NATIONAL CENTER Series 21 

For HEALTH STATISTICS INumber 10 

VITAL and HEALTH STATISTICS


DATA FROM THE NATIONAL VITAL STATISTIB SYSTEM 

Marriage


Statistics


Analysis
 PRoPmw OFTHE 

FWLWATIWS MMNCH 

United States, 1962 EUT- LWWW 

An analytical study of marriage trends as affected by 

trends in age-sex composition of the population; and 

of age-at-marriage trends; and of differences in age at 

marriage as by previous marital status of partner, by 

month selected for marriage, and by type of ceremony 

(civil or religious) selected. 

.— 

Washington, D.C. January 1967 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 

HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Public Health Service 

John W. Gardner Wil Iiam H. Stewart 

Secretary Surgeon General 

I


. 
., 

Public Health Service Publication No. 1000-Series 21-No. 10 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office 

,,1, .n. .fl . 
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS 

FORR13ST E. LINDER, PH. D., Di?’ector 

THEODORE D. WOOLSEY, Deputy Director 

OSWALD K. SAGEN, PH. D.,, Assistant Director 

WALT R. SIMMONS, M.A., Statistical Advisor 

ALICE M. WATERHOUSE, M.D., Medical Advisor 

JAMES E. KELLY, D. D. S., Dental Advisor 

LOUIS R. STOLCIS, M.A., Executiue O/ficer 

DONALD GREEN, in/orrnatiQn O//icer 

DIVISION OF VITAL STATISTICS 

ROBERT D. GROVE, PH.D., Chief 

ANDERS S. Lu N DE, PH.D.,, Assistant Chief 

ROBERT A. ISRAEL, M.S., Cbie/, Morlality Statistics Branch 

ARTHUR A. CAMPBELL, Cbie/, Naiality Statistics Branch 

CHARLES R. COUNCIL, Chic/, Registration Methods Branch 

ARTHUR A. CAMPBELL, Acting Chic/, Marriage and Divorce Branch 

Public Health Service Publication No. 1000-Series 21-No. 10 

.Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 66-62203 
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CONTENTS


Introduction 

Reporting of 1962 Marriage Statistics 

Marriages and Marriage Rates in the United States _“- -_ 

Marriages and Marriage Rates by Geographic Area, 1958 -62---------------

Regions 

Divisions and States---------------------"---------------------------

Trends. in Marriages, Marriage Rates, and Population, 1940 -62------------

Age at Marriage 

Trends, l953-62----------------------------------------------------

Median Age of Bride and Groom by Age of Partner for First-Married 

Couples, 1960-62 

Age at Marriage by Previous Marital Status and ColorAge at Remarriage 

Month of Marriage by Age of Bride and of Groom 

W> Marriages by Type of Ceremony by Age of Bride and of Groom 

Appendix. ‘Notes to Tables 

Figu~e 

1.


2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

Trends in percents of resident men and women in specified age


intervals


Cumulative percentage distribution ofage atfirstmarriage of bride and


of groom: total of19 selected States


Median age atfirst marriage ofbride andofgroom: total of19 selected


States


Median age atfirst marriage ofbride andofgroom, by specified ageof


partner: marriage-registration area


Percentage distribution of marriages, by age by previous marital sta­


tus and color of bride and of groom: marriage-registration area


Percentage distribution of marriages, by month for specified agesof


bride and of groom: marriage-registration area


Percent of first marriages and of remarriages performed as acivil


ceremony, by age of bride and of groom: marriage-registration area-­


,. 

Page 

1 

1 

1


3


3


4


7


11


11


14


16


16


19 “


25


27


11


13


14


15


17


21


25


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CONTENTS—Con. 

Table 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

16. 

11. 

12. 

Estimated number of marriages and marriage rates with percent changes


from preceding year: United States, 1920.62------------------------


Estimated marriage rates per 1,000 unmarried women 15years ofage


and over and 15-44 yearsof age: UnitedStates, 1940-62--------------


Estimated marriage rates per l,000menandwomen15 years of”age and


over: United States, l94O-62--------------------------------------


Marriages and marriage rates: United States, eachregion,division, and


State, l9S8-62------------------------------------------.----_:--


Marriage rates and percentage distribution, by resident status ofbride


and of groom in State where married: marriage-registratio~ area and


each registration State, 1962--------------------------------------


Marriages and marriage rates as percentages of 1959-61 average for


each series: United States, 1940-62--------------------------------


Percentage distribution of all marriages and first marriages ofbride


and of groom, by age at marriage and median age: total of19 selected


States, l953-62--------------------------------------------------


Median age atfirst marriage ofbride andofgroom, by specified ageof


partner: marriage-registration area, 1960 -62------------------.,


Marriages by color, previous marital status, and age of bride andof


groom: marriage-registration area, 1962--------------------------


Median age at marriage, and first-and third quartiles ofage atmar­


riage, by marital status of widowed and divorced brides and grooms:


marriage-registration area, 1962----------------------------------


Percentage distribution of marriages, by month according to specified


age of bride and ofgroom: marriage-registration area, 1962---------


Percentage distribution of first marriages and remarriages ,by@eof


ceremony performed according to age ofbrideandof groom: marriage-


registration area, 1962 - - - - - - - - --


Page 

2 

3 

4, 

5’ 

8 

10 

12 

16 

18 

20 

24 

2’6 
.

SELECTED MARRIAGE STATISTICS, 1962 

UNITED STATES 

ISTIMATED NUMBER OF MARRIAGES.. .1,577,000	 MARRIAGE RATE per 1,000 

total poptiation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...8.5 

ESTIMATED MARRIAGE RATES 

‘er 1,000 unmarried women Per 1,000 women 15 years 

5yearsof age Andover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...71.2 of age and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23.9 

‘er 1,000 unmarried women Per 1,000 men 15 years 

5-44 years of age . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...138.4 of age and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25.5 

.. 

MARRIAGE-REGISTRATION AREA 

WIIMATED NUMBER OF MARRIAGES . . . . 984,787	 MARRIAGE RATE per 1,000 

total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.7 

‘ERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF MARRIAGES RATIO OF RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES 

Y AGE TO CIVIL CEREMONIES 

Brides Grooms First ReUnder 20 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37.6 13.6 marriages marriages 

20-24 years, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34.4 43.9 Brides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 to 1.0 1.7 to 1.0 

25-29 years, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.9 16.7 Grooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 to 1.0 1.7 to 1.0 

30-34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.9 

35-44 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..m 7.3 

7.4 

8.8 . 

MEDIAN AGE AT MARRIAGE 

All First 

45 years And over . . . . . . . . . . 7.1 9.6 marriages marriages 

ERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF 

[ARRIAGES BY MARRIAGE ORDER 

First Remarriages marriages 

Brides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.9 23.1 

.Grooms . . . . . . . . . . . . 77.6 22.4 

Brides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.8 20.2 

Grooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.1 23.0 

PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF MARRIAGES -

BY PREVIOUS MARITAL STATUS 

Brides Grooms 

Single . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79.9 80.4 

Widowed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.3 4.6 

Divorced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.8 15.0 
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THIS REPORT IS the second analytic study of marviage statistics in the 

Sevies 21 presentations of data fvom the nationul vital statistics system. 

It is the fkst study to analyze and interpret the statistics from ankal 

tabulations of data fvom mayyiage certificates. Some data for the perioa’ 1960-62 aye pYesented” ati” also longey historical tvends in mawiage 

Yates. 

A summavy of completeness of cove~age fov the data is followed by national .Wends in mayyiage Yates and comparisons of mayyiage Yates and 

theiv trends in 1958-62 among regions, geographic divisions, and States. 

Most Yegional maryiage Yates ave highest in the Sozith Region and the 

West and lowest in the Novthwest. Differences among the States in vates 

(by place of occurrence) ave aflected” by the proportions of all mavYiages which aye those of ncvwesident couples. 

In the next section, tyends in annual totals and Yates of marriage foy the 

yeavs 1940-62 are compaYed including the transformation of each series to inuex numbevs using the peYiod”1959-61 as a base. Relationships 

of ‘these trends to overall population gvowth and changes in age-sex 

composition aye also pyesented. 

The last section of-the study is a detailed an.dysis of data on age at , 

mayyiage as this vayies by age of pavtney, by coloY and mayitai status 

before rnamiage, by choice of the month foy the mavriage, and by 

choice of a civil OY Yeli@”ows ceyemony. 

SYMBOLS 

Data not available


Category not applicable


Quantity zero


Quantity more than O but less than 0.05----


Figure does not meet standards of


. . . 

-

0.0 

* reliability or precision 

I 
MARRIAGE STATISTICS ANALYSIS 

Carl E. Ortmeyer, Ph. D., and E~zabeth l?. White man, Division of Vita.t Statistics 

INTRODUCTION marriage record forms of certain States. Marriage ceremonies, for example, could not be 

This report analyzes the marriage statistics classified as civil or religious for Ohio. Data on 

tabulated in the National Center for Health Statis - color of brides and grooms were not available “ 

tics for 1962 and discusses trends in these sta- for California, New Jersey, and Ohio. The previtistics. It supplements tables of marriage statis- ous marital. status of brides and grooms who were 

tics published in Volume III of Vital Statistics of remarrying could not be tabulated for Michigan 

the United States for each of the years 1960, and Ohio. The number of times married for 

1961, and 1962. More detailed tabulations and previously married brides and grooms could not 

descriptions of sampling and processing proce- be tabulated for Idaho, Kansas, Maryland, anti 

dures appear in these volumes. Oregon. 

With respect to completeness of reporting, 

Reporting of 1962 Marriage Statistics annual and monthly totals of marriages for the 

United States and all the 50 States and the ‘District 

Totals by county and month were available of Columbia were available. No other data except 

for the entire United States, but statistics from totals of marriages by county were obtained for 

1962 marriage records were available only from the 38 percent of the Nation’s marriages which 

the marriage-registration area (MRA). When the occurred in States outside the marriage-regisMRA was established on January 1, 1957, it in- tration area. Data on month of marriage, and, 

cluded 29 States, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, for brides and grooms, on age or date of birth 

the Virgin Islands, and New Orleans, which par- and whether or not previously married were on 

ticipated separately New York City was not in- reporting forms for the entire marriage -regis -

cluded since it lacked facilities for reporting txation area; hence these data were available 

marriage licenses and certificates. At that time from records of 62 percent of the 1962 marriages 

the MRA included 56 percent of the resident in the United States. Data on civil and religious 

population of the United States. By January 1, ceremonies were available for 55 percent of all 

1962, Alaska and Hawaii had become States and 1962 marriages, on number of marriages of 

four other States and the District of Columbia had previously married persons for 57 percent, on 

been added to the MRA, which then included 128 marital status before marriage of the widowed 

million persons, 69 percent of the resident pop- .and’ divorced for 54 percent, and on color for 48 

ulation of the country. In this report the 1962 percent. 

MRA figures are for the 35 participating States 

and the District of Columbia. Figures for New MARRIAGES AND MARRIAGE 

Orleans are included with those for Louisiana. 

