Hispanic intermarriage in New York City: New evidence from 1991

This study replicates research on Hispanic intermarriage by Fitzpatrick (1966) and Gurak and Fitzpatrick (1982) using 1991 marriage records from New York City. It examines trends in marital assimilation among Puerto Ricans and the non-Puerto Rican Hispanic population. The prevalence of intermarriage varies among the six Hispanic national-origin groups. Changes in intermarriage patterns since 1975 are documented. Results show very high rates of intermarriage with non-Hispanics among Cubans, Mexicans, Central Americans, and South Americans. Considerable intermarriage among Hispanics of different national origins is characteristic of all Hispanics. Finally, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans have distinct patterns of intermarriage, characterized by high rates of intermarriage with each other, lower rates of intermarriage with non-Hispanics, no intergenerational increase in exogamy, and higher rates of nonmixed ancestry among the second generation. Implications of these trends are discussed.