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. This led to her being noticed by the media in 1988, at age 113. 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.[citation needed] 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.
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] and Maria de Jesus of Portugal are the only validated people born in 1893 who are still alive.
Additional recommended knowledge
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.
From
| To
| Name
| Age when oldest
| Lived
| Sex
| Country
|
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 | 8 October 1963
| Ellen Dart[2]
| 108
| 1 November1854- 8 October1963
| F
| England, UK
|
8 October 1963 | 6 March 1965
| Elizabeth Kensley[3]
| 108-109
| 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 Bernátková[4]
| 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?
| 11 July1865? – 21 February1986
| M
| Kyūshū, 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
| Kyūshū, Japan
|
31 October 2003 | 13 November 2003
| Mitoyo Kawate
| 114
| 15 May1889 – 13 November2003
| F
| Chūgoku, 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
| 116
| 22 November1892 – 28 January2007
| F
| Connecticut, U.S.
|
29 January 2007 | 13 August2007
| Yone Minagawa
| 114
| 4 January1893 – 13 August2007
| F
| Kyūshū, Japan
|
13 August2007 | Present
| Edna Parker
| 119*
| April 201893 –
| 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.
From
| To
| Name
| Age when oldest
| Lived
| Country
|
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[5]
| 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
| Kyūshū, 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 L. 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
| Kantō, 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
| Kyūshū, 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
| 111-112*
| 18 September 1895–
| Kyūshū, 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+)
Main article: List of the oldest people
# | 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 225 days | 11 July 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 | Emiliano Mercado del Toro | 115 years 156 days | 21 August 1891 | 24 January 2007 | M | oldest person in Puerto Rico ever
|
16 | Bettie Wilson | 115 years 153 days | 13 September 1890 | 13 February 2006 | F | U.S.
|
17 | Anitica Butariu | 115? years 144 days | 30 June 1882? | 21 November 1997 | F | Romania
|
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[6] | 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 validated people currently living (top 10)
Main article: List of living supercentenarians
Please note that 90% of supercentenarians are women. Though this list is currently all female, there have been males in the top 10 as recently as January 2007. Moreover, that particular male was the oldest person in the world.
# | Name | Age as of 14 December 2012 | Sex | Born | Residence
|
1 | Edna Parker | 119 years, 238 days | F | April 20 1893 | Oldest person in the world (since August 13 2007). Lives in Indiana, US
|
2 | Maria de Jesus | 119 years, 95 days | F | September 10 1893 | Lives in Portugal
|
3 | Arbella Ewing | 118 years, 276 days | F | March 13 1894 | Lives in Texas, US
|
4 | Gertrude Baines | 118 years, 252 days | F | April 6 1894 | Lives in California, US
|
5 | Tsuneyo Toyonaga | 118 years, 207 days | F | May 21 1894 | Lives in Shikoku, Japan
|
6 | Clémentine Solignac | 118 years, 98 days | F | September 7 1894 | Lives in Auvergne, France
|
7 | Catherine Hagel | 118 years, 16 days | F | November 28 1894 | Lives in Minnesota, US
|
8 | Kaku Yamanaka | 118 years, 3 days | F | December 11 1894 | Lives in Chūbu, Japan
|
9 | Beatrice Farve | 117 years, 228 days | F | April 30 1895 | Lives in Georgia, US
|
10 | Elizabeth Stefan | 117 years, 215 days | F | May 13 1895 | Lives in Connecticut, US
|
Oldest men currently living (top 10)
Main article: List of living supercentenarians
# | Name | Age as of 14 December 2012 | Born | Residence
|
1 | Tomoji Tanabe | 117 years, 87 days | September 18 1895 | Oldest man in the world (since 24 January 2007). Lives in Kyūshū, Japan
|
2 | Henry Allingham | 116 years, 191 days | June 6 1896 | Lives in England, UK. World War I Veteran
|
George Francis | 116 years, 191 days | June 6 1896 | Lives in California, US
|
4 | Walter Breuning | 116 years, 84 days | September 21 1896 | Lives in Montana, US
|
5 | Augusto Moreira de Oliveira | 116 years, 69 days | October 6 1896 | Lives in Portugal
|
6 | Walter Seward | 116 years, 62 days | October 13 1896 | Lives in New Jersey, US
|
7 | Jiroemon Kimura | 115 years, 239 days | April 19, 1897 | Lives in Kansai, Japan
|
8 | Kiyoshi Igarashi | 115 years, 134 days | August 2, 1897 | Lives in Hokkaidō, Japan
|
9 | Aarne Arvonen | 115 years, 132 days | August 4 1897 | Lives in Uusimaa, Finland. Finnish Civil War Veteran
|
10 | Masatake Kinoshita | 115 years, 116 days | August 20 1897 | Lives in Okayama, Japan
|
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, UK
|
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 article: National longevity recordholders
Nation of death (oldest first)
Country | Age | Sex | Name | Born | Died
|
France | 122 years 164 days | F | Jeanne Calment | 21 February 1875 | 4 August 1997
|
Japan | 120? years 237 days | M | Shigechiyo Izumi | 29 June 1865? | 21 February 1986
|
United States | 119 years 97 days | F | Sarah Knauss | 24 September 1880 | 30 December 1999
|
Canada | 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
|
United Kingdom | 115 years 228 days | F | Charlotte Hughes | 1 August 1877 | 17 March 1993
|
Romania | 115? years 157 days | F | Anitica Butariu | 30 June 1882? | 21 November 1997
|
Netherlands | 115 years 62 days | F | Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper | 29 June 1890 | 30 August 2005
|
Portugal | 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
|
Italy | 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 Maria Rothovius | 2 October 1887 | 17 June 2000
|
Sweden | 117 years, 213 days | F | Astrid Zachrison | 15 May 1895 | -
|
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
|
Norway | 112 years 61 days | F | Maren Bolette 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 | 117 years, 215 days | 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 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 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
- ^ http://www.japannewsreview.com/society/kyushu/kyushu/20070814page_id=1438
- ^ Born in Great Paignton, Devon. Research by Andrew Walton and others at the Gerontology Research Group validated her case in September 2007[citation needed] as the world's oldest person from February 17, 1963, the death of her predecessor, Lovisa Svensson, until her own death. The original birth and death documents were located for Miss Dart, who never married. Her death was covered by local newspapers, including page 5 of the October 9, 1963 Herald Express and page 12 of the October 12, 1963 Paignton Observer. She was said to have been in good shape until shortly before her death at age 108 years and 341 days.
- ^ From St Pancras, London, England. Recognized at the time by Guinness World Records as the oldest person to die in the UK at 109 years and 298 days. Her record was broken later that year by Hannah Smith. Born Elizabeth Alice Walker, she was the last person to become the oldest living person at 'just' 108.
- ^ First included in the 1970 Guinness Book of Records, she was the oldest recognised living person in the world between June 16, 1968 and her death, aged 111 (see Louis Epstein: The Oldest Human Beings) She was reportedly alive in October 1968 but the exact date of her death is not known; probably it was lost in turmoil following Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in August 1968.
- ^ 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)" (in Russian). Bulletin of the Vladivkaz Institute of Management (19). “До 115 лет дожил и наш дед Хасако Дзугаев, также рассказывавший немало интересного и, как правило, поддающегося проверке исторической наукой.”
- ^ Matthew Beard is recognized by the Social Security Administration as the oldest man ever born in the USA.
|