Data for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are 

RATES IN THE UNITED STATES 

shown in Vital Statistics of the United States, 1962. In 1962 the number of marriages edged upWithin the marriage-registration area, data ward slightly from the 1961 total of 1,548,000 to 

for a few variables are incomplete, largely be- 1,577,000. This was larger than most annual 

cause the relevant items do not appear on the totals of the 1950’s but not those of the 1940’s. 

1

------------------------

------------------------------------

Table 1. Estimated number of marriages and marriage rates with percent changes from


preceding year: United States, 1920-62


[%x Appendix for note:] 

. 

Percent Rate per Percent
 1,000
 Area and year Number change in resident change in


number population rate


1961------------------------------------1,548,000 +1.6 %2 

1960------------------------------------1,523,000 +1.9 8.5 

1959------------------------------------1,494,000 +3.0 8.5 +1.2 ‘1958------------------------------------1,451,000 -4.4 8.4 -5.6 

1957------------------------------------1,518,000 -4.2 8.9 -6.3 

1956------------------------------------1.585.000 +3.5 9.5 +2.2 

1955------------------------------------1;531;000 +2.8 9.3 +1.1 

1954------------------------------------1,490,000 -3.6 9.2 -6.1 

1953------------------------------------1,546,000 +0.4 9.8 -1.0 

1952------------------------------------1,539,318 

1951------------------------------------1,594,694 

-3.5 

-4.4 1::: -4.8 

-6.3 

1950------------” 1,667,231 +5.5 11.1 +4.7 

1949------------------------------------1,579,798 -12.8 10.6 -14.5 

1948------------------------------------1,811,155 -9.1 12.4 -10.8 

1962------------------------------------1,577,000 +1.9


1947------------------------------------1,991,878 -13.1 13.9 -15.2 

1946------------------------------------2,291,045 +42.0 16.4 +34.4 

1945------------------------------------1,612,992 +11.1 12.2 +11.9 

1944------------------------------------1,452,394, -7.9 10.9 -6.8 

1943------------------------------------1,577,050 -11.0 11.7 -11.4 

1942------------------------------------;,;;;,;;; -!-4.5 13.2 +3.9 

1941------------------------------------ +6.3 12.1 +5.0 

1940------------------------------------1:595;879 +13.7 12.1 +13.1 

1939------------------------------------1,403,633 +5.5 10:7 +3.9 

1938----------------------------------- 1,330,780 -8.3 10.3 -8.8 

1937------------------------------------1,451,296 +6.0 11.3 +5.6 

1936------------------------------------1,369,000 +3.2 10.7 +2.9 

1935------------------------------------1,327,000 +1.9 10.4 +1.0 

1934------------------------------------1,302,000 +18.6 10.3 +18.4 

1933------------------------------------1,098,000 +11.8 8.7 +10.1 

1932------------------------------------ 981,903 -7.4 7.9 -801 

1931------------------------------------:,:;:,:9: -5.9 -6.5 

1930------------------------------------ -8.6 -8.9 

1929------------------------------------1:232;559 +4.2 +3.1 

1928------------------------------------1,182,497 -1.5 -3.0 

1927------------------------------------1,201,053 -0.1 -1.O 

1926------------------------------------1,202,574 +1.2 10.2 -1.0


1925------------------------------------1,188,334, +0.3 10.3 -1.0


1924------------------------------------1,184,574 -3.7 10.4 -5.5


1923------------------------------------1,229,784 +8.4 11.0 +6.8


1922 1,134,151 -2.6 10.3 -3.7


1921------------------------------------1,163,863 -8.7 10.7 -10.8


1920------------------------------------1,274,476 +10.8 12.0 +9.1

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-------------------------

Table 2. Estimated marriage rates per 

1,000 unmarried women 15 years of age 

and over and 15-44 vears of a~e: United 

States, 1940-62 “ 

[See Appendix for notes] 

Year Rate 

15 years of age and over 

1962------------------------------ 71.2 

1961------------------------------ 72.2 

1960--------------------?--------- 73.5 

1959------------------------------ 73.6 

1958------------------------------ 72.0 

1957------------------------------ 78.’0 

1956------------------------------ 82.4 

1955------------------------------ 80.9 

1954------------------------------ 79.8 

1953------------------------------ 83.7 

1952------------------------------ 83.2 

1951 ------- 86.6 

1950----’ 90.2 

1949------------------------------- 86.7 

1948------------------------------ 98.5 

1947------------------------------ 106.2 

1946------------------------------ 118.1 

1945------------------------------ 83.6 

1944------------------------------ 76.5 

1943------------------------------ 83.0 

1942------------------------------ 93.0 

1941------------------------------ 88.5 

1940------------------------------ 82.8 

15-44 years of age 

1962------------------------------ 138.4 

1961------------------------------ 145.4 

1960------------------------------ 148.0 

1959------------------------------ 149.8 

1958------------------------------ 146.3 

1957------------------------------ 157.4 

1956------------------------------ 165.6 

1955------------------------------ 161.1 

1954------------------------------ 154.3 

1953------------------------------ 163.3 

1952------------------------------ 159.9 

1951------------------------------ 164.9 

1950------------------------------ 166.4 

1949------------------------------ 158.0 

1948------------------------------ 174.7 

1947------------------------------ 182.7 

1946------------------------------ 199.0 

1945------------------------------ 138.2 

1944------------:----------------- 124.5 

1943------------------------------ 133.5 

1942------------------------------ 147.6 

1941------------------------------ 138.4 

1940------------------------------ 127.4 

The marriage rate per 1,000 resident population 

was 8.5 in 1962. 

The 1962 marriage rate is lower than any 

rate shown in table 1 except the rate for1932 

and those fortheperiod since 1957, during which 

the rate has been virtually stable. 

‘IWO other marriage rates are available annually from 1940. The marriage rate per 1,000 

unmarried women 15 years of age andoIder was 

71.2 in 1962, a figure which was lower tbanany 

other in the series (table 2). The rate per 1,000 

unmarried women aged 15-44 years was 138.4— 

lower than anycomparable figureafter1945.Marriage rates per l,OOOmen and women 15years of 

age and over were estimated especiallyfor this 

analysis (table 3) and are discussed in the 

section on trends. 

MARRIAGES AND MARRIAGE RATES 

BY GEOGRAPHIC AREA, 1958-62 

Each rate shown in. table 4 is based on the 

estimated population residing in the area on July 

1 of the specified year. It measures the extent 

to which couples ,whetherresident ornonresident, 

marry in the area relative to the population of 

the area. These rates and their rankings are 

reviewed below for regions, divisions, and States 

for the 5years 1958-62. 

Regions 

Among the regions, the Northeast had the 

lowest rate each year and the North Central the 

next lowest. The highest rates were found in 

either the South or the West throughout the 

period 1958-62. 

Comparisons of these differences with regional differences in age-specific rates forunmarried adults were obtained in 1960. Agespecific rates for unmarriedmenandwomenwere 

computed for each region. Age-at-marriage dis- , 

tributionswereestimatedfrom anationwideprobability sample of marriage records, and base 

populations were taken from the 1960 decennial 

census.1 Age intervals were 14-19,20-24, 25-29, 

30-34, 35-44, 45-64, and 65 years and over.,; 

lNational Vital Statistics Division: Vital Statistics of the 

United States, 1960, Vol. III. Public HeaIth Service. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1964. table L-L. 

240-481 O-67—2 3 
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Table 3. Estimated marriage rates per 

1,000 men and women 15 years of age and 

over: United States, 1940-62 

[SeeAppendixfornotes] 

Year 

Men 

1962------------------------------

1961------------------------------

1960------------------------------

1959------------------------------

1958------------------------------

1957------------------------------

1956------------------------------

1955------------------------------

1954------------------------------

1953------------------------------

1952------------------------------

1951------------------------------

1950------------------------------

1949------------------------------

1948------------------------------

1947------------------------------

1946------------------------------

1945------------------------------

1944------------------------------

1943------------------------------

1942------------------------------

1941------------------------------

1940------------------------------

Women 

1962------------------------------

1961------------------------------

1960------------------------------

1959------------------------------

1958------------------------------

1957------------------------------

1956------------------------------

1955------------------------------

1954------------------------------

1953------------------------------

1952 ----- -z1951------------------------------

1950------------------------------

1949------------------------------

1948------------------------------

1947------------------------------

1946------------------------------

1945------------------------------

1944------------------------------

1943------------------------------

1942------------------------------

1941------------------------------

1940----s 

%ate 

25.5 

25.5 

25.4 

25.2 

24.8 

26.4 

27.8 

27.2 

26.9 

28.2 

28.3 

29.4 

30.7 

29.4 

34.0 

37.9 

44.5 

35.8 

31.2 

32.2 

35.6 

34.0 

32.3 

23.9 

24.0 

24.0 

23.8 

23.5 

24.9 

26.4 

25.8 

25.4 

26.7 

26.8 

28.1 

29.8 

28.5 

33.0 

36.8 

42.8 

30.5 

27.8 

30.6 

34.8 

33.7 

32.3 

These rates indicate that unmarried persons 

at all ages were marrying at higher rates’ in the 

South and West than in the Northeast. Toa lesser 

degree and with two exceptions the rates in the 

South and West are above those for the North 

Central Region. Factors other than regional 

differences in the age composition of the unmarried populations therefore account for regional differences in overall marriage rates. 

Among those likely to be important are employment opportunities for young persons, historical 

trends in the proportion of persons remaining 

single,the age distributions of divorced persons 

(who remarry at, high rates), and the influenceon 

each specific rate of the numbers of nonresident 

brides and grooms who marry within that region 

or of residents marrying elsewhere. 

Divisions and States 

Marriage rates per 1,000 residentpopulation, 

were consistently higher in New England than”in 

the Middle Atlantic States. New Hampshire, the 

New England State with the highest marriage 

rate, ranked sixth in the Nation in 1962 and 

either seventh or eighth” each year from 1958to 

1961. (Forty-one percent of all the couples married in New Hampshire in 1962 were couples 

who did not reside in the State, as shown in table 

5.) Rates for most of the New England States remained relatively constant throughout the 5-year 

period (table 4). 

The rates for each Middle Atlantic State 

throughout the period were also comparatively 

constant. Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania had 

marriage rates whichputthem in the lowestonefifth of all States. 

Rates in the two North Central geographic 

divisions were approximately’equal in each year 

of the 5-year period, varying only from ,7.5 to 

7.9. The 1962 rates for the five States in the East 

North Central Division varied from 9.3 for 

Indiana to 6.0 for Wisconsin. Among the seven 

States in the West North Central Division, South 

Dakota with the highest rateof9 .6ranked15thin 

the Nation in 1962. Iowa’srate declined sharply 

in 1961 and 1962, following the adoptionin 1961 
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Table 4. Marriages and marriage rates: United States, each region, division, and State, 1958-62


[SeeAppendix
fornotes]


Region, division, and State
 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958


Number


United Statesl .,577,36C L,547,94: 1,523,381 1,494,00( 1,451,000


All regions


Northeast


~:lCentral


Yest


Northeast


New England


MiddleAtlantic


North Central


East North Central


West North Central


South


South Atlantic


East South Central
 West South Central


Weat


Mountain


Pacific


New England


Maine


New Rsmpshire
 Vermont


Massachusetts


Rhode Island


Connecticut


MiddleAtlantic


New York


New Jersey


Pennsylvania----:


East North Central


Ohio


Indiana


Illinois


Michigan


Wisconsin


West North Central


Minnesota


Iowa


Missouri


North Dakota


South Dakota
 Nebraska


Kansaa


lData are estimated.


