Demographics Show Significant Changes in Family Formation Patterns
- Leonardo and Sofia Remain Top Baby Names
- Italian Birth Rate Drops to 379,890 in 2023 Marking 15-Year Low
- Average Age of First-Time Mothers in Italy Reaches 31.7 Years
- Italian Birth Rate Crisis Worsens with 3.4 Percent Annual Decline
In 2023, Italy saw a continued decline in the number of births, with the total number dropping to 379,890, marking a 3.4% decrease compared to 2022, which is around 13,000 fewer births. The birth rate continued to decline into 2024, with provisional data for January to July showing 4,600 fewer births compared to the same period in 2023.
The birth rate per 1,000 residents in 2023 was slightly above six births, reflecting a significant long-term reduction. This decline has been observed consistently since 2008, when the birth rate reached 576,659—the highest in the early 2000s. Overall, this equates to a 34.1% decrease since 2008, or approximately 13,000 fewer births per year on average.
Related articles: ISTAT’s 2023 Annual Report
Fertility Rate: 1.20 Children per Woman in 2023
The average fertility rate dropped to 1.20 children per woman in 2023, down from 1.24 in 2022, echoing a similar low recorded in 1995. Provisional data from 2024 indicates a slight rise to 1.21 in the first seven months of the year. However, this increase has not offset the overall downward trend, as the population of women of reproductive age continues to shrink.
This decline is driven by a demographic shift among women aged 15 to 49, which is the conventional reproductive age. The baby-boom generation, born between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, has now largely passed beyond this age range, and they are being replaced by women born during the baby-bust period of 1976 to 1995, a time when fertility rates were historically low.
| Indicator | 2008 | 2013 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 (s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Births | 576,659 | 514,308 | 439,747 | 420,084 | 404,892 | 400,249 | 393,333 | 379,890 |
| Birth rate | 9.7 | 8.5 | 7.3 | 7.0 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.4 |
| First-order births % | 49.4 | 48.9 | 46.6 | 47.7 | 47.5 | 46.6 | 48.9 | 49.1 |
| Births to at least one foreign parent (%) | 16.8 | 20.4 | 22.0 | 22.0 | 21.8 | 21.5 | 20.9 | 21.3 |
| Births to both foreign parents (%) | 12.6 | 15.1 | 14.9 | 15.0 | 14.8 | 14.2 | 13.5 | 13.5 |
| Births to both Italian parents (%) | 83.2 | 79.6 | 78.0 | 78.0 | 78.2 | 78.5 | 79.1 | 78.7 |
| Out-of-wedlock births (%) | 19.7 | 26.0 | 32.3 | 33.4 | 35.8 | 39.9 | 41.5 | 42.3 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.44 | 1.39 | 1.31 | 1.27 | 1.24 | 1.25 | 1.24 | 1.20 |
| Fertility rate of Italian women | 1.33 | 1.29 | 1.22 | 1.18 | 1.17 | 1.18 | 1.18 | 1.14 |
| Fertility rate of foreign women | 2.53 | 2.09 | 2.03 | 1.99 | 1.89 | 1.87 | 1.86 | 1.79 |
| Average age at childbirth (mothers) | 31.0 | 31.4 | 32.0 | 32.1 | 32.2 | 32.4 | 32.4 | 32.5 |
| Average age at childbirth (Italian mothers) | 31.6 | 32.1 | 32.5 | 32.6 | 32.7 | 32.8 | 32.9 | 33.0 |
| Average age at childbirth (foreign mothers) | 27.5 | 28.5 | 29.0 | 29.1 | 29.3 | 29.7 | 29.5 | 29.7 |
(s) = Provisional data for 2023.
Regional Data: Italian vs Foreign Parents
The decline in births is especially pronounced among couples where both parents are Italian. In 2023, 298,948 births were to Italian parents, which is around 12,000 fewer than in 2022, representing a 3.9% decrease. This reflects a 37.7% decrease since 2008. Births involving at least one foreign parent accounted for 21.3% of the total, with 80,942 children born in such families in 2023, representing a 1.5% decrease compared to 2022.
Geographically, Emilia-Romagna recorded the highest proportion of foreign births at 21.9% of the total. Other northern regions, including Liguria and Lombardy, also recorded significant proportions, with approximately one in five births involving at least one foreign parent. In contrast, Sardinia had the lowest proportion, with only 3.9% of births involving foreign parents.
Age of Mothers and Births Outside Marriage
In 2023, the average age of mothers at the birth of their first child was 31.7 years, compared to 28 years in 1995. When considering all births, the average age of mothers increased slightly from 32.4 years in 2022 to 32.5 years in 2023. The average age for Italian mothers was higher, at 33.0 years, compared to 29.7 years for foreign mothers.
Births outside marriage continued to rise, reaching 42.4% of the total in 2023, an increase of 0.8 percentage points compared to 2022. While the number of births outside marriage slightly decreased in absolute terms in 2023 (with 160,942 births registered), the overall percentage increased. The highest proportion of non-marital births was recorded in Sardinia at 55%, while the lowest was in Basilicata at 29.6%.
First, Second, and Third Births
In terms of birth order, first-born children numbered 186,613 in 2023, a 3.1% reduction from 2022, returning to levels seen in 2021. Second-order births declined by 4.5%, and births of higher orders (third or more children) fell by 1.7%. The reduction in first-order births was most pronounced in central Italy, with a 3.6% decrease, compared to 2.8% in northern Italy and 3.6% in the south.
Italy’s Most Popular Baby Names
Related articles: What is the most common last name in each region of Italy?
Despite the ongoing demographic shifts, certain baby names have remained popular. For boys, Leonardo retained its top spot for the sixth consecutive year, followed by Edoardo, which rose to second place. Tommaso remained in third, while Francesco, which had previously been in second place, dropped to fourth.
Among girls, Sofia continued to be the most popular name, followed by Aurora and Ginevra, which rose to third place, replacing Giulia, which fell to fifth. Vittoria took the fourth spot.
Source: Ansa, Istat
Featured image: unsplash
Topics: why is Italy’s birth rate declining, how many babies were born in Italy 2023, Italy fertility rate 2023, low fertility Italy reasons, birth rate trends Italy 2023, population decrease Italy 2023
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