Maximum Human Lifespan

What is maximum human lifespan?

How long can humans live? Here's an album of some of the oldest people.

Rosabell Fenstermaker: the 26th oldest person in the world. November 4, 1893 - October 15, 2005.
[Tied, 111 years 344 days].

Rosaria Caleca: the 16th oldest person in the world. February 5, 1895 - May 6, 2007.
[112 years 90 days].

Anne Christopher: March 4, 1895 - October 10, 2007.
[112 years 220 days].

Marie Mornet: the 14th oldest person in the world. April 4, 1894 - January5, 2007.
[112 years 276 days].

Grace Thaxton: the 7th oldest person in the world. June 18, 1891 - July 6, 2005.
[114 years 18 days].

Grace'e mother lived to be 109 while her maternal grandmother died 2 months from turning 98, and her patenal grandfather lived to be 98.

Emma Tillman: the oldest person in the world. November 22, 1892 - January 28, 2007.
[114 years 67 days].

Emma Verona Johnston: the 3rd oldest person in the world. August 6, 1890 - December 1, 2004.
[114 years 117 days].

Emma had a brother who died at 93, a sister who died at 105 in 1997, and a sister who died at 89 in 1969.

Charlotte Benkner: the 3rd oldest person in the world. November 16, 1889 - May 14, 2004.
[114 years 180 days].

Yes, Charlotte outlived all her younger sisters. Her mother was 6 weeks shy of living to be 100.

Marie Brémont: the oldest person in the world. April 25, 1886 - June 6, 2001.
[115 years 42 days].

Maud-Farris Luse: the oldest person in the world. January 21, 1887 - March 18, 2002.
[115 years 56 days].

Edna Parker: the oldest person in the world. April 20, 1893 - November 26, 2008.
115 years 220 days.

Kamato Hongo: the oldest person in the world. September 16, 1887 - October 31, 2003.
[116 years 45 days].

Maria Esther Capovilla: the oldest person in the world. Born September 14, 1889, she died on August 27, 2006, at 116 years 347 days.

See the little girl to the right? She died of old age. That little baby the mother is holding is currently alive at age 81 in December 2005.

Marie-Louise Meilleur: the oldest person in the world. August 29, 1880 - April 16, 1998.
[117 years 230 days].

Sarah Knauss: the oldest person in the world. September 24, 1880 - December 30, 1999.
The second oldest woman, ever [119 years 97 days].


This is ultimately, the second youngest-looking 100-year old woman, ever.

Jeanne Calment: the longest documented human lifespan. February 21, 1875 - August 4, 1997 [122 years 164 days].
Jeanne Calment is in the Guinness book for the oldest validated human, ever. If anyone has their fountain of youth, it's her. We won't find someone to surpass the duration of her lifespan for years.


Jeanne Calment holding a book with her photo in it, and holding her rap CD which was released on her 121st birthday (so she actually was 120).

The 100-year span:

Photo removed due to incorrect ages on July 16, 2007. Added these 2 though.


A translated quote from Jeanne Calment: "Always keep a smile. I attribute my long life to that."

Every website on the Internet that I have seen, except 1, says she is 40 in that picture, with 1 saying 40-45. However, the official Jeanne Calment book in English says "In her 40s."


This being my favorite picture of them all, shows the 3 stages of the human body: one at 1/3rd old, 2/3rd old, and well, 3/3rd old. So, Jeanne Calment, roughly at age 33%, 66%, and 99% old.


Jeanne Calment with her daughter. This photo I found in a chronology order collection of her photos, after the photo of her in her 40s, leading this photo of her to be in her 50s. We know for a fact this photo cannot be after 1934, as her daughter died at the age of 36 in 1934, where Jeanne Calment was almost 59. If Jeanne Calment was 50, her daughter would be about 27.

Repeated images:

Jeanne Calment at an approximate 30 years duration: 21?, ~55, 80, and 112.

Herman Smith-Johannsen, the oldest man in the world from December 14, 1986, to January 5, 1987, at 111 years 204 days (born June 15, 1875).

After his death, Alphaeus Philemon Cole, born July 12, 1876, became the oldest man in the world, until November 25, 1988, at 112 years 136 days.

Joan Riudavets Moll, the oldest unofficial biker, was the oldest man in the world from September 28, 2003, to his death on March 4, 2004, at 114 years 81 days, or the 6th oldest man ever.

