Oldest people

The following tables list only the verified oldest people in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. A supercentenarian is considered "verified" if their claim has been accepted by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such as the Gerontology Research Group or the Guinness Book of World Records. The longest unambiguously documented lifespan is that of Jeanne Calment of France (1875–1997), who died aged 122 years and 164 days. She met Vincent van Gogh at age 14. This led to her being noticed by the media in 1988, at age 113. Subsequent investigation found that her life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles beyond reasonable question. More evidence for the Calment case has been produced than for any other supercentenarian case, which makes her case a standard among the oldest people recordholders. This is contrasted with the now-disputed claim of age 120 for the oldest man ever, Shigechiyo Izumi. While this case is currently still recognized by Guinness World Records, the Japanese authorities have hinted that his age was not certain. Since the death of Yone Minagawa on August 13, 2007, the oldest living person is 115 year-old Edna Parker of the United States, who was born on April 20, 1893. She and Maria de Jesus of Portugal are the only verified surviving people who were born in 1893.

Chronology of oldest living people (since 1955)

The following is a list of the people who have held the title of oldest recognized person in the world since 1955 (the year Guinness Records began recording). The list does not recount the originally published lists, but the corrected chronology. For example, the age of Betsy Baker was not independently verified until the 2000s.

From	To	Name	Age when oldest	Lived	Sex	Country
Title began in 1955	24 October 1955	Betsy Baker	?-113	20 August 1842 – 24 October 1955, 113 years, 65 days	F	England, UK (born) Nebraska, U.S. (died)
24 October 1955	25 June 1959	Martha Graham	110-114?	c. 27 December 1844 – 25 June 1959, 114? years, 180? days	F	North Carolina, U.S.
25 June 1959	10 February 1961	James Brett, Jr.	110-111?	25 June 1849 – 10 February 1961, 111 years, 230 days	M	Texas, U.S.
10 February 1961	16 March 1962	Joseph Saint-Amour	108-110	26 February 1852 – 16 March 1962, 110 years, 18 days	M	Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962	17 February 1963	Lovisa Svensson	108-109	20 November 1853 – 17 February 1963, 109 years, 89 days	F	Sweden
17 February 1963	8 October 1963	Ellen Dart	108	1 November 1854 – 8 October 1963, 108 years, 341 days	F	England, UK
8 October 1963	6 March 1965	Elizabeth Kensley	108-109	12 May 1855 – 6 March 1965, 109 years, 298 days	F	England, UK
6 March 1965	24 July 1965	Auguste Pahl	109	23 November 1855 – 24 July 1965, 109 years, 243 days	F	Germany
24 July 1965	10 January 1966	Hannah Smith	109-110	7 January 1856 – 10 January 1966, 110 years, 3 days	F	England, UK
10 January 1966	21 March 1968	John Turner	109-111	15 June 1856 – 21 March 1968, 111 years, 280 days	M	England, UK
21 March 1968	16 June 1968	Johanna Booyson	111	17 January 1857 – 16 June 1968, 111 years, 151 days	F	Transvaal, South Africa
16 June 1968	October? 1968	Marie Bernátková	110-111	22 October 1857 – fl. October 1968, 111 years, 9+ days	F	Czechoslovakia
October? 1968	11 January 1970	Ada Roe	110-111	6 February 1858 – 11 January 1970, 111 years, 339 days	F	England, UK
11 January 1970	27 February 1973	Josefa Salas Mateo	109-112	14 July 1860 – 27 February 1973, 112 years, 228 days	F	Spain
