Oldest people involves the tracking of the longest-lived proven individuals as the bio-markers of the human life span. The study of gerontology is often credited to Michel Eugène Chevreul, a French chemist who died in 1889, aged 102.

The population and ages of older people are continually increasing due to improvements in healthcare and lifestyle during the 19th and 20th centuries. It is now unsurprising to find individuals, usually females, living to ages of 110 and more. The term supercentenarian has been coined to describe this emerging population group. However, strictly speaking, 'Oldest People' involves the oldest-living person, whether over 110 or not. For example, in 1837 the oldest verified person was aged 108.

In the early years of the 21st century gerontology is benefiting from the improvements in record-keeping in the industrialized world from the latter part of the 19th 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.

The longest satisfactorily documented lifespan is that of Jeanne Calment of France (1875-1997) who was aged 122 years and 164 days at the time of her death. Jeanne Calment met Vincent Van Gogh when aged 14, and in 1988 this led to her, at age 113, becoming noticed by the media. Subsequent investigation found that her life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles, France beyond reasonable question. In fact, 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 recognized by Guinness, even 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 he was wrongly conflated with a brother who died at a young age.

As of June 2006, the oldest verified living person is the 116-years old Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador, born September 14, 1889. The oldest verified living man is Emiliano Mercado del Toro of Puerto Rico, born August 21, 1891.

The following tables list notable oldest people, in various categories. For supercentenarians known for anything other than their extreme age, see the centenarians article.

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 (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 2000's.

Since retroactive to May 2004, the title-holder is María Capovilla of Ecuador. She was born on September 14, 1889 and is aged 116 as of July 2006.

She was placed on the list on December 9, 2005, when Guinness recognized her claim. She displaced both Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper of the Netherlands, who had been considered the title-holder from May 2004, and Elizabeth Bolden of Memphis, Tennessee, who had been considered the title-holder since August 2005.

From	To	Name	Age at death	Lived	Town, Country
1955	October 24 1955	Betsy Baker	113	August 20 1842–October 241955	Nebraska USA
October 24 1955	June 25 1959	Martha Graham	114	December 1844–June 251959	USA
June 25 1959	February 10 1961	James Henry Brett Jr.	111	July 25 1849–February 101961	USA
February 10 1961	March 16 1962	Joseph Saint-Amour	110	February 26 1852–March 161962	Canada
March 16 1962	February 17 1963	Lovisa Svensson	109	November 20 1853–February 171963	Sweden
February 17 1963	April 21 1963	Kiet Portier-Tan	107	May 13 1855–April 211963	Netherlands
April 21 1963	May 2 1964	Ellen Johnsen	108	December 11 1855–May 21964	Norway
May 2 1964	January 10 1966	Hannah Smith	110	January 7 1856–January 101966	UK
January 10 1966	March 21 1968	John Mosely Turner	111	June 15 1856–March 211968	England, UK
March 21 1968	June 16 1968	Johanna Booyson	111	January 17 1857–June 161968	South Africa
June 16 1968	October 1968	Marie Bernatkova	111	October 221857–October?1968	Czech Republic
October 1968	January 11 1970	Ada Roe	111	February 61858–January 111970	England, UK
January 11 1970	February 27 1973	Josefa Salas Mateo	112	July 141860–February 271973	Spain
February 27 1973	August 18 1973	Alice Stevenson	112	July 101861–August 181973	England, UK
August 18 1973	October 31 1973	Elizabeth Watkins	110	March 101863–October 311973	England, UK
October 31 1973	May 31 1975	Mito Umeta	112	March 271863–May 311975	Japan
May 31 1975	November 16 1976	Niwa Kawamoto	113	August 51863–November 161976	Japan
November 16 1976	February 21 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	120?	June 291865? –February 211986	Japan
February 21 1986	September 20 1986	Mamie Eva Keith	113	March 221873–September 201986	Illinois, United States
September 20 1986	February 2 1987	Mary McKinney	113	May 301873–February 21987	California, United States
February 2 1987	December 27 1987	Anna Eliza Williams	114	June 21873–December 271987	England, UK
December 27 1987	January 11 1988	Florence Knapp	114	October 101873–January 111988	Pennsylvania, USA
January 11 1988	February 14 1991	Carrie C. White	116?	November 181874? –February 141991	Florida, United States
February 14 1991	August 4 1997	Jeanne Calment	122	February 211875–August 41997	Arles, France
August 4 1997	April 16 1998	Marie-Louise Meilleur	117	August 291880–April 161998	Corbeil, Ontario, Canada
April 16 1998	December 30 1999	Sarah Knauss	119	September 241880–December 301999	Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA
December 30 1999	November 2 2000	Eva Morris	114	November 81885–November 22000	Stone, Staffordshire, England
November 2 2000	June 6 2001	Marie Brémont	115	April 251886–June 62001	Cande, Maine-et-Loire, France
June 6 2001	March 18 2002	Maude Farris-Luse	115	January 211887–March 182002	Coldwater, Michigan, USA
March 18 2002	October 31 2003	Kamato Hongo	116?	September 161887?–October 312003	Kagoshima, Japan
October 31 2003	November 13 2003	Mitoyo Kawate	114	May 151889–November 132003	Hiroshima, Japan
November 13 2003	May 29 2004	Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan	114	August 311889–May 292004	Utuado, Puerto Rico
May 29 2004	present	Maria Esther de Capovilla	116*	September 14 1889	Guayaquil, Ecuador

