OLDEST PEOPLE

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

The longest unambiguously documented lifespan is that of Jeanne Calment of France (1875–1997), who was aged 122 years. She met Vincent van Gogh when aged 14, and in 1988, at age 113, this led to her becoming noticed by the media. 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 "gold 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. This claim was accepted in 1978, but subsequent additional research (as early as 1984) has raised doubt as to whether his birth date was confused with that of a brother who died at a young age.
Currently (since the death of Yone Minagawa on 13 August, 2007), the oldest living person is 114-year-old Edna Parker of the U.S., born on 20 April, 1893. [1] Parker, Maria de Jesus and Bertha Fry are the only validated people born in 1893 that are still alive.

Contents
Oldest living people
Oldest living men (since 1961)
Oldest people ever (115+)
Oldest men ever (top 10)
Oldest people currently living (top 10)
Oldest men currently living (top 10)
Supercentenarians who died before 1955
National longevity recordholders
Nation of death (oldest first)
Emigrant records (oldest first)
Gerontology and the verification of age claims
Current trends in the lifespans of the oldest humans
References

Oldest living people


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). This list does not reflect the original lists, but is instead "retroactive" – for example, the Betsy Baker case was not verified until the 2000s.
FromToNameAge when oldestLivedSexCountry
Title began in 1955 24 October 1955 Betsy Baker -113 20 August1842 – 24 October1955 F England, UK (born)
Nebraska, U.S. (died)
24 October 1955 25 June 1959 Martha Graham 110-114 27? December 1844 – 25 June1959 F North Carolina, U.S.
25 June 1959 10 February 1961 James Brett, Jr. 110-111? 25 June1849? – 10 February1961 M Texas, U.S.
10 February 1961 16 March 1962 Joseph Saint-Amour 108-110 26 February1852 – 16 March1962 M Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962 17 February 1963 Lovisa Svensson 108-109 20 November1853 – 17 February1963 F Sweden
17 February 1963 6 March 1965 Elizabeth Kensley 107-109 12 May1855 – 6 March1965 F England, UK
6 March 1965 24 July 1965 Auguste Pahl 109 23 November1855 – 24 July1965 F West Germany
24 July 1965 10 January 1966 Hannah Smith 109-110 7 January1856 – 10 January1966 F England, UK
10 January 1966 21 March 1968 John Turner 109-111 15 June1856 – 21 March1968 M England, UK
21 March 1968 16 June 1968 Johanna Booyson 111 17 January1857 – 16 June1968 F Transvaal, South Africa
16 June 1968 October? 1968 Marie Bernatkova 110-111 22 October1857 – fl. October 1968 F Czechoslovakia
October? 1968 11 January 1970 Ada Roe 110-111 6 February1858 – 11 January1970 F England, UK
11 January 1970 27 February 1973 Josefa Salas Mateo 109-112 14 July1860 – 27 February1973 F Spain
27 February 1973 18 August 1973 Alice Stevenson 111-112 10 July1861 – 18 August1973 F England, UK
18 August 1973 31 October 1973 Elizabeth Watkins 110 10 March1863 – 31 October1973 F Northern Ireland, UK (born)
England, UK (died)
31 October 1973 31 May 1975 Mito Umeta 110-112 27 March1863 – 31 May1975 F Japan
31 May 1975 16 November 1976 Niwa Kawamoto 111-113 5 August1863 – 16 November1976 F Japan
16 November 1976 21 February 1986 Shigechiyo Izumi 111-120? 29 June1865? – 21 February1986 M Kagoshima, Japan
20 February 1986 20 September 1986 Mamie Keith 112-113 22 March1873 – 20 September1986 F Illinois, U.S.
20 September 1986 2 February 1987 Mary McKinney 113 30 May1873 – 2 February1987 F California, U.S.
2 February 1987 27 December 1987 Anna Williams 113-114 2 June1873 – 27 December1987 F England, UK (born)
Wales, UK (died)
27 December 1987 11 January 1988 Florence Knapp 114 10 October1873 – 11 January1988 F Pennsylvania, U.S.
11 January 1988 14 February 1991 Carrie White 113-116? 18 November1874? – 14 February1991 F Florida, U.S.
14 February 1991 4 August 1997 Jeanne Calment 115-122 21 February1875 – 4 August1997 F Provence, France
4 August 1997 16 April 1998 Marie-Louise Meilleur 116-117 29 August1880 – 16 April1998 F Ontario, Canada
16 April 1998 30 December 1999 Sarah Knauss 117-119 24 September1880 – 30 December1999 F Pennsylvania, U.S.
30 December 1999 2 November 2000 Eva Morris 114 8 November1885 – 2 November2000 F England, UK
2 November 2000 6 June 2001 Marie Brémont 114-115 25 April1886 – 6 June2001 F Pays de la Loire, France
5 June 2001 18 March 2002 Maude Farris-Luse 114-115 21 January1887 – 18 March2002 F Michigan, U.S.
19 March 2002 31 October 2003 Kamato Hongo 114-116? 16 September1887? – 31 October2003 F Kagoshima, Japan
31 October 2003 13 November 2003 Mitoyo Kawate 114 15 May1889 – 13 November2003 F Hiroshima, Japan
13 November 2003 29 May 2004 Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan 114 31 August1889 – 29 May2004 F Puerto Rico
29 May 2004 27 August 2006 María Capovilla 114-116 14 September1889 – 27 August2006 F Ecuador
27 August 2006 11 December 2006 Elizabeth Bolden 116 15 August1890 – 11 December2006 F Tennessee, U.S.
11 December 2006 24 January 2007 Emiliano Mercado del Toro 115 21 August1891 – 24 January2007 M Puerto Rico
24 January 2007 28 January 2007 Emma Tillman 114 22 November1892 – 28 January2007 F Connecticut, U.S.
29 January 2007 13 August2007 Yone Minagawa 114 4 January1893 – 13 August2007 F Fukuoka, Japan
13 August2007 Present 'Edna Parker'
★		 April 201893 – present F Indiana, U.S.

