Some factors, including demographics and popular culture, have defined the bounds of generations. Defining generations is an important tool for family researchers and genealogists.
Social generations are age cohorts that experience unique historical circumstances. Whether searching for information on your family or a client, understanding how long each generation lasts can help you uncover fascinating facts about their lives. So how long is a generation? In kinship terminology, it is a structural word indicating the parent-child connection. It may also be defined as “the average period, generally considered to be about 20-30 years, during which children are born, grow up, become adults, and begin to have children.”
Baby Boomers
The baby boomers are the generation born during the surge following World War II. The baby boomers are the largest generation in American history and have had a major impact on social, economic, and political issues. They are also known for their lifestyle choices, including the widespread use of credit cards and the popularity of fast-food restaurants. They are also known for distrusting traditional institutions such as banks and churches and have influenced many young people to follow their lead.
Boomers are sometimes labeled selfish, narcissistic, and pessimistic, but these stereotypes are inaccurate. The boomers grew up in a rapid change, and many are more willing to take risks than previous generations. They have also been a driving force behind the rise of consumer culture, and they are more likely to be self-sufficient than their parents.
The boomers are aging and competing with younger Americans for jobs, housing, and social services. These differences have led to tensions that have spilled over into popular culture. For example, the television show Thirty Something debuted in 1987, 30 years after the peak of boomer births. This tension has even become the slang used on video-sharing platforms like TikTok.
Generation X
Generation Xers are known for their resourcefulness and independent spirit, which may have stemmed from their latchkey childhoods. They are also keen on maintaining a work-life balance because many in this generation grew up watching their parents struggle with that same issue. They are generally cynical, which could also be attributed to the economic and societal tumult they experienced as children and young adults.
They are a technologically savvy generation that grew up as the personal computer revolution began to take hold, and they are often described as being “lost” between their Baby Boomers and Millennial siblings. In 2022, Gen Xers were the most likely to identify as nonwhite; more than half of them were self-identified liberals on social issues like same-sex marriage and had more dual-income families than any other generation.
For genealogical purposes, it’s important to understand that the length of a generation can differ based on whether you are referring to a family or a social generation. When searching for information on your ancestors, it’s important to be aware of the difference between family and social generations to ensure that you use the most accurate and up-to-date records. Obtaining vital statistics from official documents such as birth certificates, death records, newspaper articles, and photographs can help you build a more complete picture of your ancestors and their lives.
Millennials
Millennials are known for their love of smashed avo and specialty coffee, but they also face the reality of a shrinking middle class, rising house prices, and stagnant wages. They are balancing work and family while trying to pay off student debt and take care of aging parents. This generation has also seen their parents suffer from the recession, which may have contributed to them postponing having children.
While the family definition of a generation is relatively easy to understand, social generations are much more complicated. A combination of world events, cultural shifts, and life experiences shapes them. This can significantly impact how people view the world around them and their outlook on the future.
In the US, generations are usually divided into roughly 15-year blocks. However, these ranges can vary from country to country, and the definition of a generation can even change over time. This is because social generations are based on birth years and not current age, so as people grow older, they become part of different groups.
The Millennial generation is often defined as those born between 1980 and 1994. The terrorist attacks impacted this group on 9/11, and they grew up in an era of increased globalization, rapid technological advancements, and increasing political polarization. This group has a different outlook on the world than their parent generation and is unique and difficult to understand.
Generation Z
Like all generations, Gen Z has been shaped by their time’s events, experiences, and political climate. They are a “digital native” generation who have lived in an online world since birth.
The oldest members of Gen Z are now entering parenthood and family life, and the youngest has just started elementary school. They are a highly collaborative generation that cares deeply about others. Stanford scholar Roberta Katz says they are also pragmatic about addressing inherited problems such as climate change.
Also known as Zoomers, iGeneration, centennials, and Homelanders, they were born between 1997 and 2012. The Great Recession, COVID-19, and the Department of Homeland Security launch have influenced them. They have a strong sense of social responsibility and believe in equality for all people.
Gen Z is comfortable speaking to voice assistants and swiping on smartphones, but they need to view these technologies as tools that help them achieve their goals. They grew up in a constant stream of information and are comfortable with a more flexible workplace that allows them to work from home and on the go. They are a global generation that has been taught to be resilient in the face of uncertainty, and they understand the importance of lifelong learning. They are already shaping the future workforce and bringing a fresh perspective to the job market.