Official oldest living man

From	To	Name	Age at death	Lived	Notes
-	21 March 1968	John Mosely Turner	111	15 June 1856–21 March 1968	British
21 March 1968	5 May 1973	Friedrich Wedeking	110	10 October 1862–5 May 1973	German
5 May 1973	21 February 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	120?	29 June 1865?–21 February 1986	Japan; oldest man recognized by Guinness Book of Records
21 February 1986	14 December 1986	Joe Thomas	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	Norwegian-Canadian
5 January 1987	25 November 1988	Alphaeus Philemon Cole	112	12 July 1876–25 November 1988	New Jersey, U.S.
25 November 1988	10 June 1990	John Evans	112	19 August 1877–10 June 1990	Wales, British; UK male recordholder
10 June 1990	18 June 1990	Henri Pérignon	110	14 October 1879–18 June 1990	France
18 June 1990	16 October 1991	James W. Wiggins	112	15 October 1879–16 October 1991	U.S.
16 October 1991	14 June 1993	Frederick L. Frazier	113	27 January 1880–14 June 1993	U.S.
14 June 1993	25 April 1998	Christian Mortensen	115	16 August 1882–25 April 1998	Danish immigrant to the U.S.; oldest undisputed man
25 April 1998	17 July 1998	Johnson Parks	113	15 October 1884–17 July 1998	Florida, U.S.; Afro-American
17 July 1998	25 December 1998	Walter Richardson	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	Japan
29 April 1999	15 November 1999	Antonio Urrea-Hernández	111	16 February 1888–15 November 1999	Spain
15 November 1999	1 March 2001	John Painter	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	114	23 March 1889–28 September 2003	Ogori, Fukuoka, Japan
28 September 2003	5 March 2004	Joan Riudavets	114	15 December 1889–5 March 2004	Minorca, Spain; Spanish recordholder
5 March 2004	19 November 2004	Fred Harold Hale, Sr.	113	1 December 1890–19 November 2004	Born in Maine, died in Jamesville, New York, U.S.
19 November 2004	-	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	114*	21 August 1891–	From Puerto Rico

Among the oldest ever (115+)

