Pakistan 16.5 Austria 24.5 Taiwan United States 20.5 Switzerland 23.8 Japan 24.7 New Zealand 21.7 Spain Philippines 22.1 Canada Iceland Hong Kong 22.3 Australia Ireland 25.5 Sri Lanka Britain 21.8 Malta