In 2022 there were 70,600 marriages in the Netherlands which is over 13,000 more than the year before. There had been a downward trend of marriages since 1970 when there were 123,600 marriages, significantly more than in 2020. The fewest marriages recorded since 1950 was in 2020, likely as a consequence of the coronavrius (COVID-19) pandemic.

In 2022, there were 68,900 heterosexual marriages and 1,700 same-sex marriages. By comparison, in 2021 there were 55,200 heterosexual marriages, and 1,200 same-sex marriages. The number of same-sex marriages stayed relatively consistent from 2009 to 2022, with the fewest in 2020 and the most in 2001. The number of heterosexual marriages also remained stable between 2009 and 2019, with the highest in 2002 and the fewest in 2019 as a consequence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) oandemic.

Why were there fewer marriages in 2020?

There was a sudden drop in the number of marriages in the Netherlands in 2020, both for heterosexual and same-sex marriages. The primary reason for the fall in marriages was the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, making it difficult to host a wedding safely and within the restrictions, resulting in many weddings being postponed and canceled. While there were fewer weddings, the number of registered partnerships stayed relatively the same, possibly because they are less likely to host large gatherings of people than a traditional wedding.

How did the Netherlands compare to the rest of Europe?

The Netherlands was not the only country to experience a significant drop in marriages in Europe. Other European countries such as Italy, Norway, and France saw considerable declines in the number of weddings in 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and each government’s restrictions.

Between the 1950s and today, the average age to marry in the Netherlands increased significantly for both genders. Whereas in 1950, men were on average 30 years old when they married and women were nearly 27 years old, in 2022 this was 39.1 and 36.4 years respectively. This raise in the average age at marriage however meant a decrease in the number of marriages per person, which decreased by almost 0.20 in the last decade alone. The average Dutch person married between 0.48 and 0.47 times in 2021.

 Number of marriages   

In 2021, roughly 56,000 marriages took place. The majority of these marriages were closed between a man and a woman, but since same-sex marriages were legalized in the Netherlands in 2001, each year also between 1,000 and 2,400 same-sex couples tie the knot. In the last decade, the number of marriages peaked in 2010, when almost 86,000 marriages took place.

Living happily ever after  

In 2021, nearly 60,000 couples celebrated 12.5 years of marital bliss, and a further 51.9 thousand couples had been married for 25 years. And of course, with time the number of special wedding anniversaries decreases, as divorce or death dissolves many a marriage. Still, that year 327 couples celebrated 70 years of wedded life together.

This table includes data on contracted marriages and registered partnerships among the Dutch population.

The following information is available: - Marriages by sex of the partners. - Marrying persons by sex and marital status before marriage. - Average age at marriage by sex and marital status. - Average number of contracted marriages by sex. - Partnership registrations by sex of the partners.

Data available from: 1950

Status of the figures: All figures in this publication are final data.

Changes per 13 June 2025: Final figures of 2024 have been added.

When will new figures be published? Figures of 2025 will be added in the 2nd quarter of 2026.

In 2022 in the Netherlands, seven out of 1,000 marriages ended because of a divorce. This is compared to the marriage dissolution rate due to the death of a partner in the same year, which stood at 19.5 per 1,000 marriages.

This table includes the most important key figures on marriage dissolutions due to death and divorce among the registered population of the Netherlands. Excluding dissolutions due to ending registered partnerships.

Data available from: 1950

Status of the figures: All data recorded in this table are final data.

Changes per 1 July 2025: Data of 2024 have been added.

When will new figures be published? In the third quarter of 2026 final figures of 2025 will be added in this publication.

In 2023, approximately 8.85 million people living in the Netherlands had never been married. This is compared to 6.71 million married people and 1.39 million divorced people living in the Netherlands in that same year.