2Data are incomplete.


309,423 308,52S


404,830 403,329


565>225


297,882 %:x


76,174 75,463


233,249 233,066


287,188 284,581


117,642 118,748


275,939 1268,554


1:+;:::; 1;:;:;::


136,131 1130,492


161,751 155,488


7,980 7,908


7,852 7,347


3,131 3,161


33,557 33,614


5,575 5,640


18,079 17,793


122,871 I;fi
,~7:


41,462


68,916 69;617


66,963 66,076


43>464 42,261


87,645 88,692


65,002 63,320


24,114 24,232


24,635 24,123


18,981 21,962


35,192 3:,:;;


4,212


6,954.. 6;213


11,185 10,976


16,483 16,249


1308,24! 2301,100
 2;;;:$;; 9400,191 383,234


~::::j;; ,521,799
 $?::%? 245,252


76,206 177,35[ 74,177


235,27: 230,895 226,923


267,733


%::?: Z:;;$j 2115,501


1261,885 1257,75! 1247,324


1110,300 99,70: ~114,787


2162,016 1163,27: 159,688


1122,818 1122,629 1111,361


151,286 141,79$/ 133,891


7,860 7,599 7,564


7,337 7,287 6,997


3,268 ~ 3,235 3,371


34,050 35,950 33,583


5,814 5,770 5,659


17,877 17,509 17,003


123,620 120,517 121,322


39,820 38,659 38,398


71,835 71,719 67,203


68,043 66,877 65,240


42,050 40,982 38,949


87,529 87,281 83,400


61,090 58,826 55,159


24,573 25,637 24,985


23,596 

.24,774 

23,188 23,554 

“3:,;5; %%: %:% 

4,282 4,275 

5;787 

10,591 

5>861 

10,724 

5,702 

10,607 

15,824 16,040 15,440 

1962 1961 1960 1959 1958


Rate per 1,000


resident population


8.: 8.! 8.: 8.:
 _ _ _


6.7 6.[ *7.C


7.7 7.: -7.e
 9.$


9.$ ?! l;:;


7.1 7.; 7.3


6.6 6.; 6.9


7.t 27.8
 ;:: 7.t 7.8


10.1 110.1 110.1


9.: ~9.2
 1;:; 19.; 9.6


18.4 118.C 117.9


7.1 7.1 7.1


1;:: 1;:: 1!:$


8.1 8.2 8.4


6.5 6.6


6.3 6.6 ;::
 6.9 7.0 7.1


7.4
 H ::: 6.6


6.1 6.1 6.3


6.7 7.0 

9.3 HI 

8.8 ::7 

$: 7.9 7.8 

6.0 6.1 6.2 

7.1 7.0 6.9


6.8


8.2 ;:? %$’


6.7 6.8 6.4


9.6 8.9 8.5


7.7 7.7 7.5


7.4 7.4 7.3


5

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Table 4. Marriages and marriage rates: United States, each region, division, and State, 19.58-62—Con.


[SeeAppendix
fornotes]


Region, division, and State
 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958


~ 

Rate per 1,000 South Atlantic Number resident population 

Delaware 2,585 2,560 2,394 2,383 2,311


Maryland 40,518 39,977 40,320 39,770 39,926 12: .12?1::$ 12$ 1:::


District of Columbia3 9,381 9,101 8,600 8,377 8,094 11.9 11.7 1;.; 11. O 10.7
 Virginia 39,703 38,300 37,542 37,768 36,326 9.3 9.3 . 9.6 9.3
 Weat VLrginia 13,487 7.5
 North Carolina 33,968 1,3;;:::; 1,3:;:$:; 1,3;;:;;: l,3j;:
j;: 7.2 L3&$ .,3~:; L3&; 1’3::;
 South Carolina 41,240 39,997 38,964 38,661 37,856 16.8 16.6 16.4 16.5 16.4
 Georgia 53>553 52,062 49,448 48,928 47,219 13.1 13.0 12.5 12.6 12.4
 Florida 41,504 40,934 39,315 38,588 34,569 7.6 7.8 7.9 8.0 7.5


East South Central


Kentucky 326,207 326,185 126,489 18,323 26,204 ‘8.5 38,6 18.7 6.1 8.8
 Tennessee 33,396 31,666 30,668 30,213 27,675 8.8 8.6 8.6 8,0
 Alabama 33,611 32,723 31,910 30,722 24,506 1::: 9.8 9.8 9.6
 Mississippi 22,007 21,610 21,233 20,447 36,402 9.7 9.7 9.7 9.6 1;:;


West South Centra 1


Arkansas ‘18,951 218,768 218,318 18,394 215,333 310.3 ~lo.4 ~lo.3 10.5 28.9 Louisiana 23,523 7.3 6.7 Oklahoma 1:;$; 1;:;::: 28,496 l$$:; : ;%%: 113.1 ll;:; Ii:; 11:;; 114.8 Texas 98,371 96,244 291,679 93,258 89,821 9.7 9.7 9,6 9.9 19.7


Mountain


Montana 5,051 5,635 5,892 6,228 6,142 7.2 9.3 Idaho 11,934 11,151 10,068 9,343 9>522 1;.: 1::: 1::1 14.2 12:; Wyoming 3,196 3,267 ll::g[~ 2,955 . 1;:; 1::; 1;:; 1::: Colorado~-------------- 17,037 ;1:::1:. 115,895 114,691 New Mexico 12,132 ‘11,825 11,051 11,113 25,814 J:: 212,0 11.6 12.1 26.6
 Arizona 10,724 10,426 10,153 10,251 19,805 7,2 8,1 18.2
 Utah 7,653 7,400 7,119 6,734 6,600 ;:; ::; 7.8
 Nevada3 68,404 63,967 59,373 60,365 55,832 L9~:i 201.8 !08.1 ?1::: 107.6


Pacific


Washington 28,950 27,659 328,230 328,556 327>961 9.6 9.4 39.9 J1O.1 310.1


Oregon 11,122 10,798 10,606 10,166 9,896 6.2 6.1 6.0
 California 114,128 10;,:;; 105,352 101,314 9:,:;: 6.7 6.7 6.7 ::: :;;.
 Alaska 2,067 1,861 1,763 8.5 8.9 8.2 7.2
 Hawaii 5,484 5;298 5,237 4,958 4;727 7.9 8.0 8.3 ;% 7.8


lData are estimated.


,2Data are incomplete.


3Marriage licenses issued.


6

of more restrictive legal requirements for marriage. 

Of the three geographic divisions in the South, 

the South Atlantic Division had the highest marriage rate in each year during 1958-62 and the 

East South Central had the lowest except for 

1958. 

The eight States andthe District of Columbia 

in the South Atlantic Division varied more in the 

levels of their rates for the S-year period than 

did the States of any other division. Rates ranged 

from the 16-17 level. of South Carolina (one of 

the three highest rates in the Nation) to the 5-6 

level of Delaware, which had the lowest rate for 

the United States each year. In three States— 

Georgia, Maryland, and Virginia—and in the 

District of Columbia high marriage rates were 

associated with high proportions (30-40 percent) 

of marriages in which both bride and groom lived 

outside the State. 

With three exceptions, marriage rates in the 

four States in the East South Central Division 

varied relatively little. The Mississippi rate 

dropped in 1959 when new legal requirements for 

marriage such as health examinations and waiting 

periods were introduced, while rates in adjoining 

Alabama and Tennessee rose as well as in 

Arkansas. Administrative changes in reporting 

probably account for the 1959 drop for Kentucky. 

Three of the four West South Central States— 

Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas—had rates high 

enough to rank in the upper third of all States in 

the Nation. 

In the Mountain Division, hTevada easily led 

all other States in the Nation with a rate of 

marriages based on resident population over 11 

times as high as either of the next two States, 

Idaho and South Carolina. Nevada reported 4.3 

percent of all marriages in the Nation in 1962 

(and 2.3 percent of all divorces). Idaho’s rate 

rose from 14.2” in 1959 to 17.0, the next highest 

rate after Nevada in 1962. 

Washington led the five States in the Pacific 

Division with rates varying between 9.4 and 10.1. 

The rates for both California and Oregon were 

below the 8.5 rate for the Nation. It is interesting 

to note that both States adjoin States with unusually high marriage rates, Nevada and Idaho. 

Nevada and Idaho ;hare a common boundary. 

Every other State adjoining Nevada and three of 

the other five adjoining Idaho have marriage rates 

below the rate for the United States. 

In the cases of three States described above, 

a high marriage rate was associated with a high 

proportion of marriages to nonresident couples. 

Given the great variations among the States in 

percentage of such marriages (table 5), it is not 

surprising that a rate of all marriages occurring 

in each State based on the State’s resident population should be highly correlated with the proportion 

of couples who are nonresident. Indeed, the rank 

order correlation between all MRA States ranked 

by rate and the same States ranked by percent 

nonresident among all couples who married in 

1962 was +0.72. However, 0.72 does not represent 

perfect correlation. A few States such as Alaska, 

Florida, Hawaii, and Louisiana ranked high on the 

marriage rate relative to their rankings on proportion of couples nonresiden~ in the case of a 

few others (Connecticut, Delaware, and Iowa) the 

relative rankings were reversed. Variation among 

the States in this marriage rate also reflects 

factors such as proportions of the population in 

the marriageable ages and proportions of persons 

who eventually marry. 

TRENDS IN MARRIAGES, 

MARRIAGE RATES, AND 

POPULATION, 1940-62 

The years 1958-62 represent a “sea-level” 

shelf in the long-term trend in marriage totals 

and rates following a period of relatively marked 

ascents and declines. The marriage rate per 

1,000 resident population for the United States 

reached a peak (12.0) after World War I in 1920. 

It dropped to 10.3 in 2 years and except for two 

annual rates remained between 10.0 and 10.4 

until 1929. During the first years of the economic 

depression of the early 1930’s the rate dropped 

sharply to a low of 7.9 in 1932. There was an even 

sharper recovery by 1934 to a rate of 10.3 followed 

by a rise to 11.3 for 1937, a dip in 1938, and a 

moderate increase in 1939 (table 1). 

In 1940, the first year of the detailed analysis 

of trends in this report, the rate per 1,000 resident population rose to 12.1, slightly above its 

peak after World War I of 12.0. By 1942 it reached 

13.2 but then dropped to 10.9 by 1944 as young 

7 
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Table 5. Marriage rates and percentage distribution, by resident status of bride and of groom


in State where married: marriage-registration area and each registration State, 1962


rRates for all States shownintable 4. Percentages basedonsample dataandcomputed ontotals excluding figures for resident satusnotstated. 

