Oldest people

The following tables list only the verified oldest people in world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. A supercentenarian is considered verified if their claim has been accepted by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such as the Gerontology Research Group or the Guinness Book of World Records. The longest unambiguously documented lifespan is that of Jeanne Calment of France (1875–1997), who died at age 122 years and 164 days. She met Vincent van Gogh at age 14.^[1] This led to her being noticed by the media in 1985, at age 110. Subsequent investigation found that her life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles beyond reasonable question.^[2] More evidence for the Calment case has been produced than for any other supercentenarian case, which makes her case a standard among the oldest people recordholders.^{[citation needed]} 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,^[3] the Japanese authorities have hinted that his age was not certain.^[4] Since the death of Maria de Jesus on 2 January 2009, the oldest living person is Gertrude Baines of the United States, who was born on 6 April 1894. She is the only verified surviving person who was born in 1894. The oldest living man is Walter Breuning, who was born on 21 September 1896, and is also from the United States. ^[5]

Ten oldest people ever

Rank	Name	Sex	Age	Birth	Death	Notes
1	Jeanne Calment	F	122 years, 164 days	21 February 1875	4 August 1997	Oldest person ever verified. French.
2	Shigechiyo Izumi	M	120 years, 237 days?	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986	Oldest male and Asiatic person ever verified. Japanese. Disputed (may have been 105).
3	Sarah Knauss	F	119 years, 97 days	24 September 1880	30 December 1999	Oldest person from Americas ever verified and oldest living person verified 1998-1999.
4	Lucy Hannah	F	117 years, 248 days	16 July 1875	21 March 1993	Oldest African American ever verified.
5	Marie-Louise Meilleur	F	117 years, 230 days	29 August 1880	16 April 1998	Oldest Canadian ever verified and oldest living person verified 1997-1998.
6	María Capovilla	F	116 years, 347 days	14 September 1889	27 August 2006	Oldest South American ever verified and oldest living person verified 2004-2006. Ecuadorian.
7	Tane Ikai	F	116 years, 175 days	18 January 1879	12 July 1995	Oldest Japanese woman ever verified.
8	Elizabeth Bolden	F	116 years, 118 days	15 August 1890	11 December 2006	Oldest living person verified 2006. American.
9	Carrie White	F	116 years, 88 days?	18 November 1874?	14 February 1991	Oldest living person verified 1988-1991. American. Disputed (may have been 102).
10	Kamato Hongo	F	116 years, 45 days?	16 September 1887?	31 October 2003	Oldest living person verified 2002-2003. Japanese. Disputed (may have been 115 or 110).

Three claims are disputed; accordingly, an addendum of proven claims is included:

Name	Sex	Age	Born	Died	Notes
Maggie Barnes	F	115 years, 319 days	6 March 1882	19 January 1998	American. Disputed (may have been 116 or 117).
Christian Mortensen	M	115 years, 252 days	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	- Oldest undisputed male ever verified. Danish immigrant to United States.
Charlotte Hughes	F	115 years, 228 days	1 August 1877	17 March 1993	Oldest Briton ever verified.

Ten oldest people currently living

Rank	Name	Sex	Birth	Age as of 5 November	Residence
1	Gertrude Baines	F	6 April 1894	130 years, 213 days	Oldest person in the world (since 2 January 2009). Lives in California, United States
2	Kama Chinen	F	10 May 1895	129 years, 179 days	Lives in Okinawa, Japan
3	Mary Josephine Ray	F	17 May 1895	129 years, 172 days	Lives in New Hampshire, United States
4	Olivia Patricia Thomas	F	29 June 1895	129 years, 129 days	Lives in New York, United States
5	Neva Morris	F	3 August 1895	129 years, 94 days	Lives in Iowa, United States
6	Chiyo Shiraishi	F	6 August 1895	129 years, 91 days	Lives in Ibaraki, Japan
7	Maggie Renfro	F	14 November 1895	128 years, 357 days	Lives in Louisiana, United States
8	Eugénie Blanchard	F	16 February 1896	128 years, 263 days	Lives in Saint Barthélemy, France
9	Daisey Bailey	F	30 March 1896	128 years, 220 days	Lives in Michigan, United States
10	Florrie Baldwin	F	31 March 1896	128 years, 219 days	Lives in England, United Kingdom

