"Long Term Marriage Patterns in the United States from Colonial Times Tothe Present"
38 Pages Posted: 8 Mar 2000 Last revised: 23 Mar 2023
Date Written: March 1996
Abstract
Marriage in colonial North America was notable for being early (for women) and marked by low percentages never marrying. This was different from the distinctive northwest European pattern of late marriage and high proportions never married late in life. But the underlying neolocal family formation behavior was the same in both colonial North America and the areas of origin of this population. Thus, Malthus was correct. Abundant resources rather than basic behavioral differences made early and extensive marriage possible in the colonies. Between 1800 and the present there have been long cycles in nuptiality. Since about 1800, female age at first marriage rose from relatively low levels to a peak around 1900. Thereupon a gradual decline commenced with a trough being reached about 1960 at the height of the baby boom. There then began another rapid upswing in female marriage age. Proportions never married at ages 45-54 replicated these cycles with a lag of about 20-30 years. Since 1880 (when comprehensive census data became available), male nuptiality patterns have generally paralleled those of women. Male marriage ages were higher than those of females with proportions never marrying also usually higher. Considerations of differentials by race and ethnicity are important in looking at the American experience over time. Black ages at marriage have, for example, moved from being lower to being higher than those for whites. More work is needed in the period 1800 to 1880 when we lack comprehensive census, vital, and other data.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
Population, Technology, and Growth: From the Malthusian Regime to the Demographic Transition
By Oded Galor and David N. Weil
-
By Oded Galor and David N. Weil
-
The Gender Gap, Fertility and Growth
By Oded Galor and David N. Weil
-
The Gender Gap, Fertility, and Growth
By Oded Galor and David N. Weil
-
By Gary D. Hansen and Edward C. Prescott
-
Natural Selection and the Origin of Economic Growth
By Oded Galor and Omer Moav
-
Natural Selection and the Origin of Economic Growth
By Oded Galor and Omer Moav
-
From Stagnation to Growth: Unified Growth Theory
By Oded Galor
-
From Stagnation to Growth: Unified Growth Theory
By Oded Galor
-
From Physical to Human Capital Accumulation: Inequality in the Process of Development
By Oded Galor and Omer Moav