The table contains data on marriages (excluding partnership registrations) and persons marrying (excluding persons who have entered into a registered partnership) among the population of the Netherlands by sex ratio, age (on 31 December), marital status, marriage ranking and country of birth. In the table, the data can be broken down into the following characteristics: - Marriages by sex ratio and age difference; - Marriages by sex ratio and mutual marital status; - Marriages by sex ratio and mutual ranking number of the marriage; - Marriages by sex ratio and mutual country of birth; - Married persons by sex and age; - Married persons by sex and marital status; - Married persons by gender and marriage rank. Data available from: 1996 Status of the figures All figures included in the table are final. Changes as of June 28, 2022: - Final figures for 2021 have been added. - Statistics Netherlands will switch to a new classification of the population by origin. From now on it is more important where someone was born, and less important where someone's parents were born. The word migration background is no longer used. The main division western/non-western is replaced by a division based on continents and common immigration countries. This classification is gradually being introduced in tables and publications with population by origin. It can be decided that the origin classification will be dropped for a StatLine table. The new classification may also affect tables with characteristics such as country of birth, nationality and country of origin / country of destination. In line with this new classification, all topics about marriages by mutual country of birth that refer to the groups 'Western' and 'non-Western' have been removed from the table in this table. The deleted information is permanently available in table 'Marriage; marriages and persons marrying by various characteristics, 1996 - 2020' (see link under 3. LINKS TO RELEVANT TABLES AND ARTICLES). When will new numbers come out? The final figures for 2022 will be included in this publication in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The most important key figures about population, households, birth, mortality, changes of residence, marriages, marriage dissolutions and change of nationality of the Dutch population.

CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are being replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification is being implemented gradually in tables and publications on population by origin.

Data available from 1899 to 2019.

Status of the figures: All data in this publication are final data.

Changes as of 15 December 2023: None, this table was discontinued.

When will the new figures be published? No longer applicable. This table is succeeded by the table 'Population, households and population dynamics; from 1899'. See section 3.

In 2022, 765 same-sex marriages took places between two men and 949 same-sex marriages took place between two women. Marriages between two women outnumbered marriages between two men since 2002, with the largest number of same-sex marriages between two women taking place in 2001. The total number of same-sex marriages in the Netherlands also peaked this year, with over 2,400 same-sex marriages.

A data set based on marriages conducted between 1600 and 1999 in the Netherlands. Includes information on lifespans and marriage ages of spouses (focal spouse and other), also location data for births, marriages and deaths. Includes information on lifespans and death locations of parents of the spouses. Includes information on whether the marriage, birth and death locations were urban or rural between 1600 and 1800, based on whether a place contained 5000 or more inhabitants (using a database developed by Bosker et al. 2013 [Rev. Econ. Stat., 95(4), 1418-1437 doi:10.1162/REST_a_00284]). The data set is derived from a genealogical database, which was constructed from family tree (GEDCOM) files contributed by users of www.genealogieonline.nl, via a program in which genealogists who were registered with the website were invited to contribute their family trees for scientific research purposes. The genealogical data from contributed files was error-checked before being combined into a single database using the TreeChecker application (http://www.treechecker.net). From the initial pool of >1600 contributed files, 924 files were included in the database after an assessment of the percentage of errors in each file, hence the database is known as the GO 924 set. Duplicate marriages were identified by the year of marriage and the first 7 letters of each spouse surname, whereupon a random duplicate was selected for inclusion in the data set. Note that names of individuals and exact dates of marriages, births and deaths are excluded from this data set to prevent identification of individuals, as the genealogical data was provided to our research group on the basis that it would only be published in an aggregated or anonymised format. Access to the un-anonymised data may be granted subject to confidentiality agreements, please contact the authors for further information. Marriages were only included where the place of marriage was in the Netherlands, marriage age of the spouse was > 13 and the spouse died in the Netherlands. The dataset is in a long format, in which there is a separate record for each spouse. It can be determined whether the spouse is the husband or wife (and conversely whether the other is the wife or husband) by the spouse_sex variable. A description of each variable is included in the accompanying text file: GO924_married_and_dying_in_NL_VARIABLES.txt.