The longest consecutive time with the title of "World's Oldest Person" held was by Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan for 3384 days from November 16, 1976 to February 21, 1986. The shortest consecutive time was by Emma Tillman of the United States for 4 days from January 24, 2007 to January 28, 2007. The average length of time served as "World's Oldest Person" for the 36 people following Betsy Baker (not including the current serving person, Edna Parker) has been approximately 525.5 days. The country with the most people on the list is the United States with 12, followed by the United Kingdom with 9, and Japan with 6.

Oldest living men (since 1961)


Note: Guinness World Records has only maintained the category of 'oldest living man' intermittently over the years, not establishing it permanently until the year 2000. Persons listed prior to 2000 may be based on an historical reconstruction.
FromToNameAge when oldestLivedCountry
10 February 1961 16 March 1962 Joseph Saint-Amour 108-110 26 February1852–16 March1962 Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962 21 March 1968 John Turner 105-111 15 June 1856–21 March 1968 England, UK
21 March 1968 August? 1970 Khasako Dzugayev 107-110 7 August 1860–August? 1970 USSR
August? 1970 5 May 1973 Friedrich Wedeking 107-110 10 October 1862–5 May 1973 Germany
5 May 1973 9 March 1974 Frederick Butterfield 109-110 28 February 1864–9 March 1974 England, UK
9 March 1974 21 February 1986 Shigechiyo Izumi 108-120? 29 June 1865?–21 February 1986 Kagoshima, Japan
20 February 1986 14 December 1986 Joe Thomas 110-111 1 May 1875–14 December 1986 Louisiana, U.S.
14 December 1986 5 January 1987 Herman Smith-Johannsen 111 15 June 1875–5 January 1987 Norway
lived in Quebec, Canada
5 January 1987 25 November 1988 Alphaeus Cole 110-112 12 July 1876–25 November 1988 New Jersey, U.S.
25 November 1988 10 June 1990 John Evans 111-112 19 August 1877–10 June 1990 Wales, UK
10 June 1990 18 June 1990 Henri Pérignon 110 14 October 1879–18 June 1990 Normandy, France
18 June 1990 16 October 1991 James Wiggins 110-112 15 October 1879–16 October 1991 Arkansas, U.S.
16 October 1991 14 June 1993 Frederick Frazier 111-113 27 January 1880–14 June 1993 Alabama, U.S.
14 June 1993 25 April 1998 Christian Mortensen 110-115 16 August 1882–25 April 1998 Denmark (born)
California, U.S. (died)
25 April 1998 17 July 1998 Johnson Parks 113 15 October 1884–17 July 1998 Florida, U.S.
17 July 1998 25 December 1998 Walter Richardson 112-113 7 November 1885–25 December 1998 Illinois, U.S.
25 December 1998 29 April 1999 Denzo Ishisaki 112 20 October 1886–29 April 1999 Ibaraki, Japan
29 April 1999 15 November 1999 Antonio Urrea-Hernández 111 16 February 1888–15 November 1999 Catalonia, Spain
15 November 1999 1 March 2001 John Painter 111-112 20 September 1888–1 March 2001 Tennessee, U.S.
1 March 2001 3 January 2002 Antonio Todde 112 22 January 1889–3 January 2002 Sardinia, Italy
3 January 2002 28 September 2003 Yukichi Chuganji 112-114 23 March 1889–28 September 2003 Fukuoka, Japan
28 September 2003 5 March 2004 Joan Riudavets 113-114 15 December 1889–5 March 2004 Minorca, Spain
5 March 2004 19 November 2004 Fred Hale, Sr. 113 1 December 1890–19 November 2004 Maine, U.S.
19 November 2004 24 January 2007 Emiliano Mercado del Toro 113-115 21 August 1891–24 January 2007 Puerto Rico
24 January 2007 Present 'Tomoji Tanabe' 111
★		 18 September 1895– Miyazaki, Japan

