In 2021, more babies – 51% – were born to unmarried mothers in England and Wales than to those in a marriage or civil partnership for the first time since records began in 1845. This is a huge change. For centuries, “illegitimacy” and unmarried parenthood has been associated with stigma, shame and disadvantage.
The civil registration of births only began in 1845, but we have parish register data that goes back to the 16th century. Although it fluctuated, the “illegitimacy ratio” – the proportion of births marked as to unmarried parents in parish registers – never passed 7% of the total from the 16th century until the 1960s. Since then, however, the proportion has climbed steadily.