SeeAppendix for addition~l gotes] 

Resident status in State where married


Rate Resident Nonresident


Area per 1,000 bride bride


resident
 All
 population marriagea


Alabama


Alaska


California


Connecticut


Delaware


District of Columbia


Florida


Georgia


Hawaii


Idaho


Indiana


Iowa-----------------------------


Kansan


KentuckyI


Louisiana


Maine


Maryland


Massachusetts


Michigan


Mississippi


Montana


Nebraska


New”Hampshire


New Jersey


New York (excl. N.Y.C.)----------


Ohio


Oregon


Pennsylvania


Rhode Island---------------------


South Dakota


Tennessee


Utah


Vermont


Virginia


Wisconsin


Wyoming


lData are incomplete. 

Non-
 Resident re~;nt Resident resident


groom groom
 groom groom


Percentage distribution 

7.7 100.0 79.5 6.4 2.3 11.8 

10.1 100.0 76.9 6.0 14.2 

8.5 100.0 89.5 2.3 ::? 

6.7 

6.9 

100.0 

100.0 

92.0 3.6 1.3 

71.8 10.3 2.7 ;:: 

15.3 

1?:2 100.0 100.0 

72.0 13.8 

31.3 13.9 1$:: 

10.1 

43.9 

100.0 88.1 

i;;? 100.0 57.0 ;:: $: 3::: 

100.0 91.2 2.2 3.3 

J:: 100.0 43.5 2.5 5::: 

9.3 

6.8 

100.0 

100.0 

81.7 ::; 1.4 

78.2 8.4 2.1 

12.5 

11.3 

100.0 76.8 10.9 4.6 

100.0 78.9 7.4 2.8 1::: 

100.0 91.8 1.5 

100.0 79.1 J:! ::: 5.7 

12.5 100.0 49.4 3.6 3;.; 

6.5 

8.1 100.0 87.7 4.6 ::: 

9.7 100.0 75.8 6.5 3.3’ 1::: 

7.2 100.0 82.9 8.6 

100.0 75.4 ::: ::$ 13.2 

100.0 47.8 8.8 2.5 40.9 

100.0 82.1 8.6 2.9 6.4 

100.0 89.1 5.0 0.5 5.4 

100.O 91.6 5.4 0.5 2.6 

100.0 88.2 6.6 1.7 3.5 

100.0 87.4 7.0 1.9 3.6 

6.3 100.0 75.0 16.6 1.8 

9.6 100.0 51.5 2.1 3::; 

100.0 73.8 ::: 1.9 16.0 

100.0 77.2 7.0 5.6 10.1 

8.1 100.0 68.9 13.0 4.3 13.7 

100.0 80.8 1;:? . 

100’00 59.5 6;1 3.7 30.7 

;:: 100.0 90.1 1.2 1.6 

9.6 100.0 64.0 1::; 3.7 21.8 

8

men moved from this country to the theaters of 

operations in World War II. The rate surged upward to a peak of 16.4 in 1946 during the demobilization of the Armed Forces after World War 

II. This rate was almost 25 percent higher than 

the peak in 1942 and 37 percent above the 12.0 

peak after World War L During the next 3 years 

the rate dropped successively by 15, 11, and 15 

percent, continued to decline irregularly to 8.4 

in 1958, and remained at 8.5 from 1959 to 1962. 

The following analysis describes in somewhat 

more detail the interrelationships among trends 

in number of marriages and rates and their relationships to population growth and to changes in 

the age and sex composition of the population. 

There are some limitations on the trend data 

used in the analysis. Distributions of brides and 

grooms by age are lacking except for one year, 

1960. Were they available, both age-specific and 

age-adjusted rates could be computed. Estimates 

of the resident unmarried population, including 

Armed Forces living in barracks but not with 

their families, are not currently available for 

intercensal years (years other than those ending 

in O). Age-specific marriage rates in 1960 for 

males and females by marital status prior to 

marriage could be estimated for the United 

States. The number of marriages expected on the 

basis of these 1960 rates could also be computed 

for each year since 1940., provided of course that 

the resident population by age, sex, and marital 

status could be estimated. Such annual expected 

totals would depict a trend based entirely on 

changes in the age, sex, and marital status 

composition of the population. The difference between the trend in these expected totals and the 

trend in observed totals could then be definitely 

attributed to increases or decreases in specific 

rates of marriage. However, it would not be 

possible to estimate the degrees of change in 

any specified age, sex, or marital status groups. 

For table 6, average annual numbers and rates 

for the period 1959-61 have been converted into 

bases, each set equal to 100.0, for transforming 

the figures for each year into index numbers expressed as percents of the base figures. 

The years 1959-61 were selected because they 

were in the middle of a period of relative stability in marriage totals and rates? 1958-62. 

During this period the proportion of the population in the marriageable ages was relatively 

small because of the low fertility rates of the 

1930’s. For convenience in obtaining base populations for the rates, the period also is centered on 

the year of the 1960 census. 

Although the marriage total was 51 percent 

larger in the peak year 1946 than the 1959-61 

average, the rate per 1,000 total population was 

94 percent larger than its corresponding average. 

Thus overall population growth since about 1946 

has exceeded the increase in number of marriages. 

However, this growth in population has not 

been evenly distributed by sex and age. As shown, 

in figure 1, growth rates were greatest in the 

youngest age groups for both sexes and in the 

oldest age group for women. Proportions of the 

population in the age groups where most marriages occur declined. Only a scattering of brides 

and grooms were under 15 years of age and 95 

percent of all grooms and 97 percent of all brides 

iq 1962 were less than 55 years of age. In 1940 

the age gr6up from 15 to 54 years included 60 

percent of all males and the same percent of females. By 1962 this group included only 51 percent 

in each case. 

During the years immediately following 

World War II, 1946 to 1949, the rate per 1,000 

unmarried women 15 years of age and older declined more sharply than did the rate per 1,000 

total women aged 15 years and over. The former 

rate dropped from 79 percent to 19 percent above 

its 1959-61 level, while the latter declined from 61 

percent to 18 percent above its 1959-61 level. 

This change in relationship between the’ trends in 

these two rates during this 4-year period reflects the fact that numbers of marriages were 

large enough to markedly decrease the proportion of unmarried females in the age group 15 

years and over. Since 1949 the numbers of marriages have not been great enough to decrease 

this proportion appreciably or small enough to 

increase it. 

Differences in trends in the rates for men 

and women 15 years of age and older during 

World War II show that many women waited until 

after the War to marry-the rate for women 

having declined more than that for men in 1943 

and 1944. 

A temporary imbalance in the sex ratio at 

peak marriage ages is occurring in the period of 

about 1960-68 si,nce the large cohorts born around 

9 

l–

Table 6. Marriages and marriage rates as Dercentafzes of 1959-61 avera=e for each 

ser~es: United St;tes, 19;0-62 

[See Appendix for note~ 

Year 

1959-61------------------

1962---------------------

1961---------------------

1960---------------------

1959---------------------

1958---------------------

1957---------------------

1956---------------------

1955---------------------

1954---------------------

1953---------------------

1952---------------------

1951---------------------

1950---------------------

1949---------------------

1948---------------------

1947---------------------

1946---------------------

1945---------------------

1944---------------------

1943---------------------

1942---------------------

1941---------------------

1940---------------------

Marriages per 1,000 

of 

marriages 

per 1,000 

total 

population 

age and 

Men 

over per 1,000 

unmarried 

women 15 years 

of age and over 

100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100,0 

103.7 100.1 100.5 99.8 97.0 

101.7 100.1 100.5 100.2 98.3 

100.1 100.1 100.1 100.2 100.1 

98.2 100.4 99.3 99.4 100.2 

95.3 99.2 97.8 98.2 98.1 

99.8 105.1 104.1 104.0 106.2 

104.2 112.2 109.6 110.3 112.2 

100.6 .109.8 107.2 107.8 110.2 

97.9 108.7 106.0 106.1 108.7 

101.6 115.7 111.2 111.5 114.0 

101.2 116.9 111.6 111.9 113.3 

104.8 122.8 115.9 117.4 117.9 

109.6 131.1’ 121.0 124.5 122.9 

103.8 125.1 115.9 119.0 118.1 

119.0 146.4 .134.0 137.8 134.2 

130.9 164.2 149.4 153.7 144.6 

150.6 193.7 175.4 178,8 160.9 

106.0 144.1 141.1 127.4 113.9 

95.4 128.7 123.0 116.1 104.2 

103.6 138.2 126.9 127.8 113.0 

116.5 155.9 140.3 145.4 126.7 

111.4 149.9 134.0 140.8 120.5 

104.9 142.9 127.3 134.9 112.8 

Number Marriages persons 15 years of Marriages 

World War II are reaching the peak ages for 

first marriage (18 for women but 21 for men). 

There were marked increases in birth ratesat 

the beginning of World War II andagainin 1946 

and 1947 after World War H. Women born in 

1940 arid 1941, and reaching age 18in 1958and 

1959, were more numerous than men born in 

1937 and 1938, who reached age 21 in1958 and 

1959. Similarly, women borninl 946and1947,and 

reaching age 18 in 1964 and 1965, were more 

numerous thanL men born in 1943 and 1944, who 

reached age 21 in 1964 and 1965. Itmaybe that 

some women who would ordinarilymarryat age 

18 are delaying marriage until older ages. 

., 

(Women who marry while in their twenties are 

more likely to marry men of the same age than 

are women who marry atages under 20.) 

Beginning in1963 it will be possible tocompute age-specific marriage rates for both brides 

and grooms marrying for the first time (for 

marriages occurring in the marriage-registration area). Analyses of trends in marriage totals 

and in overall rates can then be carried outto 

determine the extent to which these trends result from changes in age-specific rates forcohorts in the marriageable ages orfromincreases 

in the numbers in successive cohorts. 

10 
MEN 

100 

90 

80 

70 

60 

I I 

50 50 . .. k 25-34 years I 25-34 yeors’ 

. t I 

1.-[GmG’q 

10 

.,. 

1940 1945 1950 1955 [960 

YEAR 

Figure 1. Trends in percents of resident men and women in specified age intervals, 

As these larger cohorts ofbirths reach the 

peak marriage ages of early adulthood, the proportions of the population in the marriageable 

ages will continue to increase and overall marriage rates should again increase. While thecontinuation of the relative stability of the overall 

rates since thenyidfifties shouldnotbe taken for 

granted, considering their much sharper fluctuationsin the preceding twoorthreedecades ,itwill 

be possible to separate, to some extent, the influences ofchanges insizes ofbirth cohortsfrom 

changes in age-specific rates. 

AGE AT MARRIAGE 

Trends, 1953-62


Age at marriage is shown for 19 States for 

the period 1953-62 in table 7. Five of the 9 States 

in the Northeast Region are included, 4 of the 12 

in the North Central, 6 of ‘the 16 in the South, and 

4 of the 13 in the West. 