The longest consecutive time with the title of "World's Oldest Man" held was by Shigechiyo Izumi of Japan for 4367 days from March 9, 1974 to February 21, 1986. The shortest consecutive time was by Henri Pérignon of France for 8 days from June 10, 1990 to June 18, 1990. The country with the most people on the list is the United States with 9, followed by Japan with 4, and the United Kingdom with 3.

Oldest people ever (115+)


Jeanne Calment, considered to be the oldest person ever, at age 119.

# Name Age Born Died Sex Notes
1 Jeanne Calment 122 years 164 days 21 February 1875 4 August 1997 F Oldest documented and fully validated supercentenarian ever
2 Shigechiyo Izumi 120? years 237 days 29 June 1865? 21 February 1986 M Oldest male supercentenarian (disputed)
3 Sarah Knauss 119 years 97 days 24 September 1880 30 December 1999 F Oldest in U.S. history, oldest recognized in world 1998–99
4 Lucy Hannah 117 years 248 days 16 July 1875 21 March 1993 F Oldest African American
5 Marie-Louise Meilleur 117 years 230 days 29 August 1880 16 April 1998 F Oldest Canadian, oldest recognized in world 1997 – 98
6 María Capovilla 116 years 347 days 14 September 1889 27 August 2006 F Oldest in Ecuador ever, oldest living person 2004 – 2006
7 Tane Ikai 116 years 175 days 18 January 1879 12 July 1995 F Oldest Japanese woman
8 Elizabeth Bolden 116 years 118 days 15 August 1890 11 December 2006 F Oldest living person at time of her death, Tennesseean
9 Carrie White 116? years 88 days 18 November 1874? 14 February 1991 F Formerly oldest in U.S. history, fourth-oldest American ever recorded (disputed)
10 Kamato Hongo 116? years 45 days 16 September 1887? 31 October 2003 F Third-oldest Japanese person (disputed)
11 Maggie Barnes 115 years 319 days 6 March 1882 19 January 1998 F North Carolina woman
12 Christian Mortensen 115 years 252 days 16 August 1882 25 April 1998 M Oldest undisputed male, Danish immigrant to U.S.
13 Charlotte Hughes 115 years 228 days 1 August 1877 17 March 1993 F British longevity recordholder
14 Margaret Skeete 115 years 192 days 27 October 1878 7 May 1994 F Was oldest living American 1993-1994; Texas state recordholder
15 Anitica Butariu 115? years 157 days 17 June 1882? 21 November 1997 F Romania
16 Emiliano Mercado del Toro 115 years 156 days 21 August 1891 24 January 2007 M oldest person in Puerto Rico ever
17 Bettie Wilson 115 years 153 days 13 September 1890 13 February 2006 F U.S.
18 Julie Bertrand 115 years 124 days 16 September 1891 18 January 2007 F Second-oldest Canadian ever, world's oldest woman for one month until she died
19 Susie Gibson 115 years 108 days 31 October 1890 16 February 2006 F U.S.
20 Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper 115 years 62 days 29 June 1890 30 August 2005 F Netherlands, oldest Dutch person ever
21 Maud Farris-Luse 115 years 56 days 21 January 1887 18 March 2002 F U.S.
22 Marie Brémont 115 years 42 days 25 April 1886 6 June 2001 F France
23 Annie Jennings 115 years 8 days 12 November 1884 20 November 1999 F UK

Oldest men ever (top 10)