Ernest Pusey, born May 5, 1895, died as the 3rd oldest man in the world on November 19, 2006, at 111 years 198 days.

Ernest had a sister who died at 97 in 1989.

Moses Hardy, the second oldest black man, ever, died on December 7, 2006, at 113 years 335 days, born January 6, 1893.


The oldest people, ever (1700s births, only). 559.Margaret Ann Neve (May 18, 1792 - Apr. 4, 1903) [110 years 321 days] 759.Geert Boomgaard (September 21, 1788 - February 3, 1899) [110 years 135 days] Anne D'Evergroote (October 18, 1783 - March 14, 1892) [108 years 148 days] Elizabeth Hanbury (June 9, 1793 - October 31, 1901) [108 years 144 days] Pierre Darcourt (January 23, 1729 - May 11, 1837) [108 years 108 days] Marie-Rosalie Lizotte (December 25, 1738 - March 5, 1847) [108 years 70 days] Marie-Louise Plante (March 10, 1725 - June 14, 1832) [107 years 86 days] Marie Francoise Fleury (October 15, 1750 - April 28, 1857) [106 years 195 days] Marie Anne Colin (March 20, 1743 - July 24, 1849) [106 years 126 days] Sophia Wijnberg (March 12, 1799 - July 11, 1905) [106 years 121 days] Claude Dougnac-Pale (July 7, 1790 - September 24, 1896) [106 yers 79 days]

Is the oldest person in the world (man and woman), married? Or have kids?

It seems that all of them are married. Do all have kids? No. Elizabeth Bolden and previous Maria Capovilla, and 119 year old Sarah Knauss of 1999 and 117 year old Marie-Louise Meilleur of 1998 were flooded with kids, grandkids, great grandkids, etc.

However, 115 year old Marie Brémont of 2001, never had kids. Charlotte Benkner 114, who was awarded a Guinness record in 2004 for the oldest person in the world, claims she always liked children but didn't have kids. Neither did Hendrike van Andel-Schipper 115 of 2005, who won a Guinness award too.

As for the oldest man in the world, Antonio Todde of 2002 was married, so was Joan Riudavets Moll 114 of 2004 and Fred Hale 113 of 2004. But, the next oldest man in the world, Emiliano Mercado del Toro, (which is 1 thing I like about him) never married nor had any kids. Hmm, maybe he's a virgin? Imagine that, a 115 year-old virgin.

One thing unique about Marie Brémont, 115 years, was she lived so long that she had 2 consecutive husbands. She was born in 1886, first married in 1910 at the age of 24. Her 1st husband died in World War I, and, some 20 years later, married her 2nd husband, a taxi driver, in 1936, at the age of 50. 31 years later her 2nd husband dies in 1967 while she was 81, and that has been her last husband since. She says she has been happy with her 2 husbands and her life though they are all dead now..

The next oldest person in the world, Maud Farris-Luse, also had 2 husbands. She first married in a farmer in 1903, and he died in 1951 and she married again, and he died 3 years later. Marie-Louise Meilleur, 117, also had 2 husbands.

The oldest person in the world (after August 27, 2006), Julie Winnefred Bertrand, never had kids and never married. This makes at that time the current 1st and 2nd oldest person in the world both unmarried and never had kids (oldest man and oldest woman in world).

And what about when the oldest person in the world dies? How young can they be?

The youngest oldest person in the world at death.

Since 2000, Emma Tillman when she died at 114 years 67 days (January 28, 2007).
Since 1950, Lovisa Svensson, 109 years 89 days (February 17, 1963).
Since 1900, Sophie Lacomte, 105 years 325 days (April 2, 1910).
Since 1850, Willem Van Renterghem, 105 years 320 days (October 24, 1888).

What's the longest time anyone has outlived their parent?

The unofficial record goes to the oldest man in the world, Joan Riudavets Moll, in 2004. He was born on December 15, 1889. His mother died in December 1889. This makes him the longest time anyone has survived their parent: 114 years.

Who's the oldest person with the earliest-born parent?

That goes to the second oldest man in the world (November 19, 2004 - December 7, 2006). Moses Hardy, African American, was born on January 6, 1893. His mother was born in 1853 (39 years older). His dad was born in 1820 (73 years older).

So a father born in 1820 fathers a son in 1893 at the age of 73 and the son lives to be the second oldest man in the world as of 2005 and 2006. I bet none of you living people have a parent born as early as 1820. ;P

Could someone who was born on January 1, 1900, expect to be the oldest person in the world by January 1, 2000?