Ten oldest men ever

Rank	Name	Age	Birth	Death	Notes
1	Shigechiyo Izumi	120 years, 237 days?	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986	Oldest male ever verified. Japanese. Disputed. (may have been 105).
2	Christian Mortensen	115 years, 252 days	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	- Oldest undisputed male verified. Danish immigrant to United States.
3	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	115 years, 156 days	21 August 1891	24 January 2007	Oldest Puerto Rican verified and oldest living person verified 2006-2007.
4	Mathew Beard	114 years, 222 days?	9 July 1870	16 February 1985	Oldest American man verified (disputed).
5	Yukichi Chuganji	114 years, 189 days	23 March 1889	28 September 2003	Oldest undisputed Japanese man verified, and oldest living man verified 2002-2003.
6	Joan Riudavets	114 years, 81 days	15 December 1889	5 March 2004	Oldest Spaniard verified and oldest living man verified 2003-2004.
7	Fred H. Hale, Sr.	113 years, 354 days	1 December 1890	19 November 2004	Oldest living man verified 2004. American.
8	Moses Hardy	113 years, 335 days?	6 January 1893?	7 December 2006	American (disputed).^[6]^[7]
9	Johnson Parks	113 years, 275 days	15 October 1884	17 July 1998	American. Oldest living man verified 1998.
10	Tomoji Tanabe	113 years, 274 days	18 September 1895	19 June 2009	Oldest living man verified 2007-2009. Japanese.

Three claims are disputed; accordingly, an addendum of proven claims is included:

Name	Age	Born	Died	Notes
John Ingram McMorran	113 years, 250 days	19 June 1889	24 February 2003	American.
Frederick L. Frazier	113 years, 138 days	27 January 1880	14 June 1993	Oldest living man verified 1991-1993. American.
Walter Richardson	113 years, 48 days	7 November 1885	25 December 1998	Oldest living man verified 1998. American.

Men currently living aged over 110 years

Rank	Name	Birth	Age as of 5 November	Residence
1	Walter Breuning	21 September 1896	128 years, 45 days	Oldest man in the world (since 18 July 2009). Lives in Montana, United States
2	Jiroemon Kimura	19 April 1897	127 years, 200 days	Lives in Kyōto, Japan
3	Garland Adair	30 July 1898	126 years, 98 days	Lives in Missouri, United States
4	Hilliard Hudson	23 February 1899	125 years, 256 days	Lives in Alabama, United States

