The role of malaria, urbanism, and soil in the European Marriage Pattern of the eighteenth-century Dutch Republic

This study focuses on how the European Marriage Pattern (EMP) in the eighteenth-century Dutch Republic (here 1678–1794) was influenced by malaria's geography, taking into account urbanism, soil type, and peatland drainage. The endemic presence of Plasmodium vivax malaria, transmitted by Anopheles atroparvus mosquitoes, was closely tied to brackish wetlands created by peat extraction and polderization, particularly in low-lying coastal areas. We investigate whether these malarious conditions influenced Female Age at First Marriage (FAFM), a key element of the EMP. To identify malarious areas, we used a Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), which generated a map that aligned closely with historical and anecdotal malaria outbreak data in the eighteenth century. A spatial regression discontinuity analysis revealed that FAFM decreased significantly in malarious regions, by up to 1 year and 43 days, suggesting that the disease's demographic pressures prompted earlier marriage. Mortality was also notably higher in these regions, with lifespans shortened by up to five years. These findings demonstrate how the physical environment interacted with both disease geography and social factors, showing that malaria's historical burden extended beyond health to shape demographic patterns. As climate change alters disease geography today, understanding historical dynamics offers valuable lessons for anticipating future societal impacts. • Women's marriages in malarious areas were earlier by up to 1 year and 43 days. • Lifespans in malarious areas were reduced by up to 5 years and 18 days. • Urbanism did not significantly affect mortality or marriage age in this context. • Sandy soils were linked to shorter lifespans but did not affect marriage timing. • Uses rich genealogical data for demographic patterns prior to modern recordkeeping.