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

2. 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

3. Mean age at first marriage in Europe
Country and date
Men
Women
Bavaria
28.7
26.5
27.4
25.4
27.6
25.6
26.6
25.1
Norfolk,
24.5
Somerset,
27.9
24.6
Parma, Italy
33.2
34.3
30.4
32.2
29.1
Belgian rural families
25.3
23.9
26.4
24.1
23.1

4. 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.”

5. 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

7. 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

8. 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