A cold wind blows across the Northern Hemisphere the first few months of the new year, and relationships start to feel a bit of a chill. The latest Eurostat numbers – which are in line with American statistics – show that divorce filings increase at the start of the year in Europe and the U.S.
This is Your Euro Divorce
People in the UK have reportedly dubbed the first working Monday in January “Divorce Day” in recognition of an apparent spike in couples considering dissolving their marriages.
More than 40,500 people in the U.K. are expected to search “divorce” online in January – a rate that is nearly 25 percent higher than the usual traffic generated by the term.
Florida Divorce Statistics
I have written about the phenomenon of divorce filings at the beginning of the year before.
Although Florida was a British colony, that may not explain why the beginning of the year was the most popular time to file for a divorce here in Florida too.
The first few months of the year are known for divorce filings, and January is nicknamed the “Divorce Month” in Florida.
Researchers recently did an analysis of all American divorce filings and found that there is a spike in divorces in January.
The spike in divorce filings is followed by a peak in late March.
What’s happening at the beginning of the new year that causes people to both marry and divorce?
According to the report:
“The holidays are often a tricky time for couples whose relationships have been under pressure for a while.
Add in the intense time spent together, financial pressure, extended family critiques and unrealistic expectations (nothing worse than happy people’s Facebook posts) – and it can spell disaster for some relationships.
Back in Europe
Amazingly, the same statistics hold true of our European cousins.
Below are the European countries with the Highest crude divorce rates – the ratio of the number of divorces during the year to the average population that year per 1,000 persons – according to Eurostat.
Country |
Divorce Rank |
Divorce Rate |
Lithuania | 1 | 3.2 |
Denmark | 2 | 2.9 |
Estonia | 3 (tie) | 2.6 |
Latvia | 3 (tie) | 2.6 |
Czech Republic | 5 (tie) | 2.5 |
Finland | 5 (tie) | 2.5 |
Sweden | 5 (tie) | 2.5 |
The U.S News and World Report article is here.