Do Family Changes Constitute a Comprehensive Demographic Shift? A Comparison of the Spatial Dynamics of Five Family Changes in Switzerland (1969–2023)

Abstract Several theories have been proposed to explain the family changes that have occurred in Europe since the mid‐1960s. It is often assumed that as these changes occurred simultaneously; they have a common origin and represent the same demographic shift. This paper aims to test this hypothesis by comparing the spatial dynamics of major family changes in Switzerland at the local level over a period of 50 years (1969–2023). Using civil registry data, we created smoothed maps of each family change. The results support spatial diffusion for all family changes, through urban hierarchical diffusion and diffusion by geographic proximity. A two‐phase process was revealed, comparing the spatial dynamics. During the first phase, all family changes exhibited a similar pattern of spatial dynamics, suggesting common underlying drivers and indicating that they are a part of a broader demographic transformation. However, in recent periods, divergence has emerged among family changes.