Northern Ireland society ‘forever changed’ as humanist marriages hit 15% of total

It’s official: 15% of all marriages in Northern Ireland last year were humanist marriages. This means it is highly likely that there were more humanist marriages than religious marriages conducted by the three big Protestant churches.

The figures were obtained by Northern Ireland Humanists from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) and reveal staggering growth in the six years since humanist marriages first gained legal recognition. Northern Ireland Humanists has said that their huge popularity is another sign that Northern Ireland society is increasingly transformed from the two-tribes sectarianism of the past. 

The preliminary data for 2024 reveals that 1,113 marriages were humanist, out of 7,251 in total. This means:

• Humanist marriages are behind only civil and Catholic marriages in popularity.
• For the first time, they may well outstrip the big three Protestant churches – the Presbyterian Church, the Church of Ireland, and the Methodist Church. Figures for them for 2024 are due in the autumn, but in 2023 they did 1,084 marriages between them, and in recent years their marriage numbers have been falling.
• The humanist marriage share has risen in successive years, since 2018, from 0.5% of the total, to 2.5%, 4.6%, 7.7%, 11%, 13.5%, and now 15.4%.

That growth rate outstrips the growth of humanist marriages in Scotland and Ireland since legal recognition there. In Scotland, where recognition occurred 20 years ago in June, humanist marriages now represent 29% of the total – more than all religious marriages combined. In Scotland it took 12 years to get to 15% of marriages being humanist.

Among those aged 25-44 – i.e. around average marriage age – 29% belong to no religion, compared to 34% Catholic and 23% the big three Protestant churches. So it fits that humanist marriages have risen in number accordingly – and it suggests that they have further room for growth.

Northern Ireland Humanists Coordinator Boyd Sleator commented:

‘These figures confirm what we’ve seen in practice: more and more couples are choosing a humanist marriage ceremony because they want something authentic, personal, and reflective of their own lives and beliefs. It’s a joy to see so many people embracing ceremonies that truly mean something to them.

‘They also show something else. Northern Ireland is not the country it used to be. Gone is the era when the population might be stereotyped as entirely Protestant or Catholic. It is clear that there is a third major group in Northern Ireland’s society today – and that’s us.’

About humanist marriages

Humanist weddings are non-religious wedding ceremonies that are fully customised to match the deepest-held values and beliefs of the couple getting married. They are conducted by a Northern Ireland Humanists celebrant, someone guaranteed to share their beliefs. In consultation with the couple the celebrant produces a completely bespoke script. The ceremony also occurs in whatever location is most meaningful for the couple. Northern Ireland Humanists has more than 60 trained and accredited wedding celebrants, with Humanists UK as a whole having over 300.

Humanist marriages gained legal recognition in Northern Ireland in August 2018 following a successful court case led by Humanists UK and its patrons Laura Lacole and Eunan O’Kane. Humanist marriages are also legally recognised in Ireland, Scotland, and the Channel Islands. In England and Wales, couples must still undergo a separate civil ceremony for their humanist wedding to be legally recognised – something Humanists UK continues to campaign to change.

Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson commented:

‘Northern Ireland has become a trailblazer for humanist marriages across these islands. These numbers should inspire change at last in England and Wales, where legal recognition is still lacking. We urge the UK Government to extend legal recognition to England and Wales as soon as possible, so that thousands more couples could have marriages in line with their worldview.’