Oldest living people since 1955

From	To	Name	Sex	Age when oldest	Lived	Country
Title began in 1955	24 October 1955	Betsy Baker	F	? – 113	20 August 1842 – 24 October 1955 113 years, 65 days	England, United Kingdom (born) Nebraska, United States (died)
24 October 1955	25 June 1959 (3 years, 244 days)	Martha Graham	F	110 – 114	December 1844^[8] – 25 June 1959. 114 years, c.180 days	North Carolina,United States
25 June 1959	10 February 1961 (1 year, 230 days)	James Brett, Jr.	M	110 – 111	25 June 1849 – 10 February 1961 111 years, 230 days	Texas, United States
10 February 1961	16 March 1962 (1 year, 34 days)	Joseph Saint-Amour	M	108 – 110	26 February 1852 – 16 March 1962, 110 years, 18 days)	Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962	19 September 1962 (187 days)	Ella Ille Rentel	F	109 – 110	19 May 1852 – 19 September 1962, 110 years, 123 days	Russian Empire (now Lithuania) (born) West Germany (died)
19 September 1962	17 February 1963 (151 days)	Lovisa Svensson	F	108 – 109	20 November 1853 – 17 February 1963, 109 years, 89 days	Sweden
17 February 1963	8 October 1963 (233 days)	Ellen Dart^[9] ^[10]	F	108	1 November 1854 – 8 October 1963. 108 years, 341 days	England, United Kingdom
8 October 1963	6 March 1965 (1 year, 149 days)	Elizabeth Kensley	F	108 – 109	12 May 1855 – 6 March 1965. 109 years, 298 days	England, United Kingdom
6 March 1965	24 July 1965 (140 days)	Auguste Pahl	F	109	23 November 1855 – 24 July 1965. 109 years, 243 days	Germany
24 July 1965	10 January 1966 (170 days)	Hannah Smith	F	109 – 110	7 January 1856 – 10 January 1966. 110 years, 3 days	England, United Kingdom
10 January 1966	21 March 1968 (2 years, 71 days)	John Turner	M	109 – 111	15 June 1856 – 21 March 1968. 111 years, 280 days	England, United Kingdom
21 March 1968	16 June 1968 (87 days)	Johanna Booyson	F	111	17 January 1857 – 16 June 1968. 111 years, 151 days	Transvaal, South Africa
16 June 1968	? October 1968 c.	Marie Bernátková^[11]	F	110 – 111?	22 October 1857 – fl. October 1968. 111 years, 0+ days	Czechoslovakia
? October 1968	11 January 1970 c.	Ada Roe	F	110? – 111	6 February 1858 – 11 January 1970. 111 years, 339 days	England, United Kingdom
11 January 1970	27 February 1973 (3 years, 47 days)	Josefa Salas Mateo	F	109 – 112	14 July 1860 – 27 February 1973. 112 years, 228 days	Spain
27 February 1973	18 August 1973 (172 days)	Alice Stevenson	F	111 – 112	10 July 1861 – 18 August 1973. 112 years, 39 days	England, United Kingdom
18 August 1973	31 October 1973 (74 days)	Elizabeth Watkins	F	110	10 March 1863 – 31 October 1973. 110 years, 235 days	Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
31 October 1973	31 May 1975 (1 year, 212 days)	Mito Umeta	F	110 – 112	27 March 1863 – 31 May 1975. 112 years, 65 days	Kyūshū, Japan
31 May 1975	16 November 1976 (1 year, 169 days)	Niwa Kawamoto	F	111 – 113	5 August 1863 – 16 November 1976. 113 years, 103 days	Kansai, Japan
16 November 1976	21 February 1986 (9 years, 97 days)	Shigechiyo Izumi	M	111 – 120?	29 June 1865? – 21 February 1986. 120 years, 237 days?	Kagoshima, Japan
21 February 1986	20 September 1986 (212 days)	Mamie Eva Keith	F	112 – 113	22 March 1873 – 20 September 1986. 113 years, 182 days	Illinois, United States
