Oldest Men Ever (Verified List)

Explore the officially verified list of the top ten oldest men in human history. Each supercentenarian lived an extraordinarily long life, surpassing 113 years. Each person’s longevity has been validated, ensuring accuracy. Learn more about supercentenarians and how their ages are verified in our Frequently Asked Questions section.

1. Jiroemon Kimura (Japan, 1897–2013) – 116 years, 54 days

 

Jiroemon Kimura holds the verified global record as the oldest man in human history. Kimura was the world’s oldest person for the final six months of his life. Kimura is the only man to verifiably reach the age of 116 and the eighth-oldest Japanese person ever.

Born into the Miyake family of farmers, Kimura changed his last name upon marriage because his wife’s family did not have a male heir. He spent 45 years working at the local post office, retiring in 1962. Kimura maintained a strict daily routine, prioritizing physical activity and a balanced diet, which he credited for his longevity. In his final years, he still awoke 7:30 each morning and cheerfully watched sumo wrestling and parliamentary debates on television.

Kimura was the last surviving man born in the 1800s. Upon his death at age 116, he was survived by five children, 13 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great-grandchildren.

 

2. Christian Mortensen (Denmark/USA, 1882–1998) – 115 years, 252 days

 

Christian Mortensen is the second-oldest man ever recorded and held the overall record for nearly 25 years after his death. He is the oldest man to ever live in the United States.

Mortensen was born in Denmark in 1882. In his younger years, he apprenticed for his father, a tailor. Seeking more opportunities, Mortensen emigrated by himself to the United States in 1903. His first job in the United States was as a milkman, waking up at 1:30 AM to deliver milk house-to-house via a horse-drawn carriage. Mortensen was briefly married but lived most of his life independently, never having children. Instead, he traveled all over the United States by carriage, car, and sailboat.

As he neared his 115^th birthday, Mortensen expected to be recognized as the world’s oldest person. However, he learned that Guinness World Records awarded the title to Marie-Louise Meilleur of Canada. “They did that just to spoil my birthday,” Mortensen fumed.

 

3. Emiliano Mercado del Toro (Puerto Rico, USA, 1891–2007) – 115 years, 156 days

 

Emiliano Mercado del Toro is the third-oldest man ever and was one of the few men to ever become the world’s oldest person. He is the oldest Puerto Rican ever.

When del Toro was born in 1891, Puerto Rico was still a Spanish colony. As a supercentenarian, he vividly recalled the arrival of U.S. troops in 1898 during the Spanish-American War. Del Toro volunteered for service in the U.S. Army during World War I, but the war ended before he was deployed. Though he never married or had children, he was loved and cared for by his family, who affectionally called him Tío Millo (Uncle Millo). Late in life, he would fondly recall past loves from his younger years. Del Toro attributed his longevity to a daily serving of funche, a Puerto Rican cornmeal dish rich in carbohydrates.

 

4. Juan Vicente Pérez Mora (Venezuela, 1909–2024) – 114 years, 311 days

 

Juan Vicente Pérez Mora is the fourth-oldest man ever and the most recent living person on this list. He is the verified oldest Venezuelan person ever.

Pérez Mora was born and spent his life in the rural western region of Venezuela, near the Colombian border. He grew up working the family farm – barefoot – with his nine siblings. In 1921, he fell ill with the Spanish flu but recovered quickly, telling his mother, “I am going to live a hundred years” – an accurate premonition.

Throughout his life, Pérez Mora was dedicated to his family and faith. On his 114^th birthday, LongeviQuest researchers observed his daily routine, offering rare insights into the habits that contributed to his remarkable longevity. The oldest person in Venezuelan history, he was cherished by his community and his family.

 

5. Walter Breuning (United States, 1896–2011) – 114 years, 205 days

 

Walter Breuning is the fifth-oldest man ever and the longest-lived American-born man ever.

Breuning hailed from the northern Great Plains of America. Born in Minnesota, his career as a railroader led him to move to South Dakota and later Montana. At just 17, Bruening began his career at the Great Northern Railway, earning $2.50 per week, and remained there for nearly five decades. Married twice but never having children, Breuning kept his social calendar full, including serving as the secretary of his local Shriner’s club until he was 99.