The predominant trend in. age at marriage 

from 1953 to 1961 was a continuous increase in 

the percentage of brides and grooms who married 

240-481 O-67—3 “11 
------------

------------

---------------

---------------

------------

Table 7. Percentage distribution of all marriages and first marriages of bride and of groom, by


age at marriage and median age: total of 19 selected States, 1953-62


[Selected States areAlabama,Connecticut, Delaware,Georgia,ldaho,10W, Kansas,Maine,Ma~yl.nd,Michigan,
Montana,New Hampshire,New


York(excl.N.Y.C.),Oregon,SouthDakota,Tennessee,Vermont,Virginia, and Wyoming. See Appendixforadditional
 notes~


Age and marriage order	 =T=T= , 

1959 1958 1957 1956 =F=F ALL MARRIAGES


B- Percentage distribution


All ages 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 LOO.O 100.0 100.0 

Under 20 years ------------ 39.7 4L.7 40.1 39.9 39.7 38.7 37.8 36.9 35.9 34.9 20-24 years --------------- 33.2 31.8 31.9 31.8 31.9 32.2 32.7 33.5 33.4 33.6 25-29 years --------------- 8.3 8.8 8.8 10.0 10.4 10.8 11.2 30-34 years --------------- 4.8 ::: 5.0 5.4 H ;:: 5.7 5.8 6.0 6.3 35-44 yeara ---------------

45-64 vears --------------- M M ::: ;:? ::: R M u z:; R 

65 yea~s and over--------- 0.8 0.7 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.6 

Median age---------------- 21.5 21.3 21.5 21.6 21.6 21.8 21.9 22.0 .22.1 22.2


Groom


All ages 100.0 100.0 100.0 LOO.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 LOO.0 100.0 100.0 

Under 20 years------------ 14.3 14.6 13.6 13.1 12.7 12.1 11.2 10.9 11’.3 10.9 

20-24 years 44.6 45.2 44.0 44.3 44.3 43.6 44.2 43.7 42.0 41.9 

25-29 years--------------- 16.3 15.3 17.0 16.9 17.6 18.9 19.2 19.9 20.0 19.8 ‘< 

30-34 years 8.0 8.6 

,35-44 vears--------------- ::: ;:: ;:: ::; ;:: i:; u 8.5 %: 9.2 

45-64 bears--------------- :.; 8.0 7.5 7.4 7.8 

65 years and over--------- H . 2.0 ;:: 2.0 ;:: ;:; 1.7 M 1.7 

Median age---------------- 24.0 23.9 24.1 24.2 24.2 24.3 2&.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 

FIRST MARRIAGES


Bride


All ages------------ 100.0 100.0 LOO.O LOO.0 100.0 LOO.0 100.0 I.00.O100.0 100.,0


Under 20 yeara------------ 50.8 52.2 50.7 50.7 50.0 48.6 47.6 46.4 45.4 44.2 

20-24 years--------------- 37.8 36.2 36.9 36.6 36.7 37.1 37.7 38.5 38.7 39.1 

25-29 years--------------- 6.2 6.1 6.8 6.7 7.1 7.8 8.1 8.4 8“.9 9.3 

30-34 years--------------- 2.3 2.6 2.6 2.9 3.1 3.1 3.3 3.5 

35-44 yeara--------------- ;:: 2.1 R 2.5 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.8 

45-64 years--------------- ;:; ?:: 

65 years and over--------- M ;:: 0.0 0.1 ::: ::: ;:; ;:: ::! M 

Median age---------------- 19.9 19.8 19.9 19.9 20.0 20.2 20.3 20.5 20.6 20.7 

Groom


All ages 100.0 LOO.0 LOO .0 LOO.O 100.0 LOO .0 100.0 LOO.0 100.0 100.0 

Under 20 years------------ 18.3 18.3 17.4 16.7 16.1 15.3 14.0 13.8 14.4 13.8 

20-24 yeara--------------- 55.0 55.6 53.9 54.4 54.1 53.0 53.7 53.1 51.5 51.6 

25-29 yeara--------------- 16.5 15.7 17.9 17.5 18.4 19.9 20.2 21.0 21.2 21.0 

30-34 years--------------- 5.0 4.7 5.3 5.7 5.7 5.9 6.0 6.1 6.8 

35-44 years--------------- 3.4 3.9 3.7 3.8 3.8 4.0 4,1 4.1 ::2 4.7 

45-64 years--------------- 1;7 1*9 

65 yeara and over--------- H ::; ::; 0.2 ;:; M ::? ::! 0.1 

Median age---------------- 22.9 22.8 23.0 23.1 23.1 23.3 23.4 23.4 23.5 23.5 

12

— 

100 

90 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1953 [954 1955 1956 1957 1956 1959 1960 1961 1962 

YEAR OF MARRIAGE 

Figure 2. Cumulative percentage distribution of age at first marriage of bride and of groom: ‘total of 

19 selected States. 

when under 20 (fig. 2). Between 1961 and 1962, 

however, this figure decreased from 41.7 to39.7 

percent. The 1962 figure is the same as that for 

1958. In contrast, the percent ofall brides in the 

age group 20-24 years increased from 31.8 in 

1961 t033.2in1962 .Thepercentofbrides marryinginthis age group had changed littlefrom 1959 

to 1961. The percent of grooms whowere under 

20 years of age at marriage remained atabout 

thessme levelin both 1961 and 1962. 

The proportion of all first-married brides 

under age 20 at marriage also decreased (from 

52.2 percent in 1961 to 50.8 percent in 1962); 

the offsetting increase occurred chiefly in the 

group aged 20-24 years. Themedian ageat first 

marriage of brides increased from 19.8 years in 

1961 to 19.9 years in 1962 (fig. 3). Although the 

1962 increase in median age was slight, itwas 

the only increase in the 10-year period. Theproportion of first-married grooms under age 20 

13 
BRIDE GROOM 

24 24 

23 — 23 — 

~ 22 — ~ 22 – 

m a a a 

L L o 0 

(n


m 21 — R 21


cl u
 w U
 ?- >


20 — 20 — 

19 — 19 

0 I I I I I I I I 0 I I I I I I I I 

1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1953 1954 1955 [956 1957 1958 1959 1960 i961 1962 

YEAR OF MARRIAGE 

Figure 3. Median age at first marriage of bride and of groom: total of 1$)selected States, 

was 18.3 percent, the same as in 1961. The percent of grooms aged 20-24 years also remained 

approximately the same in 1962, butthe percent 

aged 25-29 years increased slightly. The median 

age at marriage of first-married grooms also 

increased slightly from 22.8 in 1961 to 22.9 in 

1962. 

Median Age of Bride and Groom by Age of 

Partner for First-Married Couples, 1960-62 

Among couples marrying for the first time 

in 1962, there were several changes from 1961 

and 1960 in the median age of the bride, andof 

the groom, for specified agelevelsofthe parmers 

of each. (fig. 4). 

Brifles under 18 years of age married grooms 

of median age 20.0 in 1962 and 20.2 in 1960 and 

1961. Grooms under 20 years of age married 

brides of median age 18.3 in 1962 as well as in 

1961 but 18.1 in 1960. 

During the 3-year period there was aslight 

decrease in the median age of the grooms w-ho 

married brides aged 21 years and under and a 

slight increase in median age of the brides who 

married grooms under 21 years, mostly between 

1961 and 1962. 

Median ages of spouse at first marriage of 

both parmers for specified age of bride and of 

groom are shown in table 8. 

In 1962 the median age of grooms for brides 

18 years of age was 21.Q for 19-year-old brides, 

21.5; and for 20-year-old brides, 22.3. Thus the 

younger the bride, the greater the age difference 

between bride and groom. Furthermore, teenage 

brides for the most part married grooms who were 

in their twenties and were at least 2%years older. 

On the other hand, teenage grooms tended to 

marry brides who were also below 20. Grooms 

who were 20 and 21 years old also married predominately teenage brides. These brides were 

most often a year or more younger. 

