Mother's Day Fun Facts & Figures

MAIN Home Life Holidays Mother's Day

Mother's Day Fun Facts
It's More Than the Thought That Counts

Perfume for Mother's Day
As always, kids are still
more likely to eat meals
with moms than with dads.

Feasts celebrating mothers have existed throughout the world since the beginning of time. The modern version of Mother's Day in the United States, was first observed in 1907.

Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia decided that it would be a wonderful way to honor her deceased mother. Two years later, Jarvis and friends began a letter-writing campaign to create a Mother's Day observance.

Soon after, in 1914, the US Congress passed legislation designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

How Many Mothers?

85.4 million Estimated number of mothers in the United States in 2008.

54% Percentage of 15- to 44-year-olds who are mothers.

82% Percentage of women 40 to 44 years old who are mothers. In 1980, 90 percent of women in that age group were mothers.

How Many Children?

2.1 The total fertility rate or number of births in 2008 per woman in Utah (based on current birth rates by age), which led the nation. At the other end of the spectrum is Vermont, with a total fertility rate of 1.7 births per woman. .

Perfume for Mother's Day
Along with flowers & jewelry,
perfume remains one of the
most popular Mother's Day gifts.

94% Among the 37.8 million mothers living with children younger than 18 in 2004, the percentage who lived with their biological children. In addition, 3 percent lived with stepchildren, 2 percent with adopted children, and less than 1 percent with foster children.

Jacob and Isabella The most popular baby names for boys and girls, respectively, in 2009.

Mothers Day Cards, Flowers & Gifts

18,509 Number of florists nationwide in 2008. Their 89,741 employees will be especially busy selling bouquets for Mother's Day. The flowers you buy mom probably were grown in California or Colombia.

11, 715 Number of employees of 107 greeting-card publishing establishments in 2008.

14,027 The number of cosmetics, beauty supplies and perfume stores nationwide in 2008. Perfume is one of the most popular gifts given on Mother's Day.

26,683 Number of jewelry stores in the United States in 2008 -- the place to purchase necklaces, earrings and other timeless pieces for mom.

New Moms

4.13 million Number of women who had babies in 2009. Of this number, about 409,840 were teens, and more than 8,000 were age 45 or over.

25.1 Average age of women in 2008 when they gave birth for the first time, up from 25.0 years in 2006 and 2007.

Perfume for Mother's Day
Statistically, the most
popular day to have a baby.

40 Percentage of births taking place annually that are the mothers' first.

42,746 Number of births each year attended by physicians, midwives or others that did not occur in hospitals.

1-in-31 Number of twin births per 1,000 total births in 2008, the highest rate on record.

July The month with the highest number of births, with 375,384 taking place that month in 2008.

Tuesday The most popular day of the week in which to have a baby, with an average of more than 13,415 births taking place on Tuesdays in 2008.

Stay-at-Home vs Working Moms

777,817 The number of day-care centers across the country to which mothers turn to help juggle motherhood and careers.

5 million Number of stay-at-home moms in 2010 — down from 5.1 million in 2009 and 5.3 million in 2008. Compared with other moms, stay-at-home moms in 2007 were more likely to be younger, Hispanic or foreign-born, living with a preschool-age child.

Single Moms

9.9 million The number of single mothers living with children younger than 18 in 2010, up from 3.4 million in 1970 .

Meals with Mommy

54% and 79% Percentages of children younger than 6 who eat breakfast and dinner, respectively, with their mother every day. The corresponding percentages who eat with their father were 41 percent and 66 percent.

Source: US Census Bureau

also see -> Mother's Day Facts & Figures - Past & Present

Mother's Day Around the World

Chiff Articles & Resources:
Top Flowers for Mother's Day	Gifts With Meaning
Missing Mom on Mother's Day...	Mother's Day Proclamation
Simple Mother's Day Gifts	Mother's Day Trivia & Facts
Frugal Mother's Day Gifts	Mother's Guide to Guilt
Natures Nurturers	The Importance of Mothers
Happy Almost Mother's Day!	The Origins of Mother's Day
Graduate Moms	The Truth About Motherhood
Mother's Day Celebrations	What Women Really Want

MOTHER'S DAY