20 September 1986	2 February 1987 (135 days)	Mary McKinney	F	113	30 May 1873 – 2 February 1987. 113 years, 248 days	California, United States
2 February 1987	27 December 1987 (328 days)	Anna Eliza Williams	F	113 – 114	2 June 1873 – 27 December 1987. 114 years, 208 days	England, United Kingdom (born) Wales, United Kingdom (died)
27 December 1987	11 January 1988 (15 days)	Florence Knapp	F	114	10 October 1873 – 11 January 1988. 114 years, 93 days	Pennsylvania, United States
11 January 1988	14 February 1991 (3 years, 34 days)	Carrie C. White	F	113 – 116?	18 November 1874? – 14 February 1991. 116 years, 88 days?	Florida, United States
14 February 1991	4 August 1997 (6 years, 171 days)	Jeanne Calment	F	115 – 122	21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997. 122 years, 164 days	Provence, France
4 August 1997	16 April 1998 (255 days)	Marie-Louise Meilleur	F	116 – 117	29 August 1880 – 16 April 1998. 117 years, 230 days	Ontario, Canada
16 April 1998	30 December 1999 (1 year, 258 days)	Sarah Knauss	F	117 – 119	24 September 1880 – 30 December 1999. 119 years, 97 days	Pennsylvania, United States
30 December 1999	2 November 2000 (308 days)	Eva Morris	F	114	8 November 1885 – 2 November 2000. 114 years, 360 days	England, United Kingdom
2 November 2000	6 June 2001 (216 days)	Marie Brémont	F	114 – 115	25 April 1886 – 6 June 2001. 115 years, 42 days	Anjou, France
5 June 2001	18 March 2002 (286 days)	Maude Farris-Luse	F	114 – 115	21 January 1887 – 18 March 2002. 115 years, 56 days	Michigan, United States
18 March 2002	31 October 2003 (1 year, 226 days)	Kamato Hongo	F	114 – 116?	16 September 1887? – 31 October 2003. 116 years, 45 days?	Kagoshima, Japan
31 October 2003	13 November 2003 (13 days)	Mitoyo Kawate	F	114	15 May 1889 – 13 November 2003. 114 years, 182 days	Hiroshima, Japan
13 November 2003	29 May 2004 (198 days)	Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan	F	114	31 August 1889 – 29 May 2004. 114 years, 272 days	Puerto Rico
29 May 2004	27 August 2006 (2 years, 90 days)	María Capovilla	F	114 – 116	14 September 1889 – 27 August 2006. 116 years, 347 days	Ecuador
27 August 2006	11 December 2006 (106 days)	Elizabeth Bolden	F	116	15 August 1890 – 11 December 2006. 116 years, 118 days	Tennessee, United States
11 December 2006	24 January 2007 (44 days)	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	M	115	21 August 1891 – 24 January 2007. 115 years, 156 days	Puerto Rico
24 January 2007	28 January 2007 (4 days)	Emma Tillman	F	114	22 November 1892 – 28 January 2007. 114 years, 67 days	Connecticut, United States
29 January 2007	13 August 2007 (196 days)	Yone Minagawa	F	114	4 January 1893 – 13 August 2007. 114 years, 221 days	Fukuoka, Japan
13 August 2007	26 November 2008 (1 year, 105 days)	Edna Parker	F	114 – 115	20 April 1893 – 26 November 2008. 115 years, 220 days	Indiana, United States
26 November 2008	2 January 2009 (37 days)	Maria de Jesus	F	115	10 September 1893 – 2 January 2009. 115 years, 114 days	Portugal
2 January 2009	Present (5786 days)	Gertrude Baines	F	114 – 130*	born 6 April 1894 age 130 years, 213 days	California, United States

