The study is designed to write both the normative and the practical history of divorce. One common idea in historical social science is, that the family has become a more democratic institution, in lieu of a patriarchal one. One aspect of this liberalisation of the family is the increased freedom in partner selection, as shown by numerous works on the subject. It is not unreasonable to see the history of divorce as part of this general movement of the structure and conditions of the normal family. This project also argues that this movement must be seen in light of the transformation of the economic and social structures that has occurred since industrialisation. The main source material of the study is the divorce applications made to court circuits. At first, they will be used in a quantitative study, aiming to understand the demographical and economic backgrounds of those who divorced, which has not yet been done in Sweden. This allows for a richer understanding of how and why divorce rates increased. As a second investigation, the source can also be used to understand the normative transformation, that allowed divorce to become an everyday occurrence. This is done through a textual analysis of the arguments used in divorce settlements and thus implicitly the demands placed on legally married people, allowing for an understanding on when it is considered reasonable to end a marriage.