27 February 1973	18 August 1973	Alice Stevenson	111-112	10 July 1861 – 18 August 1973, 112 years, 39 days	F	England, UK
18 August 1973	31 October 1973	Elizabeth Watkins	110	10 March 1863 – 31 October 1973, 110 years, 235 days	F	Northern Ireland, UK
31 October 1973	31 May 1975	Mito Umeta	110-112	27 March 1863 – 31 May 1975, 112 years, 65 days	F	Kyūshū, Japan
31 May 1975	16 November 1976	Niwa Kawamoto	111-113	5 August 1863 – 16 November 1976, 113 years, 103 days	F	Kansai, Japan
16 November 1976	21 February 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	111-120?	29 June 1865? – 21 February 1986, 120? years, 237 days	M	Kyūshū, Japan
20 February 1986	20 September 1986	Mamie Eva Keith	112-113	22 March 1873 – 20 September 1986, 113 years, 182 days	F	Illinois, U.S.
20 September 1986	2 February 1987	Mary McKinney	113	30 May 1873 – 2 February 1987, 113 years, 248 days	F	California, U.S.
2 February 1987	27 December 1987	Anna Eliza Williams	113-114	2 June 1873 – 27 December 1987, 114 years, 208 days	F	England, UK (born) Wales, UK (died)
27 December 1987	11 January 1988	Florence Knapp	114	10 October 1873 – 11 January 1988, 114 years, 93 days	F	Pennsylvania, U.S.
11 January 1988	14 February 1991	Carrie C. White	113-116?	18 November 1874? – 14 February 1991, 116 years, 88 days?	F	Florida, U.S.
14 February 1991	4 August 1997	Jeanne Calment	115-122	21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997, 122 years, 164 days	F	Provence, France
4 August 1997	16 April 1998	Marie-Louise Meilleur	116-117	29 August 1880 – 16 April 1998, 117 years, 230 days	F	Ontario, Canada
16 April 1998	30 December 1999	Sarah Knauss	117-119	24 September 1880 – 30 December 1999, 119 years, 97 days	F	Pennsylvania, U.S.
30 December 1999	2 November 2000	Eva Morris	114	8 November 1885 – 2 November 2000, 114 years, 360 days	F	England, UK
2 November 2000	6 June 2001	Marie Brémont	114-115	25 April 1886 – 6 June 2001, 115 years, 42 days	F	Anjou, France
5 June 2001	18 March 2002	Maude Farris-Luse	114-115	21 January 1887 – 18 March 2002, 115 years, 56 days	F	Michigan, U.S.
19 March 2002	31 October 2003	Kamato Hongo	114-116?	16 September 1887? – 31 October 2003, 116 years, 45 days?	F	Kyūshū, Japan
31 October 2003	13 November 2003	Mitoyo Kawate	114	15 May 1889 – 13 November 2003, 114 years, 182 days	F	Chūgoku, Japan
13 November 2003	29 May 2004	Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan	114	31 August 1889 – 29 May 2004, 114 years, 272 days	F	Puerto Rico
29 May 2004	27 August 2006	María Capovilla	114-116	14 September 1889 – 27 August 2006, 116 years, 347 days	F	Ecuador
27 August 2006	11 December 2006	Elizabeth Bolden	116	15 August 1890 – 11 December 2006, 116 years, 118 days	F	Tennessee, U.S.
11 December 2006	24 January 2007	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	115	21 August 1891 – 24 January 2007, 115 years, 156 days	M	Puerto Rico
24 January 2007	28 January 2007	Emma Tillman	114	22 November 1892 – 28 January 2007, 114 years, 67 days	F	Connecticut, U.S.
29 January 2007	13 August 2007	Yone Minagawa	114	4 January 1893 – 13 August 2007, 114 years, 221 days	F	Kyūshū, Japan
13 August 2007	Present	Edna Parker	114-131*	20 April 1893 – age, 131 years, 195 days	F	Indiana, U.S.

Chronology of oldest living men (since 1961)

Guinness World Records has maintained the category of oldest living man intermittently over the years, only establishing it as a permanent feature in the year 2000. Persons listed prior to 2000 are based on an historical reconstruction by reliable bodies specializing in gerontology.