14 
MEDIAN AGE OF GROOM 

o 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Specif!ed 

age of 

~ 

Under 

18 years 

g 1960 

~~~ 1961 

18 years 

EIE%m ’962 

19 years 

20 years 

2[ years 

22 years 

23 years 

1~ “ 

24 years 

25-29 years 

1~~ 

MEOIAN AGE OF BRIOE 

o IB 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 

Specifted I 1 1 1 I I 1 1 I I I 1 age of 

!xw!!! 

Under 

20 years 

20 years 

21 years 

22 years 

23 years 

24 years 

1= 

25-29 yearsl!~ 

Figure !. Median age at first marriage of	 bride and of groom, by specified age of partner: marriageregistration area. 

15 
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----------------

-------- --------------

--------------

--------------

--------------

-------------- -----------

----------------

Table 8. Median age at first marriage of 

bride and of groom, by specified age 

of partner: marriage-registration area, 

1960-62 

[See Appendix for notes] 

Specified age ZEzlE 

Median age Bride of groom 

Under 18 years 20.0 20.2 20.2 

18 years 21.0 21.1 21.3 

19 years 21.5 21.6 21.8 

20 years 22.3 22.3 22.6 

21 years 23.1 23.2 23.3 

22 years 24.0 23.9 24.1 

23 years 24.9 24.8 25.7 

24 years 25.7 25.9 26.4 

25-29 years 27.8 27.7 29.2 

30-39 years 34.7 33.8 33,5 

40 years and over 48.6 48.5 47.1 

Groom Median age 

of bride 

Under 20 years 18.3 18.3 18.1 

20 years 19.1 19.0 18.9 

21 years 19.7 19.4 19.5 

22 years 20.1 20.1 20.1 

23 years 20.8 20.6 20.9 

24 years 21.3 21.4 21.4 

25-29 years 22.3 22.3 22.8 

30-39 years 25.9 26.0 26.2 

40 years and over 39.1 37.4 39.0 

Men on the average married for the first 

time at older ages than women. At every age 

above 20 years the number of first-married 

grooms exceeded the number of first-married 

brides, and atages 24 to 40 years the numberof 

grooms was over twice as largeas thenumberof 

brides of equal age. It can be notedintable8 that 

the ages of brides became more nearly equalto 

the median ages of their grooms asage at marriage increased. By contrast the number of 

years difference between ageofgroomand median 

age of bride increasedas age at marriage rose. 

This evidence supports the conclusion that the 

relatively small numbers of older bridescharacteristically married grooms of about the same 

age as themselves, whereas most of the grooms 

who married atolderagesmarriedbrides younger 

by several years than themselves. 

Age at Marriage by Previous Marital 

Status and Color 

The distributions of-bridesandgrooms byage 

at marriage, previous marital status, and color 

for the marriage-registration area are shownin 

figure 5 and table 9. 

Marriages of white and nonwhite brides and 

grooms who were previously single had very 

similar age distributions. Both races showed the 

peak ages at marriage to be under 20 years for 

b.ridesand 20-24 years for grooms. 

The distr.ibution ofage at marriage forpreviously widowed brides and grooms variedsomewhat by color. Larger proportions of nonwhite 

than of white brides were in the ‘5-year groups 

35-39 through45-49y ears.However, brides who 

were under 35 yeaks of age represented 11.4 

percent of the marriage sfor nonwhite bride sand 

16.0 percent for white brides. Nonwhite grooms 

who were widowed showed a high concentration 

of marriages under age 30 (5.5 percent), with 

only 2.5 percent in the age group 30-34 years. 

Age at marriage for brides previously divorced showed considerable variation by color. 

About 26 percent of white brides but only l4percent of nonwhite brides were under 25 years 

of age; nonwhite brides married relatively more 

often at ages 30-34 through 45-49 years. 

Previously divorced nonwhite grooms were 

more often older when remarried thanweretwhite 

grooms, the difference being greatest at”ages 55 

and above. 

Age at Remarriage 

Median age at remarriage differed for the 

widowed and the divorced; it also differed according to the marital status of their partners 

(table 10). Although the median age of all brides 

of divorced grooms was16years under the median 

age of all brides of widowed grooms, the median 

ages of divorced brides of widowed grooms andof 

widowed brides of divorced grooms were approximately the same. The median age of all 

grooms of divorced brides was almost 14 years 

less than that of all grooms of widowed brides. 

However, the median age of the widowed grooms. 

of divorced brides exceeded that of the divorced 

grooms of. widowed brides by 5 years. 

16

WHITE 

Single 

Bride 45+ Groom 1


Widowed 

Bride 

w
 30-34


I I I I I I I


100 75 50 25 0 25 50 75 [00


Divorced 

Bride 

I I I


100 75 50 25 0 25 50 75 100


PERCENT 

NONWHITE 

Simale 

Widowed


Bride Groom


30-34 

I I I I I I I


100 7s 50 25 0 25 50 75 100


PERCENT 

Figure 5. Percentage distribution of marriages, by age by previous marital status and color of bride 

and of groom: marriage-registration area. 

17

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Table 9. Marriages by color, previous marital statua and age of bride and of groom: ,marriage­


registracion area, i$62


[Figures bycolor excludedataforCalifornia, New Jersey, andOhio,andthoseforpreviously widowedordivorced
excludedataforMichigm and


Ohio. SeeAppendixforadditional
 notes]


Previous marital status


All


marriages


Under


25-29


30-34


35-39


:;-:$


50-54


TOTAL


Bride


All ages-------------------------------------------


25 years------------------------------------------­


years-------------------------:-------------------­


years--------------------------------------------:­


years---------------------------------------------­
 years---------------------------------------------­
 yeara---------------------------------------------­


vears----------------------------------------------


55-59 $ears----------------------------------------------
 60-64 yeara----------------------------------------------


65 years and over----------------------------------------


Groom


All ages


Under 25 years-------------------------------------------


25-29 years


30-34 years----------------------------------------------


35-39 years


40-44 years


45-49 years


50-54 years----------------------------------------------


55-59 years----------------------------------------------


60-64 vears----------------------------------------------


65 yeah and over


WHITE


Bride


All ages


Under 25 vears


25-29 yea~s---------------------------------------------


30-34 years---------------------------------------------
 35-39 years .----


40-44 years---------------------------------------------
 45-49 years---------------------------------------------
 50-54 years---------------------------------------------


55-59 years---------------------------------------------
 60-64 years---------------------------------------------


65 yeara and over---------------------------------------


Groom


All ages


Under 25 years


25-29 vears


30-34 $ears---------------------------------------------
 35-39 years---------------------------------------------
 40-44 years


45-49 years---------------------------------------------


50-54 years


55-59 years


60-64 years


65 years and Over---------------------------------------


Single Widowed :Divorced
 I


Number of marriages


981,015 748,262 49>248 139,005


703,949 6;;,;:; 1,811 33,268


,87,013 2,099 27,749


47,473 1::j!!; 3,800 22,344


38,721 4,514 18,373


32,345 6:009 6,691


24,615 2,694 7,792 “q%;.


16,075 2,520 6,491


12,501 1,:;: 5,286 3:857


7,662 4,427 1,525


8,415 515 6,075 802


981,015 755,456 42,783 141,002 

563,422 :;; , ;5; 426 14,615 

163,784 1,111 24,111 

72,334 40:407 1,540 25,653 

49,203 20,067 2,696 21,824 

37,078 8,942 3,257 19,006 

25,923 4,544 4,oo8 13,979 

19,074 3,185 5,256 8,598 

16,103 1,976 5,869 5,967 

11,954 1,374 5,508 3,388 

20,685 1,286 12,881 3,413 

667,054 510,536 35,898 100,003 

489,178 453,899 1,389 25,869 

55,092 32,211 ;,;;; 19,474 

29,975 9,182 15,858 

24,064 5,649 3:399 12,851 

20,897 3,445 4,714 10,873 

15,659 1,936 5,457 ;,;;; 10,719 1,666 4,788 

8,320 964 3,900 2;;:: 

4,956 356 3,075 

6,272 294 4,573 582 

668,228 515,452 30,119 103,091 

394,614 377,429 265 11,828 

109,434 86,715 841 19,191 

47,951 26,162 1,069 18,566 

30,953 11,408 1,716 15,514 

23,57.5 5,634 2,248 13,960 

17,016 2,786 2,803 9,735 

12,002 1,888 3,630 5,849 

10,201 1,351 3,894 3,945 

7,799 961 3,972 2.244


13,568 662. 9,450 1;851


18

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Table 9. Marriages by color, previous marital status, and age of “bride and of groom: marriage-


registration area, 1962—Con.


[F@resbycolorexc l.de data for California, New Jersey,
rind Ohio, and those for previously widowed or divorced exclude data for hlichigan and 

Ohio. See Appendix for additional notes~ 

Previous niarital status


All
 Age marriages


NONWHITE


Bride


All ages


Under 25 years
 25-29 years


30-34 years


35-39 years


40-44 years
 45-49 years


50-54 years


55-59 years
 60-64 years
 65 years and over----------------------------------------


Groom


All ages


Under 25 years
 25-29 years


30-34 years


35-39 years


40-44 years


45-49 years


50-54 years
 55-59 years
 60-64 yeara


65 years and over


Relative lengths in years of inte;quartile age 

ranges provide some evidence fortwoobservations: 

1.	 As a group, widowed brides selected partners who varied more in age than did 

widowed grooms, and divorced grooms 

selected parmers varying in age more 

than did divorced brides. However, differences among these interquartile ranges 

were small—the largest difference being 

only 1.5 years greater than the smallest. 

In the cases of parmers of widowed grooms 

and those of widowed brides, both the 

medians and the ranges in age were approximately equaI; for brides of divorced 

grooms the two quartiles and the median 

were each 3 to 4 years less than the “corresponding measures for parhiers of di­

. vorced brides. 

2.	 The interquartile age range of divorced 

brides who married widowed grooms 

Single IWidowed I Divorced


Number of marriages


88,830 67,740 5,068 11,920 

57,454 54,049 142 1,618 

8,871 6,269 107 2,015 

6,526 3,180 330 2,535 

5,097 2,010 595 2,042 

3,577 1,004 776 1,575 

2,816 358 935 981 

1,416 354 603 419 

1,300 312 ’485 343 846 101 ;+$ 232 843 101 120 

89,775 67,665 5,963 12,180 

45,460 43,888 61 467 

15,058 12,768 270 1,520 

7,993 :>%; 151 2,397 

5,290 440 1,850 

3,962 1;208 329 1,825 

2,727 818 625 1,244 

2,612 517 1,046 849 2,021 145 914 502 1>575 1.73 656 404 3,017 36& 1,471 1,082 

(17.4 years) markedly exceeded that of 

divorced grooms marrying widowed 

brides (15.1 years) or those of the brides 

and grooms (14. 9 years each). when both 

of them were divorced. The age range for 

widowed grooms of divorced brides was 

at least 18 years. For these couples, 

brides were almost 8 years younger than 

their grooms on the average, but the ages 

of both brides and grooms were relatively 

varied. 

Month of Marriage by Age of Bride

and of Groom 

The percentage distribution of marriages by 

month for specified ages of bride and of groom 

for the MRA shown in table 11 and figure 6 has 

several points of interest. First, brides and 

grooms at the same age level vary in their 

choice of month of marriage. Second, the seasonal 

19

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------------------------------------------

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------------------------------------------

Table 10. Median age at marriage, and first and third quartiles of age at marriqge, by


marital status of widowed and divorced brides and grooms: marriage-registration


area, 1962


[See
