Oldest People Ever (Verified List)

Explore the officially verified list of the top ten oldest people in human history. Each supercentenarian lived an extraordinarily long life, surpassing 117 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. Jeanne Calment (France, 1875–1997) – 122 years, 164 days

 

Jeanne Calment holds the verified world record as the oldest person in human history. Born in Arles, France in 1875, she is the only human to verifiably surpass 120 years.

Calment lived independently until she was nearly 110 years old and famously met Vincent Van Gogh as a young girl. She outlived her entire immediate family and has held the global longevity record since 1990. Due to her extreme age, her record was challenged in 2023, but the Global Validation Commission reaffirmed it based on extensive documentation.

 

2. Kane Tanaka (Japan, 1903–2022) – 119 years, 107 days

 

Kane Tanaka is Japan’s verified longevity record holder and the second-oldest human ever recorded.

Born prematurely in 1903, her parents feared she wouldn’t survive – instead, she went on to live through five Japanese emperors, two World Wars, and the rise of modern technology.

Tanaka endured numerous hardships, including the loss of three children and having a son captured in World War II. Despite this, she maintained a joyful spirit, loving chocolate, Coca-Cola, calligraphy, and math puzzles.

 

3. Sarah Knauss (United States, 1880–1999) – 119 years, 97 days

 

Sarah Knauss is the longest-lived person in U.S. history and the only American to ever reach 119 years. Knauss was known for her calm, patient nature, which her family believed contributed to her long life.

Born in Pennsylvania in 1880, she lived through the rise of automobiles, the invention of television, and the space age. She passed away just 33 hours before the year 2000, leaving behind her daughter who lived to 101 years old.

 

4. Lucile Randon (France, 1904–2023) – 118 years, 340 days

 

Lucile Randon, also known as Sister André, is the oldest nun in history and the second-oldest person in French history.

Born alongside her twin sister, who tragically died in infancy, Randon later said that she lived so long to make up for the years her twin never had. She became a nun at age 40, caring for orphans and the elderly. In January 2021, she became the oldest known survivor of COVID-19, fully recovering at 116 years old.

 

5. Nabi Tajima (Japan, 1900–2018) – 117 years, 260 days

 

Nabi Tajima is the second-longest-lived person in Japanese history.

Born on Kikaijima Island, she spent much of her life working in agriculture. She had 9 children, and by the time she was 117, she had over 160 descendants across five generations.

Tajima remained mentally sharp and enjoyed singing traditional songs well into her supercentenarian years. At the time she passed away, she held Japan’s longevity record, exceeded by Kane Tanaka two years later.

 

6. Marie-Louise Meilleur (Canada, 1880–1998) – 117 years, 230 days

 

Marie-Louise Meilleur is Canada’s verified longevity record holder and one of the oldest people to ever live in North America.

Born just 13 years after Canada became a nation, Meilleur spent her life in rural Quebec and Ontario. She married twice, raised eight children, and lived without electricity or hot water until her 70s.

Despite smoking into her 90s, she could still walk unassisted at 110. She remains the only verified Canadian to reach 117 years.

 

7. Violet Brown (Jamaica, 1900–2017) – 117 years, 189 days

 

Violet Brown is the longest-lived Black person in history with a confirmed age, and Jamaica’s verified longevity record holder.

Born in Jamaica when it was still part of the British Empire, Brown worked as a farmer and dressmaker while raising seven children. Her son, Harland Fairweather, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest child of a living parent when he turned 97.

Even at 115, Brown remained physically active, attending church weekly and walking with assistance. She was also the last surviving subject of Queen Victoria, outliving the monarch by over a century.

 

8. María Branyas Morera (Spain, 1907–2024) – 117 years, 168 days

 

María Branyas Morera is Spain’s verified longevity record holder and the most recent living person on this list.

Born in San Francisco, USA, she moved to Spain at age 7. Her father died during the voyage, leaving her mother to raise five children alone. She later survived the Spanish Civil War, navigating wartime hardships while raising her own family.

At 113, after recovering from COVID-19, she strongly advocated for elderly rights, calling for a “revolution in how society treats older people.”

 

9. Emma Morano (Italy, 1899–2017) – 117 years, 137 days

 

Emma Morano was the last surviving person born in the 1800s and Italy’s verified longevity record holder.

She lived through three centuries (1800s, 1900s, and 2000s), crediting her independence and diet for her long life. She ate three eggs daily (two of them raw) for 90 years.

At 26, Morano banished her abusive husband and chose to live alone for nearly 80 years – a rare decision for women of her time. She remained fiercely independent, stating, “I didn’t want to be dominated by anyone.”

 

10. Chiyo Miyako (Japan, 1901–2018) – 117 years, 81 days

 

Chiyo Miyako was Japan’s third-oldest person ever.

Born in a rural orange-growing community, she later moved to Osaka where she worked as a telegraph operator and met her husband. Due to his career with Japanese National Railways, she traveled frequently, including living in Beijing, China for several years.

Miyako was a lifelong calligraphy artist, practicing even at 114 years old. Nicknamed the “Chatty Goddess” by her family, she remained full of humor and wisdom until her final days.

 

For further reading

Oldest Men Ever (Verified List)

Oldest Living People (Verified List)

Oldest People By Country

Supercentenarian Database

Frequently Asked Questions