In Germany, the share of families with a migration background continues to rise. In 2025, it stood at 31%, compared with just 17% in 2005. This is shown by new microcensus results from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
What does “migration background” mean?
A family is considered to have a migration background if both parents, or the single parent in a one-parent family, immigrated to Germany after 1950 or are descendants of immigrants.
There are also families with a migration background on one side of the family. In these families, only one parent immigrated to Germany or is a descendant of immigrants. Their share rose from 6% in 2005 to 9% in 2025. Over the same period, the share of families without a migration background fell from 77% to 61%.
Migration is changing family structures
The share of families with a migration background rose particularly strongly between 2013 and 2017 and again between 2022 and 2023. According to Destatis, this development is linked, among other things, to immigration from Syria and Ukraine.
Another factor is that many descendants of immigrants are now adults and have started families of their own. Immigrants and their descendants are also younger on average and are more likely to live in families.
Almost half the population lives in families
In 2025, around 49% of Germany’s population lived as part of a family, either as parents or children. In 1996, the figure was 57%. Since the mid-2010s, this share has remained largely stable. According to Destatis, immigration helps keep the proportion of people living in families stable.
Further Informations:
https://www.destatis.de/DE/Presse/Pressemitteilungen/2026/09/PD26_N065_12.html
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