.4ppendixfor notes] 

First. Third
 Marital status of marriage partnerl quartile Median quartile


Brides of widowed grooms Age of bride


All brides 40.2 47.4 57.3


Widowed brides 48.0 56.5 64.5


Divorced brides 36.1 45.4 53.5


Brides of divorced ~rooms


All brides
 & 

Widowed brides


Divorced brides


Grooms of widowed brides


All grooms


Widowed grooms


Divorced grooms


Grooms of divorced brides 

All grooms 

Widowed grooms 

Divorced grooms 

<4.5 45.6 52.9


27.3 34.2 42.2


Age of groom


41.1 48.6 I 59.3


55.0 62.9


39.2 47.3 5:2


27.7 34.9 44.4 ‘


C4.5 53.3 63.0


30.6 38.0 45.5


lTabulations of age at marriage of single brides and grooms marrying widowed and


divorced partners were not carried out for 1962 but will be published for 1963.


variation
 inmonth ofmarriageisnotconstantbut


shifts
from agegrouptoagegroup.


In 1962,14.8percentofallbridesunder18


married in June.Incontrast,
 Septemberwas the


peak month forgrooms under18(13.9percent).


The smallestproportion
of theseyoungbrides


married in February(6.1percentof allbrides


under 18),whilethesmallestpercentofgrooms


(4.7)
marriedinAugust.


Bridesand grooms in the 18-19and 20-24


age groups have themost nearlysimilarpat-


terns in month of marriage.These age groups


not onlyhave a highproportion
ofallmarriages


(60.7percentfor bridesand 56.2percentfor


grooms) butalsoahighproportion
ofbridesand


grooms maryingeachother.


The patternofmonthlyvariation
 inmarriage


changes considerably
by age group.The most


seasonalvariationis seen in theyoungerage


groups (under30 years).Brides“intheseage


groups have marriage peaks in June and high


proportionsof marriages duringthe summer


monthsandSeptember.


As theageofthebrideincreases,
thevaria-


tionin month at marriagedecreases.After34


yearsof agetherearetwoplateausof
preferred


months for bridesand forgrooms. The high­


preferenceplateauincludesJune throughDe­


cember,andthesomewhatlowerplateauincludes


JanuarythroughMay.


20 
PERGENT 

!6 

14 

12 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

UNDER 18 YEARS 

m Bride 

= Groom 

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. NOV. Oec. 

PERCENT 

16 

I 18 AND 19 YEARS 

Bride 

En Groom 

Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. NOV. Oec. 

Figure 6. percentage distribution of marriages, by month for specified ages of bride and of groom: 

marriage-registration area. 

21 
PERCENT 

16 

14 

12 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 . 

PERCENT 

16 

14 

12 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 — 

o— 

20-24 YEARS 

m ‘ride 

Izz3 “00” 

Jon. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug, Sept. Oct. NOV. Dec. 

25-29 YEARS 

_ Bride 

Jan. Feb. Mor. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec 

Figure 6. Percentage distribution	 of marriages, by month for specified ages of bride and of groom: 

marriage-registration area-Con. 

22 
. 

PERCENT 

16 

k

30-34 YEARS 

14 - Bride 

~ Grown 12 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 1 

JarI. “Feb, Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. 

PERCENT 

16 

14	 35 YEARS AND OVER 

-Bride 

12 ~~Gmn 

1. 

10 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 [ 

Jan Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Oec. 

Figure 6. Percentage distribution€ of marriages, by month for specified ages of bride and of groom: 

marriage-registration area-con. 

23 
------

--------

------

------

------

------

--------

Table 11. Percentage distribution of marriages, by month according to specified age of bride and


of groom: marriage-registration area, 1962


fornotes] . 

Age rotal Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June July Aug. Sept. Ott . Nov. Dec. 

Bride Percentage distribution 

— 

[SeeAppendix


All ages--- 100.0 5.8 6.3 6.6 6.7 7.3 13.5 8.7 10.2 10.2 7.9 7.9 8.8 _ 

Under 18 years--- 100.0 7.6 6.1 7.3 14.8 8.9 8.6 9.7 8.0 9.0 

18-19 years------ 100.0 6.7 .::: 13.8 9.0 10.2 8.2 ::; 

20-24 years 100.0 ::: 6.4 ;:; 6.4 14.8 8.1 1?:: 10.9 ;:: 

25-29 years------ 100.0 6.1 6.0 6.5 6.4 12.2 11.7 10.6 ::: ;:: 8.2 

30-34 years------ 100.0 6.1 4.8 8.3 8.3 11.9 ;:: 10.2 8.1 7.2 9.6 8.1 

35-44 years------ 100.0 6.8 6.7 5.9 7.9 9.4 10.2 8.4 9.3 9.6 

45+ years 100,0 6.5 5.9 6.9 7.3 1%; 9.4 8.5 9.7 ::: 9.8 10.0 

Groom


All ages--- 100.0 5.8 6.3 6.6 6.7 13.5 8.7 10.2 10.2 7.9 7.9 8.8 _ _ 

Under 18 years--- 100.O 8.7 7.8 8.9 u 10’.7 4.7 13.9 6.3 9.0 8.8 

18-19 years 100.0 5.7 13.3 ;:: 10.9 8.1 7.3 9.7 

20-24 years 100.0 6.1 ::: ;:: 6.1 14.9 8.5 1;:$ 10.0 7.6 7.7 8.4 

25-29 years------ 100.0 5.2 6.3 5.8 14.5 10.3 11.5 8.1 

30-34 years 100.0 5.0 5.8 7.1 ;:: 11.9” ;:? 8.3 k: Z:; 

35-44 yeara 100.0 5.7 5.5 7.7 1::: 9.6 8.4 9.4 1::: 

45+ years 100.0 6.7 6.1 IQ 7.3 1::? 1::; 9.0 9.2 9.8 9.1 9.1 

24

� 

� 

Marriages by Type of Ceremony 

PERCENT 

by Age of Bride and of Groom 

The percentage distribution of first mar30 — Bride riages and remarriages by type of ceremony performed by age of bride and of groom for the MRA 

is given in table 12. 

‘The distribution of first marriages by type of 

ceremony performed (fig. 7) shows that brides in 

the age groups 35-44, 45-54, and 55-64 years have 

10 FIRST MARRIAGES 

the highest percentages of civil ceremonies. 

t 1 Brides in these age categories have almost twice 

;n~ as many civil ceremonies as brides married under 

~ve, 20 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 and 20 years of age (about 30 percent and 17 percent, 

YEARS OF AGE 

70 

60 

i

8 

5C �� 

�� Groom 

\ 

\ 

40 49——— 

30 

Brido 20 

lC -1 REMARRIAGES proportion of religious ceremonies. 

1 I I I I 

Lh$ r 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 and 

over 

YEARS OF AGE 

Figure 7, Percent of first marri ages and of remarri ages performed as a ci v i 1 ceremony, by age 

of bride and of groom: marriage-registration 

area. 

respectively). For grooms, the age group 65 years 

and over has the highest proportion of civil ceremonies, foIlowed by 45-54,35-44, and 55-64 years 

in descending order. 

The percentage” distribution of remarriages 

by type of ceremony performed (fig. 7) shows 

that grooms under 20 years of age have a high 

percentage (61.9) of civil ceremonies. This percentage declines as age increases, reaching 25.0 

for ceremonies of grooms aged 65 and older. 

Between 38 and 40 percent of brides remarrying 

at all age levels under 45 years have civil ceremonies; this percentage declines to 18.7 for 

ceremonies of brides aged 65 and older. 

For first marriages, brides and grooms in a 

peak marriage age group, 20-24 years, have the 

greatest proportion of religious ceremonies. In 

contrast, remarrying brides and grooms in the 

age category 65 years and over have the greatest 

25 

0 
---------------------

-------- -------- -------- -------- -------------

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------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------

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------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------

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------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------- ---------------- ------------------

-------- ------------------------ -------- -----

------------------------------------- -------------------------------- -------- ---------------- ------------------------ ------------------------------------------------ ------------------ ------------ -------------------------------- -------- ------------------------------------------

Table 12. Percentage distribution of first marriages and remarriages, by type’of


ceremony performed according to age of bride and of groom: marriage-registration


area, 1962


[Figures by type of ceremony exclude data for Ohio. See Appendix for additional notes] 

Type of ceremony 

performed 

Age Total 

Civil Religious 

FIRST MARRIAGES 

. Bride 

---.-------.---- 100.0 15.8 

Under 20 years 100.0 17.3 82.7 

20-24 years 100;0 12.4 87.6 

25-34 years 100.0 ;;.: 83.0 

35-44 years 100.0 67.4 

;;-;: years 100.0 30:5 69:5 

100.0 34.3 65.7 

65 yea?s and over 100.0 13.2 86.8 

All ages----,----


Groom


All ages 100.0 16.0 84.0


Under 20 years-------------------------------------y-------
100.C7 20.0 80.0 < 

20-24 years 100.0 13.8 86.2 

25-34 years 100.0 ;;.; 85.0 

35-44 years 100.0 72.1 

4-5-54years 100.0 34:4 65.6 

55-64 years 100.0 24.4 75.6 

65 years and over 100.O 36.3 63.7 

REMARRIAGES


Bride


All ages 100.0 36.7 63.3 

Under 20 years 100.0 39.9 60.1 

20-24 years -----..,-- 100.0 38.0 62.0 

25-34 years 100.0 39.0 61.0 

35-44 years ------,---..--,----100.0 39.9 60.1


45-54 years 100.O 31.7 68.3


55-64 years 100.0 31.8 68.2


65 years and over -.------ 100.0 18.7 81.3


Groom


All ages 100.0 36.6 63.4 

Under 20 years--.----- 100� o 61.9 38,1 

20-24 years -=------ 100.0 37.5 62.5 

25-34 .vears ----,---- 100.0 39.7 60.3 

35-44’?ears 100.O 39.9 60.1 

45-54 years ----------------.-,- 100.0 35*4 64.6 

55-64 years -------. 100.O 31.0 ;5.:’ 

65 years and over 100.0 25.0 . 

26

APPENDIX 

NOTES TO 

Man+zge-registration avea.–Thirty-three States 

made up the MRA in 1960 and thirty-five States and the 

District of Columbia in 1961 and 1.962. Participating 

States are as follows: 

Alabama


Alaska


California


Connecticut


Delaware


District of Columbia


(entered 1961) 

Florida 

Georgia 

Hawaii 

Idaho 

Indiana (entered , 1961) 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Louisiana (including 

New Orleans) 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts 

(entered 1961) 

Michigan


Mississippi


Montana


Nebraska


New Hampshire


New Jersey


New York (excluding “


New York City)


Ohio


Oregon


Pennsylvania


Rhode Island


South Dakota


Tennessee


Utah


Vermont


Virginia


Wisconsin


Wyoming


Alaska and Hawaii. —All tables showing time series 

include data for Alaska beginning in 1959 and Hawaii 

beginning in 1960. 

.Sotwces of data. —Marriages were -reported and 

tabulated by area of occurrence. The annual totals of 

marriages shown and used in computing rates and percentages in tables 1 through 4 and table 6 and the rates 

in table 5 were reported by States and local areas. Five 

TABLES 

States, the District of Columbia, and 13 counties in 

other States reported totals of marriage licenses issued 

for 1962; the rest of the States reported marriages 

performed. AH other data for years preceding 1960 

were submitted by reporting States on predesigned 

tables. For the years 1960-62, probability samples of 

marriage records were obtained from each State in 

the marriage-registration area. Data from these samples were tabulated in the National Center for Health 

Statistics. Statistics for these years in tables 6 through” 

14 are estimated from these samples. (Estimates of 

sampling errors are shown in table I.) The State totals 

estimated from the samples and those reported by each 

State differ somewhat due to the rounding effects of 

weights used in tabulating the samples and to a few 

other small nonsampling errors described in detail 

in the Technical Appendix to Volume 111of Vital Statistics of the United States, 1962. 

Not stated data.—For the year 1962 marriage totals 

were reported for all except five counties. For statistics based on the samples, the majority of not stated 

cases on color, previous marital status, and type of 

ceremony arise from the absence of these items on the 

reporting forms of a ‘fe; S-&tes. (Frequencies of all not 

stated cases for 1962 are shown in table II.) Not stated 

data were excluded in computing percents, medians, and 

quartiles based on sample data. 