Oldest living men since 1961

From	To	Name	Age when oldest	Lived	Country
10 February 1961	16 March 1962 (1 year, 34 days)	Joseph Saint-Amour	108-110	26 February 1852 – 16 March 1962. 110 years, 18 days	Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962	21 March 1968 (6 years, 5 days)	John Turner	105-111	15 June 1856 – 21 March 1968. 111 years, 280 days	England, United Kingdom
21 March 1968	? August 1970 c.	Khasako Dzugayev	107-110	7 August 1860 – fl. August 1970. 110 years, 0+ days^[12]	USSR
? August 1970	5 May 1973 c.	Friedrich Wedeking	107-110	10 October 1862 – 5 May 1973. 110 years, 207 days	Germany
5 May 1973	9 March 1974 (308 days)	Frederick Butterfield	109-110	28 February 1864 – 9 March 1974. 110 years, 9 days	England, United Kingdom
9 March 1974	21 February 1986 (11 years, 349 days)	Shigechiyo Izumi	108-120?	29 June 1865? – 21 February 1986. 120 years, 237 days?	Kagoshima, Japan
20 February 1986	14 December 1986 (297 days)	Joe Thomas	110-111	1 May 1875 – 14 December 1986. 111 years, 227 days	Louisiana, United States
14 December 1986	5 January 1987 (22 days)	Herman Smith-Johannsen	111	15 June 1875 – 5 January 1987. 111 years, 204 days	Norway lived in Quebec, Canada
5 January 1987	25 November 1988 (1 year, 325 days)	Alphaeus Philemon Cole	110-112	12 July 1876 – 25 November 1988. 112 years, 136 days	New Jersey, United States
25 November 1988	10 June 1990 (1 year, 197 days)	John Evans	111-112	19 August 1877 – 10 June 1990. 112 years, 295 days	Wales, United Kingdom
10 June 1990	18 June 1990 (8 days)	Henri Pérignon	110	14 October 1879 – 18 June 1990. 110 years, 247 days	Normandy, France
18 June 1990	16 October 1991 (1 year, 120 days)	James Wiggins	110-112	15 October 1879 – 16 October 1991. 112 years, 1 day	Arkansas, United States
16 October 1991	14 June 1993 (1 year, 241 days)	Frederick L. Frazier	111-113	27 January 1880 – 14 June 1993. 113 years, 138 days	Alabama, United States
14 June 1993	20 January 1994 (220 days)	Josep Armengol Jover	111-112	23 July 1881 – 20 January 1994. 112 years, 181 days	Spain
20 January 1994	25 April 1998 (4 years, 95 days)	Christian Mortensen	111-115	16 August 1882 – 25 April 1998. 115 years, 252 days	Denmark (born) California, United States (died)
25 April 1998	17 July 1998 (83 days)	Johnson Parks	113	15 October 1884 – 17 July 1998. 113 years, 275 days	Florida, United States
17 July 1998	25 December 1998 (161 days)	Walter Richardson	112-113	7 November 1885 – 25 December 1998. 113 years, 48 days	Illinois, United States
25 December 1998	29 April 1999 (125 days)	Denzo Ishisaki	112	20 October 1886 – 29 April 1999. 112 years, 191 days	Ibaraki, Japan
29 April 1999	15 November 1999 (200 days)	Antonio Urrea-Hernández	111	16 February 1888 – 15 November 1999. 111 years, 272 days	Spain
15 November 1999	1 March 2001 (1 year, 106 days)	John Painter	111-112	20 September 1888 – 1 March 2001. 112 years, 162 days	Tennessee, United States
1 March 2001	3 January 2002 (308 days)	Antonio Todde	112	22 January 1889 – 3 January 2002. 112 years, 346 days	Sardinia, Italy
3 January 2002	28 September 2003 (1 year, 268 days)	Yukichi Chuganji	112-114	23 March 1889 – 28 September 2003. 114 years, 189 days	Fukuoka, Japan
28 September 2003	5 March 2004 (159 days)	Joan Riudavets	113-114	15 December 1889 – 5 March 2004. 114 years, 81 days	Minorca, Spain
5 March 2004	19 November 2004 (259 days)	Fred H. Hale, Sr.	113	1 December 1890 – 19 November 2004. 113 years, 354 days	Maine, United States
19 November 2004	24 January 2007 (2 years, 66 days)	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	113-115	21 August 1891 – 24 January 2007. 115 years, 156 days	Puerto Rico
24 January 2007	19 June 2009 (2 years, 146 days)	Tomoji Tanabe	111-113	18 September 1895 – 19 June 2009 113 years, 274 days	Miyazaki, Japan
19 June 2009	18 July 2009 (29 days)	Henry Allingham	113	6 June 1896 – 18 July 2009 age 113 years, 42 days	England, United Kingdom
18 July 2009	Present (5589 days)	Walter Breuning	112*	21 September 1896 age 128 years, 45 days	Montana, United States

Supercentenarians who died before 1955

Name	Sex	Birth	Death	Age	Country
Thomas Peters	M	6 April 1745?	26 March 1857	111 years, 354 days?	Netherlands
Geert Boomgaard	M	21 September 1788	3 February 1899	110 years, 135 days	Netherlands
Margaret Neve	F	18 May 1792	4 April 1903	110 years, 321 days	Guernsey, Channel Islands
Ann Pouder	F	8 April 1807	10 July 1917	110 years, 93 days	Born England, UK Died Nebraska, U.S.
Louisa Thiers	F	2 October 1814	17 February 1926	111 years, 138 days	Born New York, U.S. Died Wisconsin, U.S.
Delina Filkins	F	4 May 1815	4 December 1928	113 years, 214 days	New York, U.S.
Miriam Bannister	F	19 March 1817	9 April 1928	111 years, 21 days	Born England, UK Died Missouri, U.S.
Demetrius Philipovitch	M	9 March 1818	fl. August 1928	110 years, 150+ days	Yugoslavia
Katherine Plunket	F	22 November 1820	14 October 1932	111 years, 327 days	Ireland
Betsy Baker	F	20 Augest 1842	24 October 1955	113 years, 65 days	Born England, UK Died Nebraska, U.S.