From	To	Name	Age when oldest	Lived	Country
10 February 1961	16 March 1962	Joseph Saint-Amour	108-110	26 February 1852 – 16 March 1962, 110 years, 18 days	Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962	21 March 1968	John Turner	105-111	15 June 1856 – 21 March 1968, 111 years, 280 days	England, UK
21 March 1968	August? 1970	Khasako Dzugayev	107-110	7 August 1860 – August? 1970, 110 years, 0+ days	USSR
August? 1970	5 May 1973	Friedrich Wedeking	107-110	10 October 1862 – 5 May 1973, 110 years, 207 days	Germany
5 May 1973	9 March 1974	Frederick Butterfield	109-110	28 February 1864 – 9 March 1974, 110 years, 9 days	England, UK
9 March 1974	21 February 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	108-120?	29 June 1865? – 21 February 1986, 120? years, 237 days	Kyūshū, Japan
20 February 1986	14 December 1986	Joe Thomas	110-111	1 May 1875 – 14 December 1986, 111 years, 227 days	Louisiana, U.S.
14 December 1986	5 January 1987	Herman Smith-Johannsen	111	15 June 1875 – 5 January 1987, 111 years, 204 days	Norway lived in Quebec, Canada
5 January 1987	25 November 1988	Alphaeus Philemon Cole	110-112	12 July 1876 – 25 November 1988, 112 years, 136 days	New Jersey, U.S.
25 November 1988	10 June 1990	John Evans	111-112	19 August 1877 – 10 June 1990, 112 years, 295 days	Wales, UK
10 June 1990	18 June 1990	Henri Pérignon	110	14 October 1879 – 18 June 1990, 110 years, 247 days	Normandy, France
18 June 1990	16 October 1991	James Wiggins	110-112	15 October 1879 – 16 October 1991, 112 years, 1 day	Arkansas, U.S.
16 October 1991	14 June 1993	Frederick L. Frazier	111-113	27 January 1880 – 14 June 1993, 113 years, 138 days	Alabama, U.S.
14 June 1993	25 April 1998	Christian Mortensen	110-115	16 August 1882 – 25 April 1998, 115 years, 252 days	Denmark (born) California, U.S. (died)
25 April 1998	17 July 1998	Johnson Parks	113	15 October 1884 – 17 July 1998, 113 years, 275 days	Florida, U.S.
17 July 1998	25 December 1998	Walter Richardson	112-113	7 November 1885 – 25 December 1998, 113 years, 48 days	Illinois, U.S.
25 December 1998	29 April 1999	Denzo Ishisaki	112	20 October 1886 – 29 April 1999, 112 years, 191 days	Kantō, Japan
29 April 1999	15 November 1999	Antonio Urrea-Hernández	111	16 February 1888 – 15 November 1999, 111 years, 272 days	Catalonia, Spain
15 November 1999	1 March 2001	John Painter	111-112	20 September 1888 – 1 March 2001, 112 years, 162 days	Tennessee, U.S.
1 March 2001	3 January 2002	Antonio Todde	112	22 January 1889 – 3 January 2002, 112 years, 346 days	Sardinia, Italy
3 January 2002	28 September 2003	Yukichi Chuganji	112-114	23 March 1889 – 28 September 2003, 114 years, 189 days	Kyūshū, Japan
28 September 2003	5 March 2004	Joan Riudavets	113-114	15 December 1889 – 5 March 2004, 114 years, 81 days	Minorca, Spain
5 March 2004	19 November 2004	Fred H. Hale, Sr.	113	1 December 1890 – 19 November 2004, 113 years, 354 days	Maine, U.S.
19 November 2004	24 January 2007	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	113-115	21 August 1891 – 24 January 2007, 115 years, 156 days	Puerto Rico
24 January 2007	Present	Tomoji Tanabe	111-113*	18 September 1895 – age, 129 years, 44 days	Kyūshū, Japan

Chronology of oldest living women (since 1955)