“Rates. —Numerators of rates are totals of marriages occurring in the specified areas unless otherwise specified. Denominators are populations living in 

the specified areas. These include Armed Forces stationed in each area but exclude Armed Forces. stationed 

outside the United States and persons living abroad. 

Populations for 1940, 1950, and 1960 are those enumerated as of April 1; for all other years they are 

estimated as of July 1. 

27 
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-------------

------------

--------------

--------------

---------------

----------------

---------------

-----------------

---------------

-------------

------------

----------------

--------

----------

-------------

--------

-----------

-----------------

---------------

---------

---------

------------

-----------------

--------------

-------------

--------------

Table 1. Sampling error of estimated frequency expressed as percentage of area total: ‘marriage-registration


area and each registration State, 1962


[Estimates fortheentire M12Ahave distributions of sampling errors generated by changes in contributions of cases from each stratum. Forsampling errcm in this 

table for tbe entire MR.A,it, is assumed t.bat these contributions are proportionate to stratum totals. Figures for Alaska, Delaware, Vermont, and Wyoming have nosampling errors since all records were tabulated] 

SamDlinz .- error of estimated freauencv exoressed as percentage of


area-total -

All - Area narriages 1 2 3 4 5 7 10 15 20 25 

mA------------

Alabama


Alaska


California


Connecticut ----------


Delaware


District of


Columbia


Florida


Georgia 

Hawaii


Idaho


Indiana


Iowa


Kansas


Kentucky


Louisiana


Maine


Maryland -------------


Massachusetts


Michigan -------------


Mississippi


Montana --------------


Nebraska


New Hampshire


New Jersey


New York


(excl. N.Y.C.)------


Ohio


Oregon


Pennsylvania ---------


Rhode Island


South Dakota


Tennessee


Utah


Vermont


Virginia


Wisconsin ------------


Wyoming


or or or or or or or or or or 50 ) 

99 98 97 96 95 93 90 85 80 75 

--..,,.
 —


981,015 741 1,043 1,270 1.459 1,623 1,901 2,235 2,660 2,980 3.225 3,724


33,660 80 112 136 157 174 204 240 286 320 336 400 

2,064 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ,... 112,900 333 468 570 655 729 853 1,003 1,194 1,337 1,447 1,672 

18,080 58 82 100 115 128 150 176 209 234 254 293 

2,585 ... ... ... ... ,.. ... ... ... .,. ... ... 

9,120 41 82 106 125 149 166 180 208 

41,260 lx 1;: 173 1;; 226 266 316 354 383 443 

53,500 2;; 319 389 447 497 572 684 814 912 987 1,140 

5,470 22 31 38 43 79 111 

11,900 1:; lx 1:; 170 1% 2:: 238 

43,600 2;; 2:: 3:; ‘ 4% 453 530 623 742 831 900 1,039 

18,980 60 84 102 118 131 153 180 214 240 260 300 

16,480 56 110 122 i 143 168 200 224 242 280 

23,320 66 ‘x 1?: 130 145: 170 200 238 266 288 333 

24,580 68 96 117 134 149 i 174 205 244 273 296 342 

8,000 27 38 46 53 58: 68 81 96 107 116 134 

40,480 87 123 150 172 191 ~ 224 263 313 351 380 438 

33,560 112 136 156 174 a 204 240 285 319 346 399 “ 65,200 2;; 356 433 ;;: 554 i 648 762 907 L,016 1,100 1,270 

21,920 64 90 110 141 ! 165 194 230 258 279 323 

5,070 

11,200 :; :; 36 42 

90 

47: 

100 ~ 1:: 

64 76 

138 165 1:: 

92 

200 

107 

231 

7,880 26 36 ‘R 52 106 115 133 

41,460 88 124 151 174 1;: ~ 2% 2;: 3:; 355 384 444 

I 57,600 238 334 407 $:; 520 I 609 71,6 853 955 1,034 1,194 

67,300 257 361 440 562 ! 659 774 922 L,032 1,102 1,290 

11,100 46 100 ; 117 138 164 184 199 230 

69,000 260 3% 4;: 5?; 570: 667 784 933 L,045 1,131 1,307 . 

5,550 

6,930 

22 

25 :: :: 44 

49 

49 / 54 / 2: 

67 

% l% 1;; 

112 

12’5 

33,420 79 112 136 156 174 203 2;; 285 319 345 398 

7,690 26 37 45 52 57 67 79 94 105 114 132 

3,135 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 39,720 122 148 170 189 222 261 310 347 376 434 

24,080 % 95 115 133 147 173 203 242 271 293 338 

3,221 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 

I 

28

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Table II. Number of marriages “not stated” for specifiedcharacteristics:marriage-registration
 area and each registrationState, 1962 (


Characteristic


All Area marriages Day of Age Color 

week 

Alabama


Alaska


California


Connecticut


Delaware


District of Columbia----


Florida


Georgia


Hawaii


Idaho


Indiana


Iowa


Kansas


Kentuckyg


Louisiana


Maine


Maryland


Massachusetts


Michigan


Mississippi


Montana


Nebraska


New Hampshire


New Jersey


New York (excl.N.Y.C.)-


Ohio


Oregon


Pennsylvania


Rhode Island


South Dakota


Tennessee


Utah


Vermont


Virginia


Wisconsin


Wyoming


marriage


performed Bride Groom Bride Groom


981,015 45,005 2,246 1,455 225,131 223,012


33,660 820 100 

2,064 i 9 i 

112,900 1112,900 1112,900 

18,080 6; 2; 20 

2>585 1 5 5 4 

9,120 

41,260 2; 2oi 18i 146 

53,500 800 

5,470 

11,900 20; 36; 240 

43,600 43,60; 1,200 800 

18,980 20 20 

16,480 200 

23,320 60 1% 40 

24,580 80 20 20 20 

8,000 20 10 

40,480 

33,560 :: 2i 26 

65,200 1:: 

21,920 46 2i 

5,070 10 60 

11,200 20 

7,880 

41,460 1;41,46; 141,46; 

57>600 

67,300 167,30; 167,30; 

11,100 4; 420 400 

69,000 200 

5,550 20 30 10 

6,930 li 

33,420 20 1:: 12; 

7,690 % 70 50 

3,135 3 4 

39,720 180 12; l;: 140 

24,080 20 40 

3a221 1 i 2 1 

Marriage order 

Bride Groom


8,206 7,168


20


1 i


200


9 6


40; 160


500 200


800 ;::
 160


100


540 3%


3,440 3,440


10 10


100 100


60 40


30; 24;


300 300


300 400


260 320


700 500


10 20


12; 8;


6; 120


16 1;


lIt~ iS not reportable.


2Data are incomplete.


29 “

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Table II. Number of marriages “not stated” for specified characteristics: marriage-registration


area and each registration State, 1962-Con.


Area


- - . 

Alabama


Alaska


California--------------


Connecticut


Delaware


District of Columbia----


Florida


Georgia


Hawaii


Idaho-------------------


Indiana-----------------


Iowa--------------------


Kansas


Kentucky2---------------


Louisiana


Maine


Maryland


Massachusetts


Michigan


Mississippi


Montana


Nebraska


New Hampshire


New Jersey


New York (excl. N.Y.C.)-


Ohio--------------------


Oregon------------------


Pennsylvania------------


Rhode Island


South Dakota


Tennessee


Utah


Vermont


Virginia


Wisconsin


Wyoming


Characteristic


Previous marital Number of this.


status marriage


Bride Groom Bride Groom


44,500 41,774 33,666 32,397


80 140 100 60


70:	 40: 20; 60:


20 20


15 14 16 7 

6:: 3% 1,10; 52; 

900 400 600 400 

1,0:: 1,0:: 

33,56; 

1,700 

33,340 

1,200 

200 220 180 220 

200 120 33,560 33,560 

600 440 3;660 3,400 

3,700 3,700 3,560 3,600 

20 40 10 10 

20 39,260 39,580 

1% 

514,M: 514,800 100 100 

160 160 120 120 

30 10 240 200 

20 20 20 

5% 3% 72; 66; 

400 500 300 300 

518, 20(3 517,200 

280 320 32,%: 32,;:; 

1,400 800 1,000 800 

20 

R :; 340 24o 240 

10 40 

1$ 6; 16:


20


22 24 16


Resident statua


in place where Type of


married ceremony


per-


Bride Groom formed


20,293 20,720 109,026


-


6:: 67; 

1,000 

3,66; 3,080 60 

52 41 

% 

1,14; 1,360 1,100 

1,200 800 17,900 

180


20; 200 3::


60 20 20


48i 260 15,3%


3,540


ii :: 10


2,0% 1,9%’


28; 6;


140 130


1,760 1,420


4,38; 3,42;


706 80; 167,30;


180 180 20


300 300


320 340 40


1,.;:; 1,350


260	 14;


540


38: 2,20: 12:


580	 620 20


10 8 1


registration States. Figures for these Statea include


remarriages of previously married brides and grooms as follows: Idaho, 3,560 brides and 3,300


grooms; Kansas, 3,460 bridea and .3,520 grooms; ~ryland, 9,260 bridea and 9,580 grooms; Oregon,
 2,640 brides and 2,520 grooms.


4Civil ceremonies are not provided for in the laws of Maryland.


5This item is not reportable in Michigan and Ohio. For”Michigan, figures include remarriages
 of 14”,400bridea and 14,700 grooms; for Ohio, figures include remarriage of 17,900 brides and


16,800 grooms.


. 30


U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : f 967 0-24+48! 

‘Item is not reportable.


2Data are incomplete.


3This item is ~ot reportable in four

OUTLINE OF REPORT SERIES FOR VITAL AND HEALTH Statistics 

Public Healfh Service Publication No. 1000 

Seties 1. 

Series 2. 

Series 3. 

Series 4. 

Series 10, 

SeYies 11. 

Series 12. 

Series 13. 

Series 20. 

Series 21. 

Series 22. 

PTograrns and collection pvocedures.— Reports which describe the general programs of the National 

Center for Health Statistics and its offices and divisions, data collection methods used, definitions, 

and other material necessary for understanding the data. 

Data evaluation and methods Yesearch. —Studies of new statistical methodology including: experimental tests of new survey methods, studies of vital statistics collection methods, new analytical 

techniques, objective evaluations of reliability of collected data, contributions to statistical theory. 

Analytical studies. —Reports presenting analytical or interpretive studies based on vital and health 

statistics, carrying the analy~’s further than the expository types of reports in the other series. 

Documents and committee Yepovts. —Final reports of major committees concerned with vital and 

health statistics, and documents such as recommended model vital registration laws and revised birth 

and death certificates. 

Data from the Health Intevview Suvvey. —Statistics on illness, accidental injuries, disabili~, use of 

hospital, medical, dental, and other services, and other health-related topics, based on data collected 

in a continuing national household interview survey. 

Data from the Health Examination Survey.— Data from direct examination, testing, and measurement of national samples of the population provide the basis for two types of reports: (1) estimates 

of the medically defined prevalence of specific diseases in the United States and the distributions of 

the population with respect to physical, physiological, and psychological characteristics; and (2) 

analysis of relationships among the various measurements without reference to an explicit finite 

universe of persons. 

Data j?om the Institutional Population Suvveys.- Statistics relating to the health characteristics of 

persons in institutions, and on medical, nursing, and personal care received, based on national 

samples of establishments providing these services and samples of the residents or patients. 

Data porn the Hospital Dischavge Suvvey.- Statistics relating to discharged patients in short-stay 

hospitals, based on a sample of patient records in a national sample of hospitals. 

Data on mortality .—Various statistics on mortality other than as included in annual or monthly 

reports—special analyses by cause of death, age, and other demographic variables, also geographic 

and time series analyses. 

Data on matality, marm”age, anddivovce. —Various statistics onnatality, marriage, and divorce other 

than as included in annual or monthly reports— special analyses by demographic variables, also 

geographic and time series analyses, studies of fertility. 

Data fyom the National Natality amd Movtat!ity Swveys. —Statistics on characteristics of births and 

deaths not available from the vital records, based on sample surveys stemming from these records, 

including such topics as mortality by socioeconomic class, medical experience in the last year of 

life, characteristics of pregnancy, etc. 

For a list of titles of reports published in these series, write to: Office of Information and Publications 

National Center for Health Statistics 

U.S. Public Health Service 

Washington, D.C. 20201,