Name	Age	Born	Died	Notes
Jeanne Calment	122 yr 164 d	21 February 1875	4 August 1997	Oldest documented supercentenarian
Shigechiyo Izumi	120? yr 237 d	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986	Oldest documented male supercentenarian (disputed)
Sarah Knauss	119 yr 97 d	24 September 1880	30 December 1999	Oldest in United States history, oldest recognized in world 1998–99
Lucy Hannah	117 yr 248 d	16 July 1875	21 March 1993	Oldest African American
Marie-Louise Meilleur	117 yr 230 d	29 August 1880	16 April 1998	Oldest Canadian, oldest recognized in world 1997 – 98
María Capovilla	116 yr +	14 September 1889	-	Oldest in world, oldest in Ecuador ever
Tane Ikai	116 yr 175 d	18 January 1879	12 July 1995	Oldest Japanese woman
Carrie C. White	116? yr 88 d	18 November 1874?	14 February 1991	Formerly oldest in United States history, 3rd-oldest American ever recorded (disputed)
Kamato Hongo	116? yr 45 d	16 September 1887?	31 October 2003	Third-oldest Japanese person (disputed)
Elizabeth Bolden	115 yr +	15 August 1890	-	U.S.
Maggie Barnes	115 yr 319 d	6 March 1882	19 January 1998	North Carolina woman
Christian Mortensen	115 yr 252 d	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	Oldest undisputed male, Danish immigrant to U.S.
Charlotte Hughes	115 yr 228 d	1 August 1877	17 March 1993	British longevity recordholder
Margaret Skeete	115 yr 192 d	27 October 1878	7 May 1994	was oldest living American 1993-1994; Texas state recordholder
Anitica Butariu	115 yr 157 d	17 June 1882?	21 November 1997	Romania
Bettie Wilson	115 yr 153 d	13 September 1890	13 February 2006	U.S.
Susie Gibson	115 yr 108 d	31 October 1890	16 February 2006	U.S.
Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper	115 yr 62 d	29 June 1890	30 August 2005	Netherlands
Maud Farris-Luse	115 yr 56 d	21 January 1887	18 March 2002	U.S.
Marie Brémont	115 yr 42 d	25 April 1886	6 June 2001	France
Annie Jennings	115 yr 8 d	12 November 1884	20 November 1999	UK

Among the oldest men ever (Top 10)

Name	Age	Born	Died	Notes
Shigechiyo Izumi	120? yr 237 d	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986	Oldest documented male supercentenarian (disputed)
Christian Mortensen	115 yr 252 d	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	Oldest undisputed male, Danish immigrant to U.S.
Emiliano Mercado del Toro	114 yr +	21 August 1891	-	Oldest living man (since November 19, 2004)
Mathew Beard	114 yr 222d	9 July 1870	16 February 1985	Oldest native-born American man
Yukichi Chuganji	114 yr 189 d	23 March 1889	28 September 2003	Second-oldest Japanese man
Joan Riudavets	114 yr 81 d	15 December 1889	5 March 2004	Spanish longevity recordholder
Fred H. Hale, Sr.	113 yr 354 d	1 December 1890	19 November 2004	Born in Maine, oldest man in the world March-November 2004, died in Jamesville, New York
Johnson Parks	113 yr 275 d	15 October 1884	17 July 1998	Black American, lived in Florida
John Ingram McMorran	113 yr 250 d	19 June 1889	24 February 2003	American, lived in Florida
Frederick L. Frazier	113 yr 138 d	27 January 1880	14 June 1993	American, lived in Alabama

The oldest people, currently living (Top 10)

#	Name	Age	Sex	Born	Notes
1	María Capovilla	116	F	14 September 1889	Oldest living in the world since 30 May 2004, oldest ever in Ecuador
2	Elizabeth Bolden	115	F	15 August 1890	Oldest verified living American, was thought to be oldest in world from 30 August 2005 to 9 December 2005
3	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	114	M	21 August 1891	Oldest living man (since 19 November 2004)
4	Julie Winnefred Bertrand	114	F	16 September 1891	Oldest living Canadian
5	Camille Loiseau	114	F	13 February 1892	Oldest living French person
6	Emma Tillman	113	F	22 November 1892	Oldest living person in Connecticut
7	Yone Minagawa	113	F	4 January 1893	Oldest living person in Japan
8	Moses Hardy	113	M	6 January 1893 (or 1894)	Oldest living man in the United States
9	Edna Parker	113	F	20 April 1893	Oldest living woman in Indiana
10	Maria de Jesus	112	F	10 September 1893	Oldest living woman in Portugal

The oldest men, currently living (Top 10)

#	Name	Age	Born	Notes
1	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	114	21 August 1891	Oldest living man (since 19 November 2004)
2	Moses Hardy	113	6 January 1893 (or 1894)	Oldest living man in the United States
3	George Johnson	112	1 May 1894	Lives in California
4	Maurice Floquet	111	25 December 1894	Oldest living man in France
5	Ernest Pusey	111	5 May 1895	Lives in Florida
6	Thomas Nelson Sr	111	8 July 1895	Lives in Texas
7	Tomoji Tanabe	110	18 September 1895	Oldest living man in Japan, lives in Miyazaki
8	Chojo Fukuhara	110	12 October 1895	Lives in Okinawa
9	Hiromi Minataka	110	19 December 1895	Lives in Wakayama
10	Antonio Pierro	110	22 February 1896	Oldest living man in Massachusetts (born in Italy)

