In 2004, there were 21,670 marriages registered in Jamaica. This is a decline of 806 or 3.6% from the previous year’s total of 22,476. In 2002, a total of 23,070 marriages were registered. This indicates a decline of 594 or 2.6% from 2002 to 2003 and an overall decline of 1,400 or 6.1% from 2002 to 2004.

The Western region again led the regional contribution to the marriage total with 9,005 or 41.6%. Next came the North Eastern, South Eastern and Southern regions with 5,536 (25.5%), 5,187 (23.9%) and 1,942 (9.0%) respectively. In 2003, the regional trend was the same with the contributions for Western being 9,375 (41.7%), North Eastern with 5,779 (25.7%), South Eastern with 5,361 (23.9%) and Southern with 1,961 (8.7%).

TABLE 2: ESTIMATED POPULATION OF PARISHES-LIVE BIRTHS, DEATHS, MARRIAGES, STILL BIRTHS AND CORRESPONDING RATES FOR 2004

The three leading parishes for marriages in 2004 were St. James, St. Ann and Westmoreland with 4,075 (18.8%), 3,969 (18.3%) and 2,719 (12.5%) respectively. The parish with the least marriages was Portland with 258 or 1.2%. In the previous year, there were slight differences with the leading parishes being St. Ann with 4,349 (19.3%), St. James with 4,229 (18.8%) and Westmoreland with 2,833 (12.6%). Portland was in last position with 284 marriages or 1.3%.

Examination of the marriages by quarter reveals that the second quarter led with 5,961 (27.5%), followed by the third quarter with 5,330 (24.6%), then the fourth quarter with 5,233 (24.1%) and finally the first quarter with 5,146 (23.8%). In the previous year, this was the same trend with the respective contributions: second quarter – 6,178 (27.5%), third quarter – 5,883 (26.2%), fourth quarter – 5,739 (25.5%) and first quarter with 4,676 (20.8%).

TABLE16b:MARRIAGES BY PARISH, BY QUARTER OF OCCURRENCE, 2004, AND PERCENTAGES OF TOTAL