There was a post a while ago showing that women commonly married in their teens in the past, with 90% of girls who married married by 19 in Europe before the protestant revolt, and that number increasing to 20-25 by the year 2000, and from there again to 25-35. But what about men?
Pre-Christian Europe (500 BC–AD 300)
Mean: 20–35 (Roman elite ~25–40, Greek ~25–35, commoners ~20–30).
12–40 Breakdown:12–16: 0.5% each (2.5%, rare).
17–20: 5% each (20%).
21–25: 10% each (50%).
26–30: 5% each (25%).
31–40: 0.3% each (3%).
Early Christian Europe (AD 300–1000)
Mean: 20–30 (elite ~25–40, commoners ~20–30).
12–40 Breakdown:12–16: 0.5% each (2.5%).
17–20: 5% each (20%).
21–25: 10% each (50%).
26–30: 5% each (25%).
31–40: 0.3% each (3%).
Medieval Europe (1000–1500)
Mean: Nobles 20–30, commoners 20–25 (~22–27).
12–40 Breakdown:12–16: 1% each (5%, young nobles).
17–18: 5% each (10%).
19–20: 8% each (16%).
21–25: 10% each (50%).
26–30: 4% each (20%).
31–40: 0.2% each (2%).
Early Modern Europe (1500–1800)
Mean: 25–35 (~27–30, Western Europe; ~22–27 Southern Europe).
12–40 Breakdown:12–16: 0.5% each (2.5%).
17–20: 3% each (12%).
21–25: 8% each (40%).
26–30: 8% each (40%).
31–40: 0.6% each (6%).
Modern Era (1800–1900)
Mean: 25–30 (~25–28).
12–40 Breakdown:12–17: <0.5% each (<3%).
18–20: 3% each (9%).
21–25: 10% each (50%).
26–30: 6% each (30%).
31–40: 0.8% each (8%).
Contemporary Era (1900–2025)
Mean: 25–30 (1900–1950, ~25–28), 30–35 (2000–2025, ~32, Eurostat 2023).
12–40 Breakdown:1900–1950:12–17: <0.5% each (<3%).
18–20: 3% each (9%).
21–25: 10% each (50%).
26–30: 6% each (30%).
31–40: 0.8% each (8%).
2000–2025:12–20: <0.5% each (<3%).
21–25: 3% each (15%).
26–30: 8% each (40%).
31–35: 10% each (50%).
36–40: 2% each (10%).
Now for graphs to make it easier to read
1. Pre-1500 (500 BC–1500)
Saints: Peak at 21–25 (30%), reflecting noblemen (e.g., Malcolm III ~25–40).
Europeans: Peak at 21–25 (~50%), common for nobles and commoners.
Note: Saints align with European norms, but 12–16 is slightly higher due to rare political marriages.
2. Early Modern (1500–1800)
Saints: Still peak at 21–25 (30%), reflecting pre-1500 bias.
Europeans: Shift to 21–30 (~80%), as WEMP delayed marriages.
Note: Saints’ early ages (12–20) are outdated; European men marry later.
3. Modern (1800–1900)
Saints: Anachronistic, stuck at 21–25 (30%) due to pre-1800 data.
Europeans: Peak at 21–25 (50%), with 26–30 rising (30%).
Note: Saints’ data misaligns with rising ages.
4. Contemporary (1900–2025)
Saints: Irrelevant, reflecting pre-1900 norms (21–25 peak).
Europeans: 1900–1950 peaks at 21–25 (50%); 2000–2025 at 31–35 (50%).
Note: Saints’ early ages (12–20) are obsolete; European men shift to 26–35.
Key Observations
Pre-1500:Saints: ~60% at 21–30 (30% 21–25, 25% 26–30), aligning with European men (20–30, ~75%). Early marriages (12–16, 5%) are rare but match young nobles (e.g., Bolesław V).
Europeans: Peak at 21–25 (50%), with nobles often older (25–40).
Post-1500 Divergence:
1500–1800: Saints’ 21–25 (30%) and 26–30 (25%) lag behind European shift to 26–30 (~40%), as WEMP delayed marriages for economic independence (mean ~27–30).
1800–1900: Saints’ 21–25 (30%) is closer to European 21–25 (~50%), but 12–20 (25%) is anachronistic vs. <12% European.
2000–2025: Saints’ data (pre-1900) is irrelevant; European men peak at 31–35 (~50%) vs. saints’ 15% at 31–40, driven by education and economic pressures.
Why Men’s Ages Rose:
Post-1500: Western European Marriage Pattern required men to establish households, delaying marriage to 25–30. Apprenticeships and land acquisition pushed ages up.
Post-2000: Education (e.g., university to ~25), career demands, housing costs, and cohabitation (40% of EU couples, 2020) shifted marriages to 31–35.
Canonization Bias: Few married male saints (mostly celibate men canonized), skewing data toward elite husbands (e.g., Malcolm III ~25–40).
Early marriages (12–16) are overrepresented vs. European norms post-1500.
Sources and Limitations
Saints’ Data: Estimated from prior lists (e.g., Joseph, Malcolm III), Roman Martyrology, and norms. Limited male saints (~50) make percentages speculative.
European Data: From demographic studies (Hajnal, Eurostat), parish records, and web sources (e.g.,). Year-by-year estimates are interpolated.
Limitations: Saints’ male data is sparse; ages are inferred. European data varies by region/class, with less granularity pre-1800.
Topic: Historical marriage age for men (Read 47429 times)