Caterers have endured a period of high revenue volatility amid the recovery of COVID-19 disruptions and subsequent inflationary and geopolitical pressures, which have affected consumer and business spending on functions and events. Industry revenue is expected to climb at a compound annual rate of 8.5% to €25.5 billion over the five years through 2025, including a 4.9% hike in 2025. Evolving consumer tastes and trends, like healthier eating and vegetarianism, are driving change in the products offered by caterers. Marriage rates across Europe are dipping, leading to a diluted demand for wedding caterers. The low rates were compounded by restrictions during the COVID-19 outbreak, with many couples forced to postpone their weddings, while other private and corporate events were cancelled, leading to a low revenue base in 2020. Nevertheless, the gradual easing of restrictions in 2021 and complete removal in 2022 allowed postponed events to take place, providing a boost to revenue. As wider economic conditions affect business and consumer confidence and spending on catering, recent inflationary pressures, geopolitical tensions and trade war fears have heightened uncertainty, weakening revenue growth over the three years through 2025. With greater health consciousness and concern for the environment, demand for caterers offering healthier, locally sourced and organic options is climbing. Catering services are also now required to be more inclusive of different dietary preferences, including vegetarianism and veganism, encouraging caterers to innovate and differentiate their offerings to keep up with competitors. Revenue is forecast to swell at a compound annual rate of 10.5% to €41.9 billion over the five years through 2030. While anticipated improvement in economic conditions will boost confidence and disposable income, leading to a better climate for the catering industry, subdued marriage rates will likely continue to limit demand for wedding catering. A more optimistic economic environment may encourage consumers and businesses to hold larger, more lavish events, driving revenue growth. Caterers will face challenges from intensifying competition and ever-changing consumer preferences, hindering profit growth. As such, diversification will play a key role, with caterers needing to innovate their offerings and come up with more personalised services, while also effectively dabbling in social media usage to engage with customers and enhance their brand image to stand out from the crowd. Caterers will also be likely to invest in making their operations more sustainable and achieve efficiencies through the use of technology.

In 2021, *** same-sex dissolutions took places between two men and *** same-sex dissolutions took place between two women. Dissolutions between two women outnumbered dissolutions between two men in every year, with the largest number of same-sex dissolutions between two women taking place in the previous time period with *** dissolutions. The total number of same-sex dissolutions in the Netherlands also peaked i n 2020 year, with over ************ same-sex dissolutions.

This table includes information on the size of the Dutch population, as well as births, deaths, international migration, persons who moved within or between municipalities, marriages, registered partnerships, marriage dissolutions and requests for asylum, per month, quarter and year.

Since January 2010, a new production system has become operational to process municipal population data. As from 2010 onwards, with the introduction of the new system the following changes were implemented: - Provisional figures on live births by rank number and marital status of the mother will no longer be available. Definite figures will be added to the table on an annual basis; - Marriages will include registered partnerships; - Data on registered partnerships will be discontinued; - Married persons will include persons who have signed partnership contracts. An extra preceding marital status (married) has been added; - Marriage dissolutions will be presented including registered partnership dissolutions; - Divorced persons will be presented including legally terminated partnerships; - Data on persons who have moved house within the Netherlands will no longer be broken down by place in the household.

Data available from January 1995 till Ocotber 2018.

Status of the figures: - All figures on Asylum requests are final. - All figures of 1995 up to and including 2017 are final. - Figures for the 1st of January 2018 are final, the other figures on the population of 2018 are provisional. - The updating of asylum applications in this table is discontinued with effect from 2012.

Changes effective from 14 January 2019: None, the table has been discontinued.

When will new figures be published? Not applicable. This table will be followed up by 'Population dynamics; month and year' see paragraph 3.

