Consanguineous marriage in Jordan

We conducted a population‐based study of consanguineous marriages in Jordan. About two thousand households were interviewed. First cousin marriages were encountered in 32.03%, second cousin in 6.8%, distant relation in 10.5%, and no relation in 50% of all marriages, respectively. Inbreeding coefficients were compared with those of other countries. The most important variables affecting inbreeding were social tradition, religion, education, and place of residence—urban vs. rural. Secular trends appear rather stable since the early decades of the twentieth century, especially for first cousin marriages. Jordan society showed a deeply rooted traditional behavioral pattern when inbreeding is considered. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.