Notably early among supercentenarians

Name	Born	Died	Notes
Thomas Peters	1745	1857	Earliest supercentenarian recognized by Guinness 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 yr 164 d	F	Jeanne Calment	21 February 1875	4 August 1997
Japan	120 y 237d ?	M	Shigechiyo Izumi	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986
U.S.	119 yr 97 d	F	Sarah Knauss	24 September 1880	30 December 1999
Canada	117 yr 230 d	F	Marie-Louise Meilleur	29 August 1880	16 April 1998
Ecuador	116 yr +	F	María Capovilla	14 September 1889	-
UK	115 yr 228 d	F	Charlotte Hughes	1 August 1877	17 March 1993
Romania	115 yr 157 d ?	F	Anitica Butariu	17 June 1882?	21 November 1997
Netherlands	115 yr 62 d	F	Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper	29 June 1890	30 August 2005
Puerto Rico	114 yr +	M	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	21 August 1891	-
Portugal	114 yr 274 d	F	Maria do Couto Maia-Lopes	24 October 1890	25 July 2005
Australia	114 yr 148 d	F	Christina Cock	25 December 1887	22 May 2002
Spain	114 yr 81 d	M	Joan Riudavets	15 December 1889	5 March 2004
Italy	114 yr 4 d	F	Virginia Dighero-Zolezzi	24 December 1891	28 December 2005
Germany	112 yr 362 d	F	Maria Laqua	12 February 1889	9 February 2002
Finland	112 yr 259 d	F	Lempi Maria Rothovius	2 October 1887	17 June 2000
Belgium	112 yr 186 d	F	Joanna DeRoover	3 June 1890	6 December 2002
Austria	112 yr 178 d	F	Maria Mika	23 May 1882	17 November 1994
Sweden	112 yr 150 d	F	Elsa Moberg	30 June 1889	27 November 2001
Norway	112 yr 61 d	F	Maren Bolette Torp	21 December 1876	20 February 1989
Ireland	111 yr 327 d	F	Katherine Plunket	22 November 1820	14 October 1932
South Africa	111 yr 151 d	F	Johanna Booyson	17 January 1857	16 June 1968
Denmark	111 yr 114 d	F	Anne Matthiesen	26 November 1884	19 March 1996
Uruguay	111 yr 107 d	F	Manolita Pina	24 February 1883	11 June 1994
New Zealand	110 yr 55 d	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 yr 252 d	M	Christian Mortensen	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	died U.S.
Cape Verde	114 yr 183 d	F	Adelina Domingues	19 February 1888	21 August 2002	died U.S.
Germany	114 yr 178 d	F	Charlotte Benkner	16 November 1889	14 May 2004	died U.S.
Algeria	114 yr 172 d	F	Anne Primout	5 October 1890	26 March 2005	died France
India	113 yr 197 d	F	Lucy d'Abreu	24 May 1892	7 December 2005	died U.K.
Morocco	111 yr 282 d	F	Consuelo Moreno-López	5 February 1893	13 November 2004	died U.S.
Hungary	111 yr +	F	Elizabeth Stefan	13 May 1895	-	lives in Connecticut, U.S.
Greece	110 yr 341 d	M	Gregory Pandazes	15 January 1873	22 December 1983	died U.S.
Peru	110 yr 106 d	F	Julia Dougherty	20 August 1893	4 December 2003	died U.S.

See also

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• Aging
• Centenarian
• Longevity
• Longevity claims
• Longevity myths
• Maximum life span
• Supercentenarian

References

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• 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.)

• http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9023910

External links

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• Supercentenarian tables at the Gerontology Research Group
• International Database on Longevity
• World's Oldest People hosted by Yahoo! Groups
• Guinness World Records with oldest living people

Lists of people by age | Supercentenarians | World records

Ältester Mensch | Centenario | Oudste mens | 最年長者