Name	From	To	Age range	Lifespan	Country
Betsy Baker	1955	24 October 1955	?–113	20 August 1842 – 24 October 1955 113 years 65 days	United Kingdom (born) United States (died)
Martha Graham	24 October 1955	25 June 1959	110–114?	27 December? 1844 – 25 June 1959 114? years 180? days	United States
Christina Karneebeek	25 June 1959	7 October 1959	109–110	2 October 1849 – 7 October 1959 110 years 5 days	Netherlands
Marie Olsen	7 October 1959	24 November 1959	109	1 May 1850 – 24 November 1959 109 years 207 days	Norway
Lovisa Svensson	24 November 1959	17 February 1963	106–109	20 November 1853 – 17 February 1963 109 years 89 days	Sweden
Ellen Dart	17 February 1963	8 October 1963	108	1 November 1854 – 8 October 1963 108 years 341 days	United Kingdom
Elizabeth Kensley	8 October 1963	6 March 1965	108–109	12 May 1855 – 6 March 1965 109 years 298 days	United Kingdom
Auguste Pahl	6 March 1965	24 July 1965	109	23 November 1855 – 24 July 1965 109 years 243 days	Germany
Hannah Smith	24 July 1965	10 January 1966	109–110	7 January 1856 – 10 January 1966 110 years 3 days	United Kingdom
Johanna Booyson	10 January 1966	16 June 1968	108–111	17 January 1857 – 16 June 1968 111 years 151 days	South Africa
Marie Bernátková	16 June 1968	October? 1968	110–111	22 October 1857 – fl. October 1968 111 years 0+ days	Czechoslovakia
Ada Roe	October? 1968	11 January 1970	110–111	6 February 1858 – 11 January 1970 111 years 339 days	United Kingdom
Josefa Salas Mateo	11 January 1970	27 February 1973	109–112	14 July 1860 – 27 February 1973 112 years 228 days	Spain
Alice Stevenson	27 February 1973	18 August 1973	111–112	10 July 1861 – 18 August 1973 112 years 39 days	United Kingdom
Elizabeth Watkins	18 August 1973	31 October 1973	110	10 March 1863 – 31 October 1973 110 years 235 days	United Kingdom
Mito Umeta	31 October 1973	31 May 1975	110–112	27 March 1863 – 31 May 1975 112 years 65 days	Japan
Niwa Kawamoto	31 May 1975	16 November 1976	111–113	5 August 1863 – 16 November 1976 113 years 103 days	Japan
Sophia DeMuth	16 November 1976	2 December 1977	110–111	30 June 1866 – 2 December 1977 111 years 155 days	United States
Marie-Virigine Duhem	2 December 1977	25 April 1978	111	2 August 1866 – 25 April 1978 111 years 266 days	France
Fannie Thomas	25 April 1978	22 January 1981	111–113	14 April? 1867 – 22 January 1981 113 years 283? days	United States
Augustine Teissier	22 January 1981	8 March 1981	112	2 January 1869 – 8 March 1981 112 years 66 days	France
Neille Spencer	8 March 1981	13 November 1982	111–113	24 August 1869 – 13 November 1982 113 years 81 days	United States
Emma Wilson	13 November 1982	13 October 1983	112–113	12 May 1870 – 13 October 1983 113 years 154 days	United States
Linnie Jones	13 October 1983	11 February 1984	111	22 March 1872 – 11 February 1984 111 years 326 days	United States
Ollie Bay	11 February 1984	31 December? 1985	111–113	11 November 1872 – 31 December? 1985 113 years 50? days	United States
Mamie Eva Keith	31 December? 1985	20 September 1986	112–113	22 March 1873 – 20 September 1986 113 years 182 days	United States
Mary McKinney	20 September 1986	2 February 1987	113	30 May 1873 – 2 February 1987 113 years 248 days	United States
Anna Eliza Williams	2 February 1987	27 December 1987	113–114	2 June 1873 – 27 December 1987 114 years 208 days	United Kingdom
Florence Knapp	27 December 1987	11 January 1988	114	10 October 1873 – 11 January 1988 114 years 93 days	United States
Carrie C. White	11 January 1988	14 February 1991	113–116?	18 November 1874? – 14 February 1991 116? years 88 days	United States
Jeanne Calment	14 February 1991	4 August 1997	115–122	21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997 122 years 164 days	France
Marie-Louise Meilleur	4 August 1997	16 April 1998	116–117	29 August 1880 – 16 April 1998 117 years 230 days	Canada
Sarah Knauss	16 April 1998	30 December 1999	117–119	24 September 1880 – 30 December 1999 119 years 97 days	United States
Eva Morris	30 December 1999	2 November 2000	114	8 November 1885 – 2 November 2000 114 years 360 days	United Kingdom
Marie Brémont	2 November 2000	6 June 2001	114–115	25 April 1886 – 6 June 2001 115 years 42 days	France
Maude Farris-Luse	5 June 2001	18 March 2002	114–115	21 January 1887 – 18 March 2002 115 years 56 days	United States
Kamato Hongo	19 March 2002	31 October 2003	114–116?	16 September 1887? – 31 October 2003 116? years 45 days	Japan
Mitoyo Kawate	31 October 2003	13 November 2003	114	15 May 1889 – 13 November 2003 114 years 182 days	Japan
Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan	13 November 2003	29 May 2004	114	31 August 1889 – 29 May 2004 114 years 272 days	Puerto Rico
María Capovilla	29 May 2004	27 August 2006	114–116	14 September 1889 – 27 August 2006 116 years 347 days	Ecuador
Elizabeth Bolden	27 August 2006	11 December 2006	116	15 August 1890 – 11 December 2006 116 years 118 days	United States
Julie Winnefred Bertrand	11 December 2006	18 January 2007	115	16 September 1891 – 18 January 2007 115 years 124 days	Canada
Emma Tillman	18 January 2007	28 January 2007	114	22 November 1892 – 28 January 2007 114 years 67 days	United States
Yone Minagawa	29 January 2007	13 August 2007	114	4 January 1893 – 13 August 2007 114 years 221 days	Japan
Edna Parker	13 August 2007	Present	114–115*	20 April 1893 – Living age, 131 years, 195 days	United States

