In 2024, 2,370 marriages were registered at the Tallinn Vital Statistics Department, with the oldest groom aged 76 and the oldest bride aged 78. The most popular months for weddings were July and August, with over 300 marriages each month.
Kristi Kail, Head of the Tallinn Vital Statistics Department, noted that the office handled 30,312 different civil status and population registry procedures last year: “In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of foreign citizens seeking various services at the office.”
In 2024, 2,370 marriages were registered at the Tallinn Vital Statistics Department, and 123 marriages officiated by clergy were entered into the population registry. Together, these accounted for nearly 46% of all marriages recorded in Estonia’s civil status offices.
August was the most popular month, with 343 marriages registered. The oldest groom (76) and bride (78) got married to each other. Of the newlyweds, 1,607 women took their husband’s surname, while 69 men opted for their wife’s surname. Additionally, 105 ceremonies took place outside the office in locations chosen by the couple.
A total of 865 foreign citizens from 67 different countries registered their marriages in Tallinn, down from 924 in 2023. Most foreign newlyweds came from Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, the UK, Belarus, and Turkey, with citizens from more distant countries such as Ecuador, Honduras, Paraguay, and Cambodia also among them. On average, foreign citizens accounted for 18% of monthly marriages.
A total of 456 certificates of no impediment to marry abroad were issued in 2024 (down from 570 in 2023). Women requested the certificate 239 times, and men 217 times. Popular destinations for weddings abroad included Russia, Finland, Turkey, and Georgia, along with far-flung countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, China, and Vietnam.
In 2024, the Tallinn Vital Statistics Department registered 1,177 divorces, which is 159 more than in the previous year.
The number of births continues to decline due to demographic trends, as there are fewer women of childbearing age. Nevertheless, Tallinn welcomed 3,191 newborns in 2024 (compared to 3,609 in 2023), including 1,602 boys and 1,589 girls. Fifty-eight sets of twins were registered. Of these births, 1,819 were to married parents, 1,275 were registered with paternal acknowledgment, and 97 were registered by single mothers. The parents of children born in Tallinn came from 59 different countries.
The most popular names for girls in 2024 were Emilia, Sofia, Olivia, Eva, Mia, Maria, Amelia, and Kira. For boys, the top names were Mark, Miron, Leon, David, Daniel, Timur, Roman, and Sebastian.
Gender changes were registered 21 times, 10 more than the previous year.
In 2024, the Tallinn Vital Statistics Department received 1,718 applications for new names, five more than in 2023. A total of 1,338 new personal names were issued by the department, while 254 were approved by the Ministry of the Interior. Most applicants requested ancestral surnames. The office issued 399 new first names, 819 new surnames, and 120 combinations of new first and last names.
The department issued 4,865 registry extracts last year, along with 6,294 certificates of past civil status events. Most of these were for use abroad, as the need for paper certificates in Estonia is decreasing in favor of digital solutions.
In 2024, 39,438 address notifications were submitted in Tallinn for inclusion in the population registry. As of January 1, 2025, Tallinn’s population was 461,609, up from 461,371 a year earlier.
A total of 1,952 personal identification codes were issued in Tallinn in 2024, 415 more than in 2023.
Wedding anniversaries were celebrated at the Tallinn Vital Statistics Department on seven occasions last year. These included four golden weddings (50 years of marriage), one diamond wedding (60 years), one tin wedding (10 years), and one bronze wedding (8 years).
Starting January 1, 2025, a new service is available for organizing formal wedding anniversary celebrations. Couples can invite a registrar to their chosen venue or use the department’s facilities for the event. Couples receive a commemorative certificate for their milestone. This service is available for previously registered marriages and offers emotional value without legal significance.
Source: tallinn.ee