Study: Moroccan women in Spain overwhelmingly marry within their community

A new demographic study has found that Moroccan women living in Spain overwhelmingly marry and have children with partners from the same country of origin, reflecting strong social and cultural ties within migrant communities.

The report, published by a Spanish demographic observatory, shows that in 2024 about 92.2% of births to Moroccan mothers involved fathers who were also born in Morocco. Researchers say this trend mirrors broader patterns among Muslim migrant populations, where marriage and family formation often occur within shared national and cultural backgrounds.

The study estimates that Muslims make up around 5% of Spain’s population, or between 2.4 million and 2.5 million people. Among them, people of Moroccan origin represent the largest group, accounting for roughly 65% of African Muslims in the country.

Spain’s Muslim population has grown significantly over recent decades. In the mid-1970s, it was nearly nonexistent outside the autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla. By early 2025, it had reached about 2.5 million, with growth particularly visible among younger generations. In 2024, around 11% of newborns in Spain had at least one Muslim parent.

First-generation migrants make up a substantial share of this population. About 3.6% of Spain’s total population consists of people born abroad who identify as Muslim, while an additional 1.4% were born in Spain and have at least one Muslim parent.

Most first-generation Muslim migrants come from Morocco, with more than 1.1 million recorded as of January 2025. Smaller communities originate from countries including Pakistan, Senegal, Algeria, Mali, Gambia and Bangladesh.

The study also notes that Muslim migration in Spain is largely male-dominated, particularly among those aged 20 to 44, a group central to economic activity and birth rates. Muslim men in this age group account for about 8% of the total male population in that range.

According to the report, unemployment rates among Muslim migrants, especially those from African countries, exceed 30% on average. It also points to lower levels of economic participation among women and generally lower educational attainment compared with the broader population.

Muslim communities are concentrated in specific regions, with Catalonia hosting the largest population at around 700,000 people, followed by Andalusia with approximately 400,000.

The study concludes that if current migration and demographic trends continue, the share of residents of Muslim origin in Spain will keep rising, with the most visible impact among younger age groups. In areas such as Ceuta and Melilla, Muslims could become the majority of the overall population and a clear majority among children and teenagers.