No, more like the 450,000th oldest person in the world or so. Such a person wouldn't even have a shot on January 1, 2010.

Could someone born on January 1, 1800, expect to be the oldest person in the world by January 1, 1900?

Also no, because we know there are people born in the 1700s that have died in the 1900s, however, there seems to be reasonable evidence that such a rank is only a 1 digit number. The problem with that, is, knowing who the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th oldest person in the world at the time is incredibly lacking. Take

Could someone born on January 1, 1700, expect to be the oldest person in the world by January 1, 1800?

No, Ebenezer Cobb lived to be 107 years 261 days (March 22, 1694 - December 8, 1801) and Susanna Brownson lived to be 102 years 304 days (August 12, 1699 - June 12, 1802).

What's the most amount of days in a row in which a supercentenarian was born?

The record is 3 consecutive days, with the first one happening in 1872. The dates were March 22, March 23, and March 24.

First set of triple supercentenarians = March 22, 23, and 24, 1872, followed by February 10, 11, and 12, 1889, and March 1, 2, an 3, 1889.

What's the most amount of supercentenarians born on the same day?

The record is still a tie between several days of 3. The first was April 1, 1887, in which 3 supercentenarians were born that day, followed by September 12, 1889, and March 9, 1895.

Did anyone from the 1870s make it to the 1990s?

Yes, about 30.

Last surviving members of the 1870s, in reverse chronological death.

1875, February 21 Jeanne Calment to August 4, 1997. [122 year 164 day]
1879, January 18 Tane Ikai to July 12, 1995. [116 year 75 day]
1878, October 27 Margaret Skeete to May 7, 1994. [115 year 192 day]
1878, December 28 Odie Matthews to April 14, 1993. [114 year 107 day]
1879, August 24 Lillian Ross to March 20, 1993. [113 year 108 day]
1879, January 21 Rosa Comfort to November 6, 1992. [113 year 290 day]
1879, September 4 Cora Humphrey to November 1, 1992. [113 year 58 day]
1879, November 7 Sadie Mayer to August 7, 1992. [112 year 274 day]
1878, March 23 Waka Shirahama to June 16, 1992. [114 year 85 day]
1879, August 30 Katherine Jones to April 27, 1992. [112 year 241 day]
1877, September 8 Ettie Mae Greene to February 26, 1992. [114 year 171 day]
1879, October 15 James Wiggins to October 16, 1991. [112 year 1 day]
1878, June 6 Josephine Choquet to February 14, 1991. [112 year 253 day]
1879, May 4 Lottie Lewis to December 30, 1990. [111 year 240 day]
1879, March 19 to Mathilde Gauchou to December 30, 1999. [111 year 286 day]
1878, August 20 Claire Dunning to September 27, 1990. [112 year 38 day]
1879, October 14 Henri Perignon to June 18, 1990. [110 year 247 day]
1879, November 13 Laura Lord Scales to June 12, 1990. [110 year 211 day]
1877, August 19 John Evans to June 10, 1990. [112 year 295 day]
1879, February 17 Dollie Bushey to May 8, 1990. [111 year 80 day]

Did anyone from the 1860s make it to the 1980s?

Yes, about 15.

Last surviving humans of the 1860s, in order.


1869, August 24 Nellie Spencer to November 13, 1982. [113 year 81 day]
1869, December 2 Jeanetta Thomas to January 5, 1982. [112 year 34 day]
1869, November 29 Emma van der Karr to December 5, 1981. [112 year 6 day]
1868, June 15 Judia Ward to August 26, 1981. [113 year 72 day]
1869, September 2 Jane Piercy to May 3, 1981 [111 year 243 day]
1869, January 2 Augustine Tessier to March 8, 1981. [112 year 65 day]
1866, March 15 Eliza Underwood to January 27, 1981. 114 year 318 day]
1867, April 14 Fannie Thomas to January 22, 1981 [113 year 283 day]
1869, March 18 Corinne Floyd to December 31, 1980. [111 year 288 day]
1867, April 25 Anna Murphy to December 23, 1980. [113 year 243 day]
1868, December 26 Florence Pannell to October 20, 1980. [111 year 299 day]
1869, May 5 Charlie Phillips to September 5, 1980. [111 year 123 day]
1869, November 1 Constance Young to July 27, 1980. [110 year 268 day]
1868, September 21, 1868 Alice Foote to June 14, 1980. [111 year 267 day]
1867, August 17 Hattie Stone to January 13, 1980. [112 year 149 day]

Could someone be not that skinny and still live a substantially long life?