National records

Country	Name	Sex	Age	Born	Died
France	Jeanne Calment	F	122 years, 164 days	21 February 1875	4 August 1997
Japan	Shigechiyo Izumi	M	120 years, 237 days?	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986
United States	Sarah Knauss	F	119 years, 97 days	24 September 1880	30 December 1999
Canada	Marie-Louise Meilleur	F	117 years, 230 days	29 August 1880	16 April 1998
Ecuador	María Capovilla	F	116 years, 347 days	14 September 1889	27 August 2006
United Kingdom	Charlotte Hughes	F	115 years, 228 days	1 August 1877	17 March 1993
Romania	Aniţica Butariu	F	115 years, 157 days?	17 June 1882?	21 November 1997
Puerto Rico	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	M	115 years, 156 days	21 August 1891	24 January 2007
Portugal	Maria de Jesus	F	115 years, 114 days	10 September 1893	2 January 2009
Netherlands	Henny van Andel	F	115 years, 62 days	29 June 1890	30 August 2005
Australia	Christina Cock	F	114 years, 148 days	25 December 1887	22 May 2002
Spain	Joan Riudavets	M	114 years, 81 days	15 December 1889	5 March 2004
Italy	Virginia Dighero	F	114 years, 4 days	24 December 1891	28 December 2005
New Zealand	Florence Finch	F	113 years, 109 days	22 December 1893	10 April 2007
Sweden	Astrid Zachrison	F	113 years, 0 days	15 May 1895	15 May 2008
Germany	Maria Laqua	F	112 years, 362 days	12 February 1889	9 February 2002
Finland	Lempi Maria Rothovius	F	112 years, 259 days	2 October 1887	17 June 2000
Belgium	Joanna Deroover	F	112 years, 186 days	3 June 1890	6 December 2002
Austria	Maria Mika	F	112 years, 178 days	23 May 1882	17 November 1994
Switzerland	Rosa Rein	F	127 years, 226 days	24 March 1897	Living
Norway	Maren Bolette Torp	F	112 years, 61 days	21 December 1876	20 February 1989
Ireland	Katherine Plunket	F	111 years, 327 days	22 November 1820	14 October 1932
Israel	Maria Pogonowska	F	111 years, 258 days	30 October 1897	15 July 2009
South Africa	Johanna Booyson	F	111 years, 151 days	17 January 1857	16 June 1968
Denmark	Anne Matthiesen	F	111 years, 114 days	26 November 1884	19 March 1996
Uruguay	Manolita Pina	F	111 years, 107 days	24 February 1883	11 June 1994
Colombia	Daniel Guzmán-García	M	111 years, 105 days	6 February 1897	21 May 2008

Emigrant records

Country of birth	Name	Sex	Age	Birth	Death	Country of death
Denmark	Christian Mortensen	M	115 years, 252 days	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	United States
Cape Verde (Portugal)	Adelina Domingues	F	114 years, 183 days	19 February 1888	21 August 2002	United States
Germany	Charlotte Benkner	F	114 years, 180 days	17 November 1889	14 May 2004	United States
French Algeria (now Algeria)	Anne Primout	F	114 years, 172 days	5 October 1890	26 March 2005	France
British India (now India)	Lucy d'Abreu	F	113 years, 197 days	24 May 1892	7 December 2005	United Kingdom
Austria-Hungary (Hungarian part, now Romania)	Elizabeth Stefan	F	112 years, 332 days	13 May 1895	9 April 2008	United States
Congress Poland (Russian Empire, now Poland)	Maria Pogonowska	F	111 years, 258 days	30 October 1897	15 July 2009	Israel
File:Red flag of Morocco.svg Morocco	Consuelo Moreno-López	F	111 years, 282 days	5 February 1893	13 November 2004	United States
Greece	Gregory Pandazes	M	110 years, 341 days	15 January 1873	22 December 1983	United States
Russian Empire (now Lithuania)	Ella Ille Rentel	F	110 years, 123 days	19 May 1852	19 September 1962	West Germany
Croatia ( Austria-Hungary)	Hermina Dunz	F	110 years, 111 days	24 February 1898	14 June 2008	Austria
Peru	Julia Dougherty	F	110 years, 106 days	20 August 1893	4 December 2003	United States

