Single parent
A parent raising children without a spouse or live-in partner.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
A single parent raises a child or children without a spouse or live-in partner sharing the household. People may become single parents through annulment, death, divorce, separation, abandonment, domestic violence, rape, having a child alone, or adopting as a single person. A family headed by a single parent is called a single-parent family.
Historically, single parenthood was widespread because parents often died from disease, war, homicide, work accidents, or childbirth. In 17th- and 18th-century French, English, and Spanish villages, at least one-third of children lost a parent during childhood. In 19th-century Milan, about half of all children lost at least one parent by age 20, and in 19th-century China, nearly one-third of boys had lost one or both parents by age 15. However, remarriage was common, so single parenthood was often brief. Divorce was rare in many eras, especially in medieval Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire, when church courts tightly controlled family life, though annulments and separations occurred.
Single-parent adoptions have existed since the mid-1800s. Men were rarely considered as adoptive parents and were seen as less desirable. Children adopted by single people were often raised in pairs rather than alone, and many adoptions by lesbians and gay men were arranged as single-parent adoptions. In the mid-19th century, welfare officials often made it difficult or impossible for single people to adopt, as agencies preferred married heterosexual couples. In 1965, the Los Angeles Bureau of Adoptions sought single African-Americans to adopt African-American orphans for whom married families could not be found. In 1968, the Child Welfare League of America stated that married couples were preferred, but allowed single-parent adoptions in "exceptional circumstances."
Among all households in OECD countries in 2011, single-parent households made up 3–11% of the total, averaging 7.5%. The highest rates were in Australia, Canada, Mexico, the United States, Lithuania (10% each), Costa Rica, Latvia, and New Zealand (11% each). The lowest were in Japan (3%), Greece and Switzerland (4%), and Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, and Cyprus (5%). Ireland and the United Kingdom had 9%. Among households with children in 2005/09, single-parent households ranged from 10% in Japan to 30% in the United States, which rose from 20% in 1980 to 30% in
- Historical prevalence
- In 17th- and 18th-century French, English, or Spanish villages, at least one-third of children lost one parent during childhood.
- Historical prevalence (Milan)
- In 19th-century Milan, about half of all children lost at least one parent by age 20.
- Historical prevalence (China)
- In 19th-century China, almost one-third of boys had lost one parent or both by age 15.
- OECD household proportion (2011)
- 3–11% of all households, average 7.5%.
- OECD household proportion with children
- Ranged from 10% in Japan to 30% in the United States.
- OECD children in single-parent household
- 6–28%, average 17%.
- U.S. single-mother families
- Over 9.5 million American families are run by one woman.
Lore & Background
Historically, single parenthood was common due to high parental mortality from disease, wars, homicide, work accidents, and maternal mortality. In 17th- and 18th-century French, English, or Spanish villages, at least one-third of children lost one parent during childhood; in 19th-century Milan, about half of all children lost at least one parent by age 20; in 19th-century China, almost one-third of boys had lost one parent or both by age 15. Such single parenthood was often short in duration because remarriage rates were high. Divorce was generally rare historically, especially after the fall of the Roman Empire in Medieval Europe, due to strong involvement of ecclesiastical courts, though annulment and other forms of separation were more common.
Single parent adoptions have existed since the mid 19th century. Men were rarely considered as adoptive parents and were considered far less desired. Often, children adopted by a single person were raised in pairs rather than alone, and many adoptions by lesbians and gay men were arranged as single parent adoptions. During the mid 19th century, many state welfare officials made it difficult for single persons to adopt, as agencies searched for married heterosexual couples. In 1965, the Los Angeles Bureau of Adoptions sought single African-Americans for African-American orphans for whom married families could not be found. In 1968, the Child Welfare League of America stated that married couples were preferred, but there were 'exceptional circumstances' where single parent adoptions were permissible.
Demographically, among all households in OECD countries in 2011, the proportion of single-parent households ranged from 3% to 11%, with an average of 7.5%. Among households with children in 2005/09, the proportion ranged from 10% in Japan to 30% in the United States. In all OECD countries, most single-parent households were headed by a mother, with the proportion headed by a father varying between 9% and 25%. In 2016/17, the proportion of children living in a single-parent household varied between 6% and 28% across OECD countries, with an average of 17%.
Reader's Guide
Single parenthood is a significant social and historical phenomenon, reflecting both the fragility of family structures due to mortality and the evolving norms around marriage, divorce, and adoption. Historically, it was often a temporary state due to high remarriage rates, but in modern OECD countries it has become a more permanent family form, with substantial variation across nations. The prevalence of single-parent households has increased in many countries, such as the United States, where the proportion among households with children rose from 20% in 1980 to 30% in 2008.
The impact on single parents, particularly mothers, is well-documented in terms of mental health and financial hardship. Studies show that single mothers are more likely to experience moderate to severe mental disability (28.7% compared to 15.7% for partnered mothers), with higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other disorders. Financial strain is directly correlated with high levels of depression, and low-income single mothers face barriers to mental health care, including lack of community resources, transportation, child care, and fear of stigma or losing their children.
For children, living in a single-parent family is strongly correlated with school failure, delinquency, drug use, teenage pregnancies, poverty, and welfare dependency in the United States. In Sweden, children from single-parent households have worse well-being in physical health, mental health, peer friendships, and family relationships compared to children from intact families. However, shared parenting arrangements, where children spend equal time with both parents, show contrasting outcomes, though the article does not complete that comparison.
Did You Know?
- In 19th-century Milan, about half of all children lost at least one parent by age 20.
- In 1965, the Los Angeles Bureau of Adoptions sought single African-Americans for African-American orphans for whom married families could not be found.
- Among OECD countries in 2011, the proportion of single-parent households ranged from 3% in Japan to 11% in Costa Rica, Latvia, and New Zealand.
- In the United States, the proportion of households with children that were single-parent increased from 20% in 1980 to 30% in 2008.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a single parent?
A single parent is a person who raises one or more children on their own, without a spouse or live-in partner sharing the household. The household they lead is specifically called a single-parent family.
How do people become single parents?
Pathways into single parenthood include divorce, annulment, a partner's death, separation, abandonment, domestic violence, rape, choosing to have a child alone, or adopting as an individual. Each of these circumstances results in one person taking on full primary caregiving responsibility.
How common are single-parent households in modern countries?
A 2011 OECD survey found that single-parent households account for roughly 3% to 11% of all households across member nations, with the cross-country average sitting at about 7.5%.
Was single parenthood actually rare in earlier centuries?
Quite the opposite — it was a widespread reality. In 17th- and 18th-century villages across France, England, and Spain, at least one in three children lost a parent before adulthood, typically from disease, war, workplace accidents, or complications of childbirth.
What did historical single-parenthood rates look like in specific regions?
In 19th-century Milan, approximately half of all children had lost at least one parent by the time they turned twenty. In 19th-century China, nearly one-third of boys had lost one or both parents by age fifteen.
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