The institutions of marriage and family are the subject of study in the sociology of the family. The scientific study of the family begins in the 18th century with the emergence of the modern family. Process of the industrialization, which includes also the urbanization and huge migrations of the population from villages to cities, which took place in Europe and North America at the end to the 17th century to the beginning of the 19th century, led to changes in family patterns, and pre-industrial, extended, patriarchal family is being replaced with industrial, small, nuclearfamily. The consequences of social development have influenced the development of various theoretical perspectives in sociology that explain and analyze the family and changes in family life. In the period from the second half of the 20th century, which some authors call late modernity, more attention is paid to the family and the consequences of family life on the individual. The development of individuality and reflexivity, and the desire to achieve a complete relationship lead to the pluralization of family and partnership forms. In Croatian society, the majority of young people aspire to get married, but they do not understand marriage as a form of partnership at anycost, but as a relationship that fully satisfies them. However, there are changes similar to those in western countries and they refer to the decline in the number of marriages, increased divorce rates, the later entry into marriage and the practice of living in cohabitation.