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 with improvements in health care 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 these data. While in 1837 the oldest verified person was aged 108 years^[who?], 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

^ Craig R. Whitney (1997-08-05). "Jeanne Calment, World's Elder, Dies at 122". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
^ Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. ""Validation of Exceptional Longevity — Jeanne Calment: Validation of the Duration ofHer Life"". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |retrieved= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
^ Douglas Martin (2004-04-21). "Norris McWhirter, 78, Dies; A Matchless Record Keeper". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
^ http://supercentenarian.com/oldest/izumi.html The Shigechiyo Izumi Case
^ Coles, Stephen (2008-08-07). "Validated Living Supercentenarians". Table E. Gerontology Research Group. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
^ Hardy may have been born in 1894 and aged 112 at the time of his death.
^ Hoffman, Lisa (2006-11-15). "Meet the remaining WWI vets". ScrippsNews. Retrieved 2007-12-13.
^ Graham's age at death is an estimate as her month of birth is known, but not her date of birth.
^ Research by Andrew Walton and others at the Gerontology Research Group validated her case in September 2007^{[citation needed]}. The original birth and death documents were located for Dart, who never married. Her death was covered by local newspapers, including page 5 of the 9 October 1963 Herald Express and page 12 of the 12 October 1963 Paignton Observer.
^ The reference in the Office for National Statistics index of births is December quarter 1854; Dart, Ellen; Crediton district; vol. 5b; page 351.
^ Bernátková was first included in the 1970 Guinness Book of Records. She was reportedly alive in October 1968, but the exact date of her death is not known.
^ His grandson claims he lived until 115. See Dzugayev, K.G. (2006). "Южная Осетия в контексте российско-грузинских отношений (South Ossetia in the context of Russian-Georgian relations)". Bulletin of the Vladivkaz Institute of Management (in Russian) (19). До 115 лет дожил и наш дед Хасако Дзугаев, также рассказывавший немало интересного и, как правило, поддающегося проверке исторической наукой.

External links

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).
World's Oldest People Discussion group regarding claims to age 108+.
Supercentenarian tables at the Gerontology Research Group
International Database on Longevity

[1] Craig R. Whitney (1997-08-05). "Jeanne Calment, World's Elder, Dies at 122". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-02.

[2] Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. ""Validation of Exceptional Longevity — Jeanne Calment: Validation of the Duration ofHer Life"". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |retrieved= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)

[3] Douglas Martin (2004-04-21). "Norris McWhirter, 78, Dies; A Matchless Record Keeper". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-03-02.

[4] ttp://supercentenarian.com/oldest/izumi.html The Shigechiyo Izumi Case

[GRG-5] Coles, Stephen (2008-08-07). "Validated Living Supercentenarians". Table E. Gerontology Research Group. Retrieved 2008-08-10.

[6] Hardy may have been born in 1894 and aged 112 at the time of his death.

[Scripps-7] Hoffman, Lisa (2006-11-15). "Meet the remaining WWI vets". ScrippsNews. Retrieved 2007-12-13.

[Graham-8] Graham's age at death is an estimate as her month of birth is known, but not her date of birth.

[Dart-9] Research by Andrew Walton and others at the Gerontology Research Group validated her case in September 2007^{[citation needed]}. The original birth and death documents were located for Dart, who never married. Her death was covered by local newspapers, including page 5 of the 9 October 1963 Herald Express and page 12 of the 12 October 1963 Paignton Observer.

[10] The reference in the Office for National Statistics index of births is December quarter 1854; Dart, Ellen; Crediton district; vol. 5b; page 351.

[Bernatkova-11] Bernátková was first included in the 1970 Guinness Book of Records. She was reportedly alive in October 1968, but the exact date of her death is not known.

[12] His grandson claims he lived until 115. See Dzugayev, K.G. (2006). "Южная Осетия в контексте российско-грузинских отношений (South Ossetia in the context of Russian-Georgian relations)". Bulletin of the Vladivkaz Institute of Management (in Russian) (19). До 115 лет дожил и наш дед Хасако Дзугаев, также рассказывавший немало интересного и, как правило, поддающегося проверке исторической наукой.

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