U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for February 14

PR Newswire

WASHINGTON, Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14: VALENTINES' AND WEDDINGS

Profile America — Thursday, February 14th. While today may not be an official holiday, Valentine's Day is one of the most popular in the year's calendar. Its origins are a mix of legends involving two Christian martyrs, a Roman fertility rite, and the old notion that this is the time of year when the birds choose their mates. What is sure is that Esther Howland of Massachusetts began selling the first mass-produced valentines in the 1840s. Today's occasion falls in the heart of February, which is also National Wedding Month. Some 19 men out of 1,000 get married each year; for women, the rate is over 17½ per thousand. Wyoming leads the nation in marriage rate for both sexes. You can find more facts about America's people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at www.census.gov.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Marital Events of Americans, ACS-13

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau