Supercentenarian

A supercentenarian (sometimes hyphenated super-centenarian) is someone who has reached the age of 110 years or more, something achieved by only one in a thousand centenarians (0.1%, based on European data). In turn, only about one supercentenarian in fourty-four lives to turn 115 (2% of 110-year-olds can expect to survive five more years).

The term has been around at least since the 1970s (as one citation, Norris McWhirter, editor of Guinness, used the word in correspondence with age claims researcher A. Ross Eckler, Jr. in 1976), and was further popularized in 1991 by William Strauss and Neil Howe, in their book entitled Generations. Early references tend to mean simply "someone well over 100" but the 110-and-over cutoff is the accepted criterion of demographers.

History

While claims of extreme age have persisted from the earliest times in history, the earliest supercentenarian accepted by Guinness World Records is Thomas Peters, who was born in Groningen, Netherlands, April 6, 1745, and died there March 26, 1857. (Guinness once accepted Pierre Joubert but later dropped him). However, some scholars such as Jean-Marie Robine consider Geert Adriaans Boomgaard of the Netherlands (1788-1899) to be the first verifiable case, as the alleged evidence for Peters has been "lost."

Over eight hundred supercentenarians have been documented in history, and this is doubtless a fraction of the number who have really lived, but the majority of claims to this age do not have sufficient documentary support to be validated. This is slowly changing as those born after birth registration was standardized in more countries and parts of countries attain supercentenarian age.

The longest documented lifespan is the 122 years 164 days of Jeanne Calment (1875–1997). While her stories of meeting Vincent Van Gogh or attending the 1885 funeral of Victor Hugo might have been embellished, her life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles, France, beyond reasonable doubt.

The Guinness Book of World Records in 1978 accepted the claim that Shigechiyo Izumi was born June 29, 1865, and from the 1980 edition considered him the oldest person. He died February 21, 1986 (the 111th birthday of Jeanne Calment). However, there is still doubt as to whether he was wrongly conflated with a brother who died young.

For supercentenarians known for anything other than their extreme age, see centenarians.

Oldest living people

Official oldest living person

The following is a list of the people who have held the title of oldest recognized person in the world since 1955:

From	To	Name	Age at death	Lived	Town, Country
1955	October 1955	Betsy Baker	113	August 20 1842–October 24 1955	USA
October 1955	June 1959	Martha Graham	114	December 1844–June 25 1959	USA
June 1959	Ferbruary 1961	James Henry Brett Jr.	111	July 25 1849–February 10 1961	USA
February 1961	September 1961	James Hull	109	April 23 1852–September 9 1961	Australia
September 1961	February 1963	Lovisa Svensson	109	November 20 1853–February 17 1963	Sweden
February 1963	April 1963	Kiet Portier-Tan	107	May 13 1855–April 21 1963	Netherlands
April 1963	March 1968	John Mosely Turner	111	June 15 1856–March 21 1968	England, UK
March 1968	June 1968	Johanna Booyson	111	January 17 1857–June 16 1968	South Africa
March 1968	October 1968	Marie Bernatkova	111	October 22 1857–October?1968	Czech Republic
October 1968	January 1970	Ada Roe	111	February 6 1858–January 11 1970	England, UK
January 1970	February 1973	Josefa Salas Mateo	112	July 14 1860–February 27 1973	Spain
February 1973	August 1973	Alice Stevenson	112	July 10 1861–August 18 1973	England, UK
August 1973	October 1973	Elizabeth Watkins	110	March 10 1863–October 31 1973	England, UK
October 1973	May 31 1975	Mito Umeta	112	March 27 1863–May 31 1975	Japan
May 1975	November 1976	Niwa Kawamoto	113	August 5 1863–November 16 1976	Japan
November 1976	February 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	120?	June 29 1865? –February 21 1986	Japan
February 1986	September 1986	Mamie Eva Keith	113	March 22 1873–September 20 1986	Illinois, United States
September 1986	February 1987	Mary McKinney	113	May 30 1873–February 2 1987	California, United States
February 1987	December 1987	Anna Eliza Williams	114	June 2 1873–December 27 1987	England, UK
December 1987	January 1988	Florence Knapp	114	October 10 1873–January 11 1988	Pennsylvania, USA
January 1988	February 1991	Carrie C. White	116?	November 18 1874? –February 14 1991	Florida, United States
February 1991	August 1997	Jeanne Calment	122	February 21 1875–August 4 1997	Arles, France
August 1997	April 1998	Marie-Louise Meilleur	117	August 29 1880–April 16 1998	Corbeil, Ontario, Canada
April 1998	December 1999	Sarah Knauss	119	September 24 1880–December 30 1999	Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA
December 1999	November 2000	Eva Morris	114	November 8 1885–November 2 2000	Stone, Staffordshire, England
November 2000	June 2001	Marie Brémont	115	April 25 1886–June 6 2001	Cande, Maine-et-Loire, France
June 2001	March 2002	Maude Farris-Luse	115	January 21 1887–March 18 2002	Coldwater, Michigan, USA
March 2002	October 2003	Kamato Hongo	116	September 16 1887–October 31 2003	Kagoshima, Japan
October 2003	November 2003	Mitoyo Kawate	114	May 15 1889–November 13 2003	Hiroshima, Japan
November 2003	May 2004	Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan	114	August 31 1889–May 29 2004	Utuado, Puerto Rico
May 2004	August 2005	Hendrikje van Andel	115	June 29 1890–August 30 2005	Hoogeveen, Netherlands
August 2005	-	Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden		August 15 1890–	Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Oldest recognized living man

