The fertility rate of a country is the average number of children that women from that country would have throughout their reproductive years. In the United Kingdom in 1800, the average woman of childbearing age would have five children over the course of their lifetime. Over the next 35 years the fertility rate was quite sporadic, rising to over 5.5 in the 1810s and 1820s, then dropping to 4.9 by 1835. This was during and after the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 with the US, which was a time of increased industrialization, economic depression and high unemployment after the war. As things became more stable, and the 'Pax Britannica' (a period of relative, international peace and economic prosperity for the British Empire) came into full effect, the fertility rate plateaued until 1880, before dropping gradually until the First World War. The fertility rate then jumped from 2.6 to 3.1 children per woman between 1915 and 1920, as many men returned from the war. It then resumed it's previous trajectory in the interwar years, before increasing yet again after the war (albeit, for a much longer time than after WWI), in what is known as the 'Baby Boom'. Like the US, the Baby Boom lasted until around 1980, where it then fell to 1.7 children per woman, and it has remained around this number (between 1.66 and 1.87) since then.

In 2021, the total fertility rate, in the United Kingdom fell to 1.53 births per woman, compared with 1.56 in 2020. The fertility rate in the most recent year is the lowest in this provided time period, and far below the peak of 2.65 births per woman recorded in 1964.

Fertility rate, total (births per woman) in United Kingdom was reported at 1.56 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Fertility rate, total (births per woman) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

United Kingdom UK: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 1.800 Ratio in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1.800 Ratio for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 1.820 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.930 Ratio in 1964 and a record low of 1.630 Ratio in 2002. United Kingdom UK: Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s UK – Table UK.World Bank: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average; Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.

In 2023, the total fertility rate in the United Kingdom did not change in comparison to the previous year. The total fertility rate remained at 1.56 children per woman. The total fertility rate is the average number of children that a woman of childbearing age (generally considered 15 to 44 years) is expected to have throughout her reproductive years. Unlike birth rates, which are based on the actual number of live births in a given population, fertility rates are estimates (similar to life expectancy) that apply to a hypothetical woman, as they assume that current patterns in age-specific fertility will remain constant throughout her reproductive years.Find more statistics on other topics about the United Kingdom with key insights such as crude birth rate, total life expectancy at birth, and infant mortality rate.

United Kingdom UK: Adolescent Fertility Rate: Births per 1000 Women Aged 15-19 data was reported at 13.547 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 14.596 Ratio for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Adolescent Fertility Rate: Births per 1000 Women Aged 15-19 data is updated yearly, averaging 30.317 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 88.785 Ratio in 1962 and a record low of 13.547 Ratio in 2016. United Kingdom UK: Adolescent Fertility Rate: Births per 1000 Women Aged 15-19 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Adolescent fertility rate is the number of births per 1,000 women ages 15-19.; ; United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects.; Weighted average;

Graph and download economic data for Adolescent Fertility Rate for the United Kingdom (SPADOTFRTGBR) from 1960 to 2023 about 15 to 19 years, fertility, United Kingdom, and rate.

Graph and download economic data for Fertility Rate, Total for the United Kingdom (SPDYNTFRTINGBR) from 1960 to 2023 about fertility, United Kingdom, and rate.

Live births and stillbirths annual summary statistics, by sex, age of mother, whether within marriage or civil partnership, percentage of non-UK-born mothers, birth rates and births by month and mothers' area of usual residence.

United Kingdom UK: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data was reported at 11.800 Ratio in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 11.900 Ratio for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data is updated yearly, averaging 12.900 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2016, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.800 Ratio in 1964 and a record low of 11.300 Ratio in 2002. United Kingdom UK: Birth Rate: Crude: per 1000 People data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Crude birth rate indicates the number of live births occurring during the year, per 1,000 population estimated at midyear. Subtracting the crude death rate from the crude birth rate provides the rate of natural increase, which is equal to the rate of population change in the absence of migration.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

This dataset is about countries per year in the United Kingdom. It has 64 rows. It features 4 columns: country, ISO 2 country code, and birth rate.