More than likely, not. Overweight people almost have no chance of living to 100 or 110. But that's out of the question, we're talking about less-skinny people. It's been known that less-muscular men live longer than muscular-men (as far as 110.0+ year olds are concerned). Also, incredible tall people don't tend to live as long as the average-height people. The 120 year-old man, Shigechiyo Izumi, was only 4'8" and 94 pounds. Then again, he must have been taller and heavier 40 years ago at age 80. Likely that the longer you live the more time you have to shrink. According to the IMDM profile of the 122 year old Jeanne Calment (because she was an actress), her height was 4'11". And since she made a movie at the age of 114, I assume that was her height at 114.

But how heavy can girls be? It wasn't until a 2006 article on Julie Winnifred Bertrand's 115th birthday did it mention (she looks big), that she was 150 pounds at 5'8" when she was young. This makes her living proof that a 150 woman at 5'8" can live to 115.

Why do women live longer than men?

Females express both more Mn-SOD and more glutathione peroxidase antioxidant enzymes than males, and this has been suggested to be the reason females live longer than males in mammalian species.

How long is the longest time for anyone to live in a nursing home?

Well, it's pretty obvious that the longer you live, the later you will move to a nursing/retirement home. Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, ~<115, moved to a retirement home at 105. Marie Brémont, the oldest person in the world, 115, moved to a retirement home at the age of 106. Eva Morris, the oldest person in the world, 114.98, moved to a retirement home at the age of 107. The 122 year old Jeanne Calment moved to a retirement home shortly before turning 110, spending 12 and a half years there. Sarah Knauss, 119, moved in at 110.

like Grace Clawson moved to a retirement home at age 80. This was in 1968. She lived to become the oldest person in the United States.. Having lived to 2002 at 114, spanning 34 years at her nursing home. It should be noted that there are records of Anitica Butariu of Romania moving into a nursing home at age 82, and she lived to 115, spanning 33 years.

For men, currently Walter Breuning, (born September 21, 1896), has been living in his retirement home in Montana for the last 27 years.

Do any of the oldest persons of the world have had any young husbands? (Or wives?).

Yea, wouldn't we all like to see a 120 year old man with an 80 year old woman (or the older way around). Unfortunately, none of the oldest woman of the world had any marginally young 2nd or 3rd husbands. Matter fact, I don't think any of them married a man younger than them.

Fannie Adler Greenberg (who's born May 24, 1895), did have a husband, but at the occasion of her 111th birthday, she had a 95 year old boyfriend, who gave her a kiss on her cheek after she blew out the candles.

Any oldest longest marriages?

Yes, Charlotte Hughes, the record holder for the United Kingdom, married a 63 year-old man at 63, both retired, and married for 40 years until he died when they were 103.

What's the longest age to which anyone was born and died in the same house?

Mr. Berend Gengler (February 10, 1892 - October 6, 2000), was born and died in the same house, in a small village, Tweede Exlo���«rmond, of the Netherlands.

How old is the oldest child at the death of their parent?

The 2nd oldest woman ever, Sarah Knauss, 119, had a daughter who died at 101. When Sarah Knauss died, her daughter, Kathryn Sullivan, born November 17, 1903, holds the 2nd oldest child ever at 96 years 43 days.

The daughter of Susanna Lynn (1888-2001), died when she was 96 in 1997.

What's the oldest mother-daughter age combinations?

Record discovered in mid-2006, is a 112 years 17 days old mother (Mary Cota, 1870-1982), and her daughter Rosabell Fenstermaker, 111 years 344 days (1893-2005) = almost 224 years.

Grace Thaxtons 114 + her mother that lived to be 109 (August 1860 - December 1969) = 223 years.

Sarah Knauss 119 + her daughter that lived to 101 = 221 years.

Charlotte Lollis (1864-1974) and daughter Mollie Lollis (1889-2001) were 110 and 111.

Felicite Jandia (1881-1992) and daughter Julie Montabord (b. 1906) were 111 and still living.

Mary Cota, in 1889.

The daughters of Mary Phil Cota:

Ruth Wilder (83), died May 12, 1982.
Edna Sowards Baker (99), died November 28, 1991.
Edith Keasler (100), died October 12, 1995.
Marjorie Marie