The 25 verified oldest people ever (115+)

Main article: List of the verified oldest people

Rank	Name	Age	Born	Died	Sex	Notes
1	Jeanne Calment	122 years 164 days	21 February 1875	4 August 1997	F	Oldest person ever verified. French.
2	Shigechiyo Izumi	120? years 237 days	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986	M	Oldest male ever verified. Japanese. Disputed (may have been 105).
3	Sarah Knauss	119 years 97 days	24 September 1880	30 December 1999	F	Oldest American ever verified and oldest living person verified 1998-1999.
4	Lucy Hannah	117 years 248 days	16 July 1875	21 March 1993	F	Oldest African American ever verified.
5	Marie-Louise Meilleur	117 years 230 days	29 August 1880	16 April 1998	F	Oldest Canadian ever verified and oldest living person verified 1997-1998.
6	María Capovilla	116 years 347 days	14 September 1889	27 August 2006	F	Oldest Ecuadorian ever verified and oldest living person verified 2004-2006.
7	Tane Ikai	116 years 175 days	18 January 1879	12 July 1995	F	Oldest Japanese woman ever verified.
8	Elizabeth Bolden	116 years 118 days	15 August 1890	11 December 2006	F	Oldest living person verified 2006. American.
9	Carrie White	116? years 88 days	18 November 1874?	14 February 1991	F	Oldest living person verified 1988-1991. American. Disputed (may have been 102).
10	Kamato Hongo	116? years 45 days	16 September 1887?	31 October 2003	F	Oldest living person verified 2002-2003. Japanese. Disputed (may have been 115).
11	Maggie Barnes	115 years 319 days	6 March 1882	19 January 1998	F	American. Disputed (may have been 116 or 117).
12	Christian Mortensen	115 years 252 days	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	M	- Oldest undisputed male ever verified. Danish immigrant to United States.
13	Charlotte Hughes	115 years 228 days	1 August 1877	17 March 1993	F	Oldest Briton ever verified.
14	Edna Parker	131 years, 195 days	20 April 1893	Living	F	Oldest living person 2007- American.
15	Margaret Skeete	115 years 192 days	27 October 1878	7 May 1994	F	American.
16	Aniţica Butariu	115? years 157 days	17 June 1882?	21 November 1997	F	Oldest Romanian ever verified. Disputed.
17	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	115 years 156 days	21 August 1891	24 January 2007	M	Oldest Puerto Rican ever verified and oldest living person verified 2006-2007.
18	Bettie Wilson	115 years 153 days	13 September 1890	13 February 2006	F	American.
19	Julie Winnefred Bertrand	115 years 124 days	16 September 1891	18 January 2007	F	Oldest living woman verified 2006-2007. Canadian.
20	Susie Gibson	115 years 108 days	31 October 1890	16 February 2006	F	American.
21	Maria de Jesus	131 years, 52 days	10 September 1893	Living	F	Oldest Portuguese person ever.
22	Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper	115 years 62 days	29 June 1890	30 August 2005	F	Oldest Dutch person ever verified.
23	Maud Farris-Luse	115 years 56 days	21 January 1887	18 March 2002	F	Oldest living person verified 2001-2002. American.
24	Marie Brémont	115 years 42 days	25 April 1886	6 June 2001	F	Oldest living person verified 2000-2001. French.
25	Annie Jennings	115 years 8 days	12 November 1884	20 November 1999	F	Briton.

Oldest verified men ever (top 10)

Main article: List of the verified oldest men

Rank	Name	Age	Born	Died	Notes
1	Shigechiyo Izumi	120? years 237 days	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986	Oldest male ever verified. Japanese. Disputed (may have been 105).
2	Christian Mortensen	115 years 252 days	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	- Oldest undisputed male verified. Danish immigrant to United States.
3	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	115 years 156 days	21 August 1891	24 January 2007	Oldest Puerto Rican verified and oldest living person verified 2006-2007.
4	Mathew Beard	114 years 222 days	9 July 1870	16 February 1985	Oldest American man verified.
5	Yukichi Chuganji	114 years 189 days	23 March 1889	28 September 2003	Oldest undisputed Japanese man verified, and oldest living man verified 2002-2003.
6	Joan Riudavets	114 years 81 days	15 December 1889	5 March 2004	Oldest Spaniard verified and oldest living man verified 2003-2004.
7	Fred H. Hale, Sr.	113 years 354 days	1 December 1890	19 November 2004	Oldest living man verified 2004. American.
8	Moses Hardy	113? years 335 days	6 January 1893?	7 December 2006	American (disputed).
9	Johnson Parks	113 years 275 days	15 October 1884	17 July 1998	American. Oldest living man verified 1998.
10	John Ingram McMorran	113 years 250 days	19 June 1889	24 February 2003	American.

Oldest validated people currently living (top 10)

Main article: List of living supercentenarians

Please note that approximately 90% of all supercentenarians are women. This list is currently all female.

Rank	Name	Age as of 1 November 2024	Sex	Born	Residence
1	Edna Parker	131 years, 195 days	F	20 April 1893	Oldest person in the world (since August 13 2007). Lives in Indiana, United States
2	Maria de Jesus	131 years, 52 days	F	10 September 1893	Lives in Santarém, Portugal
3	Gertrude Baines	130 years, 209 days	F	6 April 1894	Lives in California, United States
4	Catherine Hagel	129 years, 339 days	F	28 November 1894	Lives in Minnesota, United States
5	Beatrice Farve	129 years, 185 days	F	30 April 1895	Lives in Georgia, United States
6	Kama Chinen	129 years, 175 days	F	10 May 1895	Lives in Okinawa, Japan
7	Mary Josephine Ray	129 years, 168 days	F	17 May 1895	Lives in New Hampshire, United States
8	Manuela Fernández-Fojaco	129 years, 136 days	F	18 June 1895	Lives in Asturias, Spain
9	Olivia Patricia Thomas	129 years, 125 days	F	29 June 1895	Lives in New York, United States
10	Neva Morris	129 years, 90 days	F	3 August 1895	Lives in Iowa, United States

Oldest men currently living (top 10 or 110+)

Main article: List of living supercentenarians

Rank	Name	Age as of 1 November 2024	Born	Residence
1	Tomoji Tanabe	129 years, 44 days	18 September 1895	Oldest man in the world (since 24 January 2007). Lives in Kyūshū, Japan
2	Henry Allingham	128 years, 148 days	6 June 1896	Lives in England, United Kingdom. World War I Veteran
	George Francis	128 years, 148 days	6 June 1896	Lives in California, United States
4	Walter Breuning	128 years, 41 days	21 September 1896	Lives in Montana, United States
5	Augusto de Oliveira	128 years, 26 days	6 October 1896	Lives in Porto, Portugal
6	Jiroemon Kimura	127 years, 196 days	19 April, 1897	Lives in Kansai, Japan
7	Kiyoshi Igarashi	127 years, 91 days	2 August, 1897	Lives in Hokkaidō, Japan
8	Aarne Arvonen	127 years, 89 days	4 August 1897	Lives in Finland. Finnish Civil War Veteran
9	Takashi Hattori	126 years, 234 days	12 March 1898	Lives in Kantō, Japan.
10	Harry Patch	126 years, 137 days	17 June 1898	Lives in England, United Kingdom. World War I Veteran

Supercentenarians who died before 1955

Main article: Supercentenarian

Supercentenarian Ann Pouder photographed by Charles Martin on her 110th birthday.

Name	Born	Died	Age	Sex	Notes
Thomas Peters	1745	1857	111 years 354 days	M	The Netherlands; earliest supercentenarian recognized by the Guinness Book of Records.
Geert Boomgaard	1788	1899	110 years 135 days	M	The Netherlands; earliest supercentenarian recognized by some scholars.
Margaret Neve	1792	1903	110 years 321 days	F	Guernsey, Channel Islands
Ann Pouder	1807	1917	110 years 93 days	F	Born England, UK Died Nebraska, U.S.
Louisa Thiers	1814	1926	111 years 138 days	F	New York, U.S.
Delina Filkins	1815	1928	113 years 214 days	F	New York, U.S.
Miriam Bannister	1817	1928	111 years 21 days	F	Born England, UK Died Missouri, U.S.
Demetrius Philipovitch	1818	1928	110 years 150+ days	M	Yugoslavia
Katherine Plunket	1820	1932	111 years 327 days	F	Ireland
Valgjer Svien	1842	1953	110 years 105 days	F	Born Norway Died Minnesota, U.S.

National longevity recordholders

Main article: National longevity recordholders

Nation of death (oldest first)

Country	Age	Sex	Name	Born	Died
France	122 years 164 days	F	Jeanne Calment	21 February 1875	4 August 1997
Japan	120? years 237 days	M	Shigechiyo Izumi	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986
United States	119 years 97 days	F	Sarah Knauss	24 September 1880	30 December 1999
Canada	117 years 230 days	F	Marie-Louise Meilleur	29 August 1880	16 April 1998
Ecuador	116 years 347 days	F	María Capovilla	14 September 1889	27 August 2006
United Kingdom	115 years 228 days	F	Charlotte Hughes	1 August 1877	17 March 1993
Romania	115? years 157 days	F	Aniţica Butariu	30 June 1882	21 November 1997
Portugal	131 years, 52 days	F	Maria de Jesus	10 September 1893	Living
Netherlands	115 years 62 days	F	Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper	29 June 1890	30 August 2005
Australia	114 years 148 days	F	Christina Cock	25 December 1887	22 May 2002
Spain	114 years 81 days	M	Joan Riudavets	15 December 1889	5 March 2004
Italy	114 years 4 days	F	Virginia Dighero-Zolezzi	24 December 1891	28 December 2005
New Zealand	113 years 109 days	F	Florence Finch	22 December 1893	10 April 2007
Sweden	113 years 0 days	F	Astrid Zachrison	15 May 1895	15 May 2008
Germany	112 years 362 days	F	Maria Laqua	12 February 1889	9 February 2002
Finland	112 years 259 days	F	Lempi Maria Rothovius	2 October 1887	17 June 2000
Belgium	112 years 186 days	F	Joanna Deroover	3 June 1890	6 December 2002
Austria	112 years 178 days	F	Maria Mika	23 May 1882	17 November 1994
Norway	112 years 61 days	F	Maren Bolette Torp	21 December 1876	20 February 1989
Ireland	111 years 327 days	F	Katherine Plunket	22 November 1820	14 October 1932
South Africa	111 years 151 days	F	Johanna Booyson	17 January 1857	16 June 1968
Denmark	111 years 114 days	F	Anne Matthiesen	26 November 1884	19 March 1996
Uruguay	111 years 107 days	F	Manolita Pina	24 February 1883	11 June 1994
Colombia	111 years 105 days	M	Daniel Guzmán-García	6 February 1897	21 May 2008
Switzerland	111 years 87 days	F	Emma Duvoisin	5 July 1886	30 September 1997

Emigrant records (oldest first)

Note: listed for countries where an emigrant lived longer than any lifelong resident

Country	Age	Sex	Name	Born	Died	Notes
Denmark	115 years 252 days	M	Christian Mortensen	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	Died U.S.
Portuguese Empire (Cape Verde)	114 years 183 days	F	Adelina Domingues	19 February 1888	21 August 2002	Died U.S.
German Empire	114 years 180 days	F	Charlotte Benkner	16 November 1889	14 May 2004	Died U.S.
French Algeria	114 years 172 days	F	Anne Primout	5 October 1890	26 March 2005	Died France
British India	113 years 197 days	F	Lucy d'Abreu	24 May 1892	7 December 2005	Died UK
Austria-Hungary	112 years 332 days	F	Elizabeth Stefan	13 May 1895	9 April 2008	Died U.S.
Morocco	111 years 282 days	F	Consuelo Moreno-López	5 February 1893	13 November 2004	Died U.S.
Greece	110 years 341 days	M	Gregory Pandazes	15 January 1873	22 December 1983	Died U.S.
Peru	110 years 106 days	F	Julia Dougherty	20 August 1893	4 December 2003	Died U.S.
Russia	110 years 33 days	F	Helen Czechowicz	1 January 1896	3 February 2006	Died U.S.

Gerontology and the verification of age claims

Gerontology involves the tracking of the longest-lived proven individuals as the bio-markers of the human life span. The study of gerontology is usually credited to Michel Eugène Chevreul, a French chemist who died in 1889, aged 102. In the early years of the twenty first century gerontology is benefiting from the improvements in record-keeping in the industrialized world from the latter part of the nineteenth century. As a result, verification standards have evolved and multiple independent documentary confirmations of birth-date are now required to substantiate a claim, rather than evidence deriving only from the claimant. For claims that have not been satisfactorily confirmed by Guinness World Records, considered the authority, see longevity claims.

Current trends in the lifespans of the oldest humans

The population and lifespans of the world's oldest people are continually increasing due to improvements in health care and lifestyle during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the increasing world population. Additionally, better record-keeping, both 100+ years ago and today, is increasing the percentage of the world's population whose age can be tracked and verified. This increase has been matched by efforts to harness this data. While in 1837 the oldest verified person was aged 108 years, it is now no longer unheard of for individuals, especially females, to have lived 110 years and more. The term supercentenarian has been coined to describe this emerging population group.

Oldest body part

The cornea of a man in Norway is the oldest living human body part, having survived over 123 years. The cornea was given to him as a transplant in 1958 after being donated by a man born in June 1885.[1]

External links

• Louis Epstein: The Oldest Human Beings — list of validly-documented supercentenarians (by age and chronological), including a chronological list of the oldest living listed persons since 1955 (however, for a time in the 1960s the oldest living person did not officially reach 110).
• Supercentenarian tables at the Gerontology Research Group
• International Database on Longevity