Name	Born	Died	Age at Death	Notes
John Mosely Turner	15 June 1856	21 March 1968	110	English
Friedrich Wedeking	10 October 1862	5 May 1973	110	German
Shigechiyo Izumi	29 June 1865 (?)	21 February 1986	120 (?)	Oldest man recognized by Guinness Book of World Records
Joe Thomas	1 May 1875	14 December 1986	111	American from Louisiana
Herman Smith-Johannsen	15 June 1875	5 January 1987	111	Norwegian-Canadian cross-country skier
Alphaeus Philemon Cole	12 July 1876	25 November 1988	112	Engraver
John Evans	19 August 1877	10 June 1990	112	British male recordholder
Henri Perignon	14 October 1879	18 June 1990	110	France
James W. Wiggins	15 October 1879	16 October 1991	112	USA
Frederick L. Frazier	27 January 1880	14 June 1993	113	USA
Christian Mortensen	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	115	Danish immigrant to USA, oldest undisputed man
Johnson Parks	15 October 1884	17 July 1998	113	Black American, lived in Florida
Walter Richardson	7 November 1885	25 December 1998	113	Illinois
Denzo Ishisaki	20 October 1886	29 April 1999	112	Only man in post-Izumi years to be oldest person in Japan
John Painter	20 September 1888	1 March 2001	112	Oldest record available (1900 census) supports the Sept. 1888 birthdate
Antonio Todde	22 January 1889	3 January 2002	112	Sardinian
Yukichi Chuganji	23 March 1889	28 September 2003	114	Oldest recognized man in world January 2002–September 2003, in Ogori
Joan Riudavets	15 December 1889	5 March 2004	114	Oldest person in history of Spain, was oldest recognized European, world's oldest recognized man 2003–4; he rode a bicycle to age 110, on Minorca
Fred H. Hale, Sr.	1 December 1890	19 November 2004	113	Born in Maine, oldest man in world March–November 2004, died in Jamesville, New York
Emiliano Mercado del Toro	21 August 1891	-	-	From Puerto Rico, accepted by Guinness as "oldest living man" on 17 January 2005 (retroactively would be "oldest living man" since 19 November 2004).

Among the oldest ever

Name	Age	Born	Died	Notes
Jeanne Calment	122	21 February 1875	4 August 1997	Oldest documented supercentenarian
Shigechiyo Izumi	120(?)	29 June 1865(?)	21 February 1986	Oldest documented male supercentenarian (disputed)
Sarah Knauss	119	24 September 1880	30 December 1999	Oldest in United States history, oldest recognized in world 1998–99
Lucy Hannah	117	16 July 1875	21 March 1993	Oldest African American
Marie-Louise Meilleur	117	29 August 1880	16 April 1998	Oldest Canadian, oldest recognized in world 1997 – 98
Tane Ikai	116	18 January 1879	12 July 1995	Oldest Japanese woman
Carrie C. White	116?	18 November 1874?	14 February 1991	Formerly oldest in United States history, 3rd-oldest American ever recorded
Kamato Hongo	116	16 September 1887	31 October 2003	Third-oldest Japanese person
Maggie Barnes	115	6 March 1882	19 January 1998	North Carolina woman
Christian Mortensen	115	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	Oldest undisputed male, Danish immigrant to US
Charlotte Marion Milburn Hughes	115	1 August 1877	17 March 1993	British longevity recordholder

Among the oldest men ever (Top 10)

Name	Age	Born	Died	Notes
Shigechiyo Izumi	120?	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986	Oldest documented male supercentenarian (disputed)
Christian Mortensen	115	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	Oldest undisputed male, Danish immigrant to US
Mathew Beard	114	9 July 1870	16 February 1985	Oldest native-born American man
Yukichi Chuganji	114	23 March 1889	28 September 2003	Second-oldest Japanese man
Emiliano Mercado del Toro	114	21 August 1891		Oldest living man (since November 19, 2004)
Joan Riudavets	114	15 December 1889	5 March 2004	Spanish longevity recordholder
Fred H. Hale, Sr.	113	1 December 1890	19 November 2004	Born in Maine, oldest man in world March–November 2004, died in Jamesville, New York
Johnson Parks	113	15 October 1884	17 July 1998	Black American, lived in Florida
John Ingram McMorran	113	19 June 1889	24 February 2003	American, lived in Florida
Frederick L. Frazier	113	27 January 1880	14 June 1993	American, lived in Alabama

Among the oldest living, 2005 (Top 10)

