Every Halloween, witches come out of the woodwork—or, rather, fly in on their broomsticks. They’re on our screens, perched on our porches and roaming the streets in pointy hats, usually with a plastic cauldron full of candy in hand. But witches aren’t just the stuff of Halloween costumes and scary stories. They have a long, complicated history in the real world and an absolutely spellbinding place in pop culture. Think you know everything there is to know about them? Witch, please—there’s a lot to unpack.
We’re stirring up some of the most fascinating facts about witches, witchcraft and more. How many Americans actually believe in witches? More than you might think! Which Swedish holiday features its own witches? Trust us—you won’t guess. And how did centuries of witchcraft, folklore and superstition give us the witches we know today?
From real-life history to Hollywood magic, we’re spilling all the witchy tea ahead.
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Many Americans believe in witches
Across time and around the world, people have been (forgive us) spellbound by witches. Enchanting sorceresses appear in folklore, fairy tales and mythology, but also on stage and screen. Far from the stuff of fiction, about 1 in 4 Americans think witches are real, according to a 2025 Gallup poll.
Witchcraft might be real
Witches are real, in that some people practice modern paganism, which includes Wicca and other nature-inspired belief systems. There may be as many as 1.5 million witches in the United States. Maine has the highest percentage of people identifying as “Pagan or Wiccan,” at 4%, per the Pew Research Center. Traditions vary, but these witches are more likely to celebrate the changing seasons than to cast hexes on you.
Witches were seen as devil worshippers
In the late 1400s, most Europeans believed witchcraft was pure evil—and that witches were in league with the devil himself. Their alleged activities included cursing those they didn’t like, turning people into animals and eating babies. These stories traveled to the New World along with the colonists who began to arrive there, sparking witch trials on both continents.
More women than men were accused of witchcraft
Historians say 100,000 people were prosecuted as witches in Europe and the Americas from the 1400s to the 1700s. Most were women, but in countries such as Iceland, Estonia and Russia, men made up the majority of those charged. There’s little evidence that any ofthe accused actually practiced witchcraft, though they were often pressured (or tortured) into false confessions.
You can visit Salem for witchy activities
America’s most notorious witch trial was in Salem, Massachusetts, in the 1690s. (Coincidentally, the final U.S. witchcraft trial was also in Salem, in 1878.) The town has embraced its history and is now a tourist destination that welcomed more than 1 million visitors last October alone. If you go, you can wander through the Salem Witch Museum, pop into countless magic stores or participate in a make-your-own-broomstick workshop.
The Wicked Witch from The Wizard of Oz was different in the book
In L. Frank Baum’s 1900 classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West carries an umbrella rather than a broomstick. There’s no mention of her skin being green in the book, but for the 1939 film adaptation, she was given her signature hue to showcase recent advances in Technicolor cinematography. Actor Margaret Hamilton was coated in toxic copper-based paint daily, and her skin was still tinted green for weeks after filming ended.
Not all witches are wicked
Take Glinda the Good Witch, who graces Oz looking more like a princess in her sparkly dress and crown. Or Hermione Granger, the main heroine of the Harry Potter series, who’s as smart as she is brave. And suburban housewife Samantha Stephens of the TV show Bewitched uses her powers for good—or, at least, to complete household chores. (Wouldn’t you?)
Halloween isn’t the only witchy holiday
Halloween is a witchy holiday, but in Sweden, so is … Easter? An old legend there tells of witches flying away to consort with the devil on the Thursday before Easter. Now Swedish children dress up as påskkärringar (“Easter witches”), wearing scarves on their heads and red paint on their cheeks, and visit neighbors’ houses with gifts in exchange for candy.
Hocus Pocus is a cult classic
The 1993 film Hocus Pocus, about a trio of 17th-century witches who run amok in modern-day Salem, bombed at the box office and was slammed by critics. But the flick found new life—and devoted fans—via video store rentals, as well as airing on the Disney Channel every fall.Today, it’s a Halloween must-watch, with a long-awaited sequel released in 2022 and another in the works.
Practical Magic has a big secret hiding behind its walls
The sequel to Practical Magic came out in September, almost 30 years after the 1998 original. Both Halloween movies feature Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as sisters with magical powers, though the film’s breakout star just might be their house. Moviegoers fell in love with the dreamy white Victorian mansion, with its iconic tower, huge kitchen and conservatory for growing potion ingredi … er … herbs. Barbra Streisand asked about buyingthe house after the film came out. Sadly, it was just movie magic—the exterior was a frame with nothing inside it.
Halloween wouldn’t be the same without these witchy tunes
A spell-casting soundtrack for your Halloween costume party might include the Halloween songs “Crystal” by Stevie Nicks, “Season of the Witch” by Lana Del Rey and “Seven Devils” by Florence + The Machine. Also add these witchy tracks to your playlist: “I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, “Witchcraft” by Frank Sinatra, “Black Magic Woman” by Santana and “Magic Man” by Heart.
Witchcraft has gone digital
You can hire a witch on Etsy to cast a love spell for you, or—if you’re already in love—to work magic to ensure blue skieson your wedding day. (Results may vary.)On TikTok, videos with the hashtag #WitchTok offer bite-sized potion tutorials, tarot readings or crystal healings and have billions of views.
A “coven of witches” set the Guinness World Record
In real life, a huge crowd of witches made history in northeastern Spain in 2013. Dressed in all black and hoisting brooms, 1,607 people set the Guinness World Record for “the largest gathering of people dressed as witches.” This colossal coven was inspired by thelottery outfit La Bruixa d’Or (which means “the golden witch”) to perform a good luck spell for the country’s upcoming lottery.
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