Greece topped the list for the fewest births outside of marriage, according to Eurostat figures while the number of babies being born outside of wedlock in the EU doubled in numbers since 1990.
Two in five babies were registered as being born outside of marriage, with Estonia seeing the most with 59.7 per cent of babies being born to unwed parents.
In 1990, 17 per cent of all live births were outside marriage compared with 27 per cent in 2000 and 40 per cent in 2011, Eurostat figures for the 27 member states reveal.
The UK saw 47.3 per cent – fewer than France (55.8 per cent) but more than Germany (33.9 per cent).