This table contains figures on divorcing and widowing among the population of the Netherlands. The figures do not include dissolved partnership registrations. In the table, the data can be broken down into the following characteristics: - Of people divorcing by age (on 31 December) and gender; - Widows by age (at 31 December) and sex. Statistics Netherlands is revising the tables of population and household statistics. The aim is to present the table information in a clearer way and to reduce the number of tables. This table will be revised as soon as possible. Data available from: 1950. Status of the figures: All figures included in the table are final. Changes as of December 16, 2020: The final figures for 2019 have been added. When will new numbers come out? This table is discontinued until further notice.

This statistic shows the number of marriage dissolutions in the Netherlands from 1950 to 2022, per 1,000 marriages. Between 1950 and 2022, the number of dissolved marriages increased significantly. In 1950 of every 1,000 marriages 18.6 were dissolved, either because of a divorce or the death of one of the partners. By 2022, this had increased to 26.6.

The most important key figures about population, households, birth, mortality, changes of residence, marriages, marriage dissolutions and change of nationality of the Dutch population.

Statistics Netherlands will reorganise the tables relating to statistics on population and households as of 2015. The aim is to reduce the number of tables while striving to preserve (much) needed information.

Data available from: 1899

Status of the figures: All data in this publication are final data.

Changes as from 29 December 2017: The final data of 2016 regarding 'Mortality by some causes of death' have been added.

Changes as from 18 October 2017: - The terms ‘People with a Dutch background’ (in Dutch: autochtoon) and ‘People with a foreign background’ (in Dutch: allochtoon) have been revised. They have been replaced by ‘Native Dutch people’ and ‘People with a migration background’ respectively. The terms in this table have been replaced as a result. - The underlying coding of classifications used in this table has been adjusted. It is now in line with the standard encoding defined by CBS. The structure and data of the table have not been adjusted.

Changes as from 10 October 2017: - The figure on the 'Population on 1 January, persons with Surinamese background' in 2015 has been corrected. This correction is due to a rounding error. The correction does not affect the remaining figures in the table. - Figures on the subject 'Mortality' and the selection 'Mortality by causes of death' have been corrected for the year 2014. These corrections are due to the fact that the correct average population was not taken as a basis. The corrections do not affect the remaining figures in the table.

When will the new figures be published? The following figures will be published in the fourth quarter of 2022: The figures on population dynamics concerning 2017 to 2021 and about the population on the 1st of January 2018 to 1st of January 2022.

In 2021, the marriage rate for all Benelux countries was very similar; in Belgium it was *** percent and in the Netherlands it was *** percent. For all countries, the marriage rates had been decreasing since 2010 and are around *** percentage points lower than the marriage rates were in 2010.

The most important key figures about population, households, population growth, births, deaths, migration, marriages, marriage dissolutions and change of nationality of the Dutch population.

CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are being replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification is being implemented gradually in tables and publications on population by origin.

Data available from: 1899

Status of the figures: The 2023 figures on stillbirths and perinatal mortality are provisional, the other figures in the table are final.

Changes as of 23 December 2024: Figures with regard to population growth for 2023 and figures of the population on 1 January 2024 have been added. The provisional figures on the number of stillbirths and perinatal mortality for 2023 do not include children who were born at a gestational age that is unknown. These cases were included in the final figures for previous years. However, the provisional figures show a relatively larger number of children born at an unknown gestational age. Based on an internal analysis for 2022, it appears that in the majority of these cases, the child was born at less than 24 weeks. To ensure that the provisional 2023 figures do not overestimate the number of stillborn children born at a gestational age of over 24 weeks, children born at an unknown gestational age have now been excluded.

Changes as of 15 December 2023: None, this is a new table. This table succeeds the table Population; households and population dynamics; 1899-2019. See section 3. The following changes have been made: - The underlying topic folders regarding 'migration background' have been replaced by 'Born in the Netherlands' and 'Born abroad'; - The origin countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey have been assigned to the continent of Asia (previously Europe).

When will the new figures be published? The figures for the population development in 2023 and the population on 1 January 2024 will be published in the second quarter of 2024.

This statistic shows the total number of wedding anniversaries in the Netherlands in 2023. It shows that in 2023, almost 60,000 couples celebrated their 12.5th anniversary.