Young Turks and Moroccans prefer partner from the same ethnic background

Many young Turks and Moroccans who married in recent years fetched their partner from Turkey or Morocco.

Recent research reveals that young single Turks and Moroccans think it is important that their future brides come from a Turkish or Moroccan background. Being raised in Turkey or Morocco is considered less important.

Turks and Moroccans marry young

Second generation Turks and Moroccans marry at a younger age than indigenous young people. A total of 41 percent of Turkish women in the age category 18-27 are married or divorced; for Turkish males in the same age category, this is 23 percent. The percentage is significantly lower for Moroccans. Only 11 percent of native Dutch women and less than 5 percent of native Dutch men aged 18-27 are married or divorced.

Married or divorced (aged 18–27) by ethnic background, 2004

Second generation also want to marry

Many young people (aged 18-27) who are not yet married, expect to marry in the future. Approximately 90 percent of young Turkish and Moroccan men and women are married or expect to get married. Only for Moroccan males the share is lower. Three-quarters of young native Dutch expect to marry. More often than young Turks and Moroccans they opt for living together.

Young people (aged 18–27) expecting to marry, 2004

Faith important

Turks and Moroccans think it is very important that their future partner has the same religion. Almost eight in every ten men and an even more remarkable nine in every ten women think sharing the same religion is (very) important. Turkish and Moroccan men and women prefer their partners to have the same nationality, although they think sharing the same faith is more important than sharing the same nationality. Five to six in every ten men think it is important for their partner to have the same nationality, about 70 percent of women prefer their partner to have the same nationality.

Half fetch bride from Turkey or Morocco

In recent years 50 to 60 percent of native Dutch with a Turkish or Moroccan background fetched a partner from Turkey or Morocco (Dutch only). Only one in ten young Turks and Moroccans who are to get married in the years to come think it is important that their partner grew up in Turkey or Morocco. Only time will tell whether they will actually opt for a partner who grew up in the Netherlands or prefer a partner from Turkey or Morocco.

Opinions of young Turks and Moroccans about their future bride, 2004

Arie de Graaf