A definitive demographic history of the New Zealand family since 1840, this book is not merely a collection of statistics but interprets the changing story of the family and its makeup, its members and its impact at a time when opinions on this ancient institution range from nostalgia to shock to puzzlement. Using detailed and groundbreaking research spanning 165 years, the authors chart the move from the large family of the nineteenth century to the post-war Baby Boom, Bust, Blip and Deficit, the recent increase in family diversity and the modern trend towards later childbearing and unsustainably small families. In turn, the analysis of the 'building blocks' of society helps trace the changing attitudes and structure of society itself. This account of the transitions of the family in New Zealand provides vivid insights into the past and challenging implications for the future.It also includes "Studying the New Zealand Family", a monograph on the methodology used in the book, and "The New Zealand Family From 1840: Tables", which presents raw data.