#	Name	Born	Notes
1	Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden	15 August 1890	Oldest verified living American, oldest in world since 30 August 2005
2	Bettie Wilson	13 September 1890	Formerly oldest verified living American (Dec. 2004-Apr. 2005); recordholder for state of Mississippi, where she lives
3	Susie Gibson	31 October 1890	Lives in Alabama; claims birth 1889, 1890 is based on census records
4	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	21 August 1891	Oldest living man (since 19 November 2004)
5	Julie Winnefred Bertrand	16 September 1891	Oldest living Canadian
6	Virginia Dighero-Zolezzi	24 December 1891	Oldest person in history of Italy
7	Camille Loiseau	13 February 1892	Oldest living French
8	M. Gladys Swetland	18 April 1892	Oldest living person in Pennsylvania
9	Lucy D'Abreu	24 May 1892	Oldest living person in UK and oldest person of Indian descent
10	Yone Minagawa	4 Jan 1893	Oldest person in Japan

Among the oldest living men, 2005 (110 or older)

#	Name	Born	Notes
1	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	21 August 1891	Oldest living man (since 19 November 2004)
2	Moses Hardy	6 January 1893	Oldest living man in the United States
3	George Johnson	1 May 1894	Lives in California
4	Maurice Floquet	25 December 1894	Oldest living man in France
5	Ernest Pusey	5 May 1895	Lives in Florida
6	Nijiro Tokuda	10 June 1895	Oldest living man in Japan
7	Arthur Warmington	18 September 1895	Lives in New Jersey
tie	Tomoji Tanabe	18 September 1895	Lives in Miyazaki Japan
9	Chojo Fukuhara	12 October 1895	Oldest living man in Okinawa

Notably early among supercentenarians

Name	Born	Died	Notes
Thomas Peters	1745	1857	Earliest supercentenarian recognized by Guiness Book of Records
Geert Adriaans Boomgaard	1788	1899	Earliest supercentenarian recognized by scholars
Margaret Ann Neve	1792	1903	recordholder for Channel Islands (UK)
Louisa Kirwan Thiers	1814	1926	New York
Delina Filkins	1815	1928	Herkimer County, New York
Katherine Plunket	1820	1932	Oldest person in the history of Ireland

National longevity recordholders

By nation of death or current residence

Country	Age	Sex	Name	Born	Died
France	122	f	Jeanne Calment	21 February 1875	4 August 1997
Japan	120?	m	Shigechiyo Izumi	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986
US	119	f	Sarah Knauss	24 September 1880	30 December 1999
Canada	117	f	Marie-Louise Meilleur	29 August 1880	16 April 1998
UK	115	f	Charlotte Hughes	1 August 1877	17 March 1993
Romania	115	f	Anitica Batariu	17 June 1882	21 November 1997
Netherlands	115	f	Hendrikje van Andel	29 June 1890	30 August 2005
Portugal	114	f	Maria do Couto Maia-Lopes	24 October 1890	25 July 2005
Puerto Rico	114	f	Ramona Trinidad Iglesias Jordan	31 August 1889	29 May 2004
Australia	114	f	Christina Cock	25 December 1887	22 May 2002
Spain	114	m	Joan Riudavets	15 December 1889	5 March 2004
Italy	113*	f	Virginia Dighero-Zolezzi	24 December 1891	-
Germany	112	f	Maria Laqua	12 February 1889	9 February 2002
Finland	112	f	Lempi Maria Rothovius	2 October 1887	17 June 2000
Belgium	112	f	Joanna DeRoover	3 June 1890	6 December 2002
Austria	112	f	Maria Mika	23 May 1882	17 November 1994
Sweden	112	f	Elsa Moberg	30 June 1889	27 November 2001
Norway	112	f	Maren Bolette Torp	21 December 1876	20 February 1989
Ireland	111	f	Katherine Plunket	22 November 1820	14 October 1932
South Africa	111	f	Johanna Booyson	17 January 1857	16 June 1968
Denmark	111	f	Anne Matthiesen	26 November 1884	19 March 1996
New Zealand	110	f	Ethel Booth	25 December 1890	18 February 2001

Emigrant records

(listed for countries where an emigrant lived longer than any lifelong resident)

Country	Age	Sex	Name	Born	Died	Notes
Denmark	115	m	Christian Mortensen	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	died U.S.
Cape Verde	114	f	Adelina Domingues	19 February 1888	21 August 2002	died U.S.
Germany	114	f	Charlotte Benkner	16 November 1889	14 May 2004	died U.S.
India	113*	f	Lucy D'Abreu	24 May 1892	-	lives in UK
Morocco	111	f	Consuelo Moreno-Lopez	5 February 1893	13 November 2004	died U.S.
Algeria	111	m	Emile Fourcade	29 July 1884	29 December 1995	died France
Greece	110	m	Gregory Pandazes	15 January 1873	22 December 1983	died U.S.
Peru	110	f	Julia Dougherty	20 August 1893	4 December 2003	died U.S.

Amalia Ruggieri-Barone, an Italian immigrant to the United States, has been removed from this list; she has been surpassed in age by Virginia Dighero-Zolezzi, a resident Italian, and her status as the oldest emigrant is thus no longer relevant.

External links

References

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. (For a time in the 1960s the oldest living person did not reach 110.)