Able to walk with assistance even at age 114, Breuning never had a serious illness. A few months before he peacefully passed away, Breuning stated, “Never be afraid to die. Because you’re born to die.” He was the last surviving American man born in the 1800s.

 

6. Yūkichi Chūganji (Japan, 1889–2003) – 114 years, 189 days

 

Yūkichi Chūganji is the sixth-oldest man ever and Japan’s second-oldest man ever. For the final ten months of his life, Chūganji was the world’s oldest person.

Born on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu, Chūganji held numerous jobs throughout his life, including silkworm breeder, agricultural instructor, bank employee, and community welfare officer. He enjoyed 60 years of marriage with his wife Shika, with whom he had five children. During his four decades as a widower, he enjoyed hobbies including fishing, gardening, and biking. Chūganji followed a protein-rich diet, centered on beef, pork, and daily milk consumption – a regimen he credited for his longevity. When he became the world’s oldest person in late 2002, his only major health challenge was his eyesight.

 

7. Joan Riudavets Moll (Spain, 1889–2004) – 114 years, 81 days

 

Joan Riudavets Moll is the seventh-oldest man ever and the oldest Spanish man ever.

Moll’s mother, Catalina Moll Mercades, died in December 1889 shortly after giving birth to Joan. Moll survived his mother by 114 years and 70 days, possibly holding the record for the longest period by which anyone has survived a parent. His father later remarried, giving him two half-brothers who also became centenarians. Moll lived his entire life on Menorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands. He worked as a cobbler until age 65 and served on his local village council. Though he kept busy, Moll also made a habit of sleeping from midnight until noon. At the time of his passing, he was the oldest person in Europe, regardless of gender.

 

8. Fred Hale (United States, 1890–2004) – 113 years, 354 days

 

Fred Hale is the eighth-oldest man ever and the second-longest-lived man ever born in the United States.

Born in Maine, Hale was a lifelong New England sports fan. In his late 20s, he celebrated the Boston Red Sox winning the 1918 World Series. The team did not win the World Series again until 2004, by which time Hale was the world’s oldest man at age 113. He was married for 69 years. After his wife passed away, he traveled extensively with his sons to see where they served in World War II, touring battlefields in Europe at age 100. He was still shoveling snow off his roof himself at age 103, and drove a car until age 108. Hale attributed his remarkable longevity to a daily intake of bee pollen and honey, and the occasional sip of whiskey.

 

9. Israel Kristal (Poland/Israel, 1903–2017) – 113 years, 330 days

 

Israel Kristal is the ninth-oldest man ever and is Israel’s all-time longevity record holder for both men and women.

Kristal was born in Lodz, Poland, then part of the Russian Empire. His father was drafted into the Russian Army in World War I and because his mother died young, Kristal was forced to fend for himself. In 1928, he married his wife Feige. The couple ran a candy factory and had two sons. This idyllic life was brutally interrupted by the Holocaust. Kristal endured imprisonment in multiple concentration camps including the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau. Though he survived, his wife and sons did not.

After the war, Kristal returned to Lodz and rebuilt his life. He reopened his candy factory, remarried, and had another son. In 1950, Kristal moved his family to Israel where he lived the rest of his life.

 

10. Efraín Antonio Ríos García (Colombia, 1910–2024) – 113 years, 282 days

 

Efraín Antonio Ríos García is the tenth-oldest man ever and the oldest Colombian man ever. Because he lived at the same time as Juan Vicente Pérez Mora in neighboring Venezuela, García is the only person on this list who never became world’s oldest man.

Born in the Colombian countryside, García loved horseback riding growing up and routinely rode along the Cauca River near his family farm. One of his oldest brothers lived to the age of 106. He married young and had 18 children, who later gave him 80 grandchildren, most of whom were frequent visitors in his later years.

At age 113, García fondly recalled his youth to LongeviQuest researchers at a party hosted at his home. Five of his children were present, recounting cherished memories of their father. As they spoke, García sipped a glass of strong aguardiente, his favorite alcoholic drink for a century.

 

 

For further reading

Oldest People Ever (Verified List)

Oldest Living People (Verified List)

Oldest People By Country

Supercentenarian Database

Frequently Asked Questions