There were almost 695,000 live births recorded in the United Kingdom in 2021, compared with almost 682,000 in the previous year. Between 1887 and 2021, the year with the highest number of live births was 1920, when there were approximately 1.13 million births, while the year with the fewest births was 1977, when there were approximately 657,000 births. Birth rate falls to a historic low in 2020 At 10.2 births per 1,000 people, the birth rate of the United Kingdom in 2020 was at a historic low. After witnessing a twenty-first century high of 12.9 in 2010, the birth rate gradually declined before a sharp decrease was recorded between 2012 and 2013. Although there was a slight uptick in the birth rate in 2021, when there were 10.4 births per 1,000 people, the total fertility rate reached a low of 1.53 births per woman in the same year. As well as falling birth and fertility rates, the average age of mothers has been increasing. In 1991, the average age of mothers at childbirth was 27.7 years, compared with 30.9 years in 2021. UK population reaches 68 million In 2023, the overall population of the United Kingdom reached almost 68.3 million people. Of the four countries that comprise the UK, England has by far the highest population, at 57.7 million, compared with almost 5.5 million in Scotland, 3.2 million in Wales, and 1.9 million in Northern Ireland. These countries are far less densely populated than England, especially when compared to London, which had approximately 5,630 people per square kilometer, compared with just 70 in Scotland. After London, North West England was the second-most densely populated area of the UK, which includes the large metropolitan areas of the cities of Manchester, and Liverpool

Birth rate, crude (per 1,000 people) in United Kingdom was reported at 10.02 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United Kingdom - Birth rate, crude - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

This scatter chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) against birth rate (per 1,000 people) in the United Kingdom. The data is about countries per year.

Virgin Islands (British) Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data was reported at 1.045 Ratio in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.025 Ratio for 2022. Virgin Islands (British) Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 1.798 Ratio from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2023, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.812 Ratio in 1960 and a record low of 0.873 Ratio in 2017. Virgin Islands (British) Fertility Rate: Total: Births per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Virgin Islands (British) – Table VG.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Total fertility rate represents the number of children that would be born to a woman if she were to live to the end of her childbearing years and bear children in accordance with age-specific fertility rates of the specified year.;(1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision; (2) Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices; (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics.;Weighted average;Relevance to gender indicator: it can indicate the status of women within households and a woman’s decision about the number and spacing of children.

Live births by local authority of usual residence of mother, General Fertility Rates and Total Fertility Rates.

The general fertility rate (GFR) is the number of live births per 1,000 women aged 15-44. Rates are based on the most up-to-date population estimates.

The General Fertility Rate (GFR) is the number of live births per 1,000 women aged 15-44.

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is the average number of live children that a group of women would bear if they experienced the age-specific fertility rates of the calendar year in question throughout their childbearing lifespan.

The TFR has been calculated using the number of live births and the 2006 mid-year population estimates (sub-nationally) and the 2006-based 2007 projections (nationally) for women by single year of age. This generally produces a better match of births to those at risk of having births. However, local authority level population estimates are only considered reliable in five-year age bands. Thus, especially in small local authorities, it should be noted that rates computed using single year of age data may produce spurious results.

City of London has been grouped with Hackney after 2004.

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Virgin Islands (British) Total Fertility Rate: Children per Woman data was reported at 1.040 Person in 2023. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.020 Person for 2022. Virgin Islands (British) Total Fertility Rate: Children per Woman data is updated yearly, averaging 1.270 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2023, with 34 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.010 Person in 1997 and a record low of 0.870 Person in 2017. Virgin Islands (British) Total Fertility Rate: Children per Woman data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Virgin Islands (British) – Table VG.OECD.GGI: Social: Demography: Non OECD Member: Annual.

Graph and download economic data for Crude Birth Rate for the United Kingdom (SPDYNCBRTINGBR) from 1960 to 2023 about birth, crude, United Kingdom, and rate.

Comparison of total fertility rate (TFR) with 1971-based to 2022-based national population projections for the UK and constituent countries, including measures of error.

This bar chart displays fertility rate (births per woman) by currency using the aggregation average, weighted by population female in the United Kingdom. The data is about countries per year.