# Name Age Born Died Notes
1 Shigechiyo Izumi 120? years 237 days 29 June 1865? 21 February 1986 Oldest male supercentenarian (disputed)
2 Christian Mortensen 115 years 252 days 16 August 1882 25 April 1998 Oldest undisputed male, Danish immigrant to U.S.
3 Emiliano Mercado del Toro 115 years 156 days 21 August 1891 24 January 2007 Oldest person in the world December 2006-January 2007
4 Mathew Beard 114 years 222 days 9 July 1870 16 February 1985 Oldest native-born American man
5 Yukichi Chuganji 114 years 189 days 23 March 1889 28 September 2003 Second-oldest Japanese man
6 Joan Riudavets 114 years 81 days 15 December 1889 5 March 2004 Spanish longevity recordholder
7 Fred Hale, Sr. 113 years 354 days 1 December 1890 19 November 2004 Born in Maine, oldest man in the world March-November 2004, died in Jamesville, New York
8 Moses Hardy 113? years 335 days 6 January 1893? 7 December 2006 American, lived in Mississippi
9 Johnson Parks 113 years 275 days 15 October 1884 17 July 1998 American, lived in Florida
10 John McMorran 113 years 250 days 19 June 1889 24 February 2003 American, lived in Florida

Oldest people currently living (top 10)


# Name Age as of
9 september 2007 		Sex Born Residence
1 'Edna Parker' F April 20 1893 'Oldest person in the world' (since August 13 2007).
Lives in Indiana, U.S.
2 Maria de Jesus F September 10 1893 Lives in Santarém, Portugal
3 Bertha Fry F December 1 1893 Lives in Indiana, U.S.
4 Arbella Ewing F March 13 1894 Lives in Texas, U.S.
5 Marie-Simone Capony F March 14 1894 Lives in Provence, France
6 Gertrude Baines F April 6 1894 Lives in California, U.S.
7 Tsuneyo Toyonaga F May 21 1894 Lives in Kochi, Japan
8 Clémentine Solignac F September 7 1894 Lives in Auvergne, France
9 Leila Backman Shull F October 16 1894 Lives in South Carolina, U.S.
10 Catherine Hagel F November 28 1894 Lives in Minnesota, U.S.

Oldest men currently living (top 10)


# Name Age as of
 Born Residence
1 'Tomoji Tanabe' September 18 1895 'Oldest man in the world' (since 24 January 2007).
Lives in Miyazaki, Japan
2 Sukesaburo Nakanishi March 15 1896 Lives in Japan
3 Henry Allingham June 6 1896 Lives in England, UK. World War I Veteran
4 George Francis June 6 1896 Lives in California, U.S.
5 Walter Breuning September 21 1896 Lives in Montana, U.S.
6 Augusto Oliveira Moreira October 6 1896 Lives in Portugal
7 Walter Seward October 13 1896 Lives in New Jersey, U.S.
8 Nicholas Kao Se Tseien January 15 1897 Lives in Hong Kong, China
9 Aarne Arvonen August 4 1897 Lives in Uusimaa, Finland. Finnish Civil War Veteran
10 Louis de Cazenave October 16 1897 Lives in France. World War I Veteran

Supercentenarians who died before 1955


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 scholars
Margaret Neve 1792 1903 110 years 321 days F 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 144+ days M Yugoslavia
Katherine Plunket 1820 1932 111 years 327 days F Ireland

National longevity recordholders


Main articles: National longevity recordholders

Nation of death (oldest first)

Country Age Sex Name Born Died
122 years 164 days F Jeanne Calment 21 February 1875 4 August 1997
120? years 237 days M Shigechiyo Izumi 29 June 1865? 21 February 1986
119 years 97 days F Sarah Knauss 24 September 1880 30 December 1999
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
115 years 228 days F Charlotte Hughes 1 August 1877 17 March 1993
Romania 115? years 157 days F Anitica Butariu 17 June 1882? 21 November 1997
Puerto Rico 115 years 156 days M Emiliano Mercado del Toro 21 August 1891 24 January 2007
Netherlands 115 years 62 days F Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper 29 June 1890 30 August 2005
114 years 274 days F Maria do Couto Maia-Lopes 24 October 1890 25 July 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
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
Germany 112 years 362 days F Maria Laqua 12 February 1889 9 February 2002
Finland 112 years 259 days F Lempi 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
Sweden 112 years 143 days F Elsa Moberg 30 June 1889 20 November 2001
Norway 112 years 61 days F Maren 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
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.
Cape Verde 114 years 183 days F Adelina Domingues 19 February 1888 21 August 2002 Died U.S.
Germany 114 years 180 days F Charlotte Benkner 16 November 1889 14 May 2004 Died U.S.
Algeria 114 years 172 days F Anne Primout 5 October 1890 26 March 2005 Died France
India 113 years 197 days F Lucy d'Abreu 24 May 1892 7 December 2005 Died UK
Hungary F 'Elizabeth Stefan' 13 May 1895 - Lives in Connecticut, 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.

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 healthcare 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.

References


1. http://www.japannewsreview.com/society/kyushu/kyushu/20070814page_id=1438


★ 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

★ World's Oldest People hosted by Yahoo! Groups

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