The Impact of Assimilation on the Family Structure of Jews in Amsterdam, 1880–1940

Abstract

Since the process of assimilation of Jews coincided with a fertility transition, this study examines the relation between changes in the household structure of families of Jewish origin and the process of assimilation. Data were gathered from the Amsterdam registry for 717 Jewish descendants born in Amsterdam between 1883 and 1922. Our research shows a decrease in average number of siblings at birth among successive birth cohorts. Moreover, especially those persons born outside the Jewish district had a significantly smaller number of siblings at birth. This result might indicate that the fertility transition among Jews started with families who had left the Jewish district. This study also shows that subjects who had a higher number of siblings produced more children themselves, whereas those who married a gentile had fewer children.