---
title: "Most Americans believe in Jesus’ virgin birth"
description: "Most U.S. adults believe Jesus was born of a virgin, including one-third of Americans with no specific religious affiliation."
date: "2013-12-25"
authors:
  - name: "David Masci"
    job_title: "Former Senior Writer/Editor"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/david-masci/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/12/25/most-americans-believe-in-jesus-virgin-birth/"
categories:
  - "Christianity"
---

# Most Americans believe in Jesus’ virgin birth

[![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2013/12/christmas2013-7.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/12/18/celebrating-christmas-and-the-holidays-then-and-now/)

For most Americans, the Christmas story of Jesus’ birth still has real meaning. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of adults say they believe Jesus was born of a virgin, according to a new Pew Research survey on [how Americans celebrate Christmas](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/12/18/celebrating-christmas-and-the-holidays-then-and-now/).

Majorities in the largest Christian religious groups believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, but the survey finds some variation. For example, fewer white mainline Protestants (70%) share this view than white evangelical Protestants (97%).

Even among Americans who have no specific religious affiliation, the story of Christ’s birth resonates with many. One-third (32%) of this group say they believe in the virgin birth. This might seem surprising, but [according to a 2012 Pew Research poll](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/10/09/nones-on-the-rise/#what-is-behind-the-growth-of-the-religiously-unaffiliated), about one in five (18%) of those who have no religious affiliation describe themselves as religious, while nearly four-in-ten (37%) say they are spiritual but not religious; another four-in-ten (42%) say they are neither religious nor spiritual.

The new Christmas poll found an age gap on the question of Jesus’ birth. Two-thirds of adults under age 30 say they believe Jesus was born of a virgin, compared with three-quarters (76%) of those age 30 and older.

Differences also exist along racial lines. Nine-in-ten African-Americans (90%) believe in the virgin birth, as do nearly eight-in-ten Hispanics (78%) and seven-in-ten whites (71%). Women are more likely to believe in the virgin birth than men (78% vs. 69%).

According to the new poll, roughly half of Americans (51%) see Christmas mostly as a religious holiday, while one-third (32%) view it as more of a cultural holiday. About half (54%) say they plan to attend religious services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day this year.