[LMB] Age at first marriage

[Mitch Miller]

From: Ann Sharp <axsc at sbcglobal.net

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Ann:

Genealogist's rule of thumb for Western Europe and
America:  If the young couple were going to
housekeeping on their own, the usual/average age at
first marriage was about twenty-four for the young
man, twenty for the girl.  These numbers are
reasonably well supported once we start seeing enough
record-keeping for Mr. and Mrs. Ordinary Person to
have both a baptismal date and a marriage date
recorded, late 16th-early 17th centuries.  

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Jews married younger.  For example, Gluekel of Hamlin (1646-1724)
was married at 14, Dona Gracia Mendes Nasi (1510-1569) at 18.
Even today, Orthodox Jewish girls are getting married as early as 17,
yes, here in the U.S.

I wonder how universal marriage in the 20's was during the 19th century 
- Juana Maria de los Dolores deLeon Smith, the "Ladysmith" for whom the
town in South Africa and hence the singing group Ladysmith Black Mambazo
is named, (1798-1872) married then-Major Harry Smith when she was 14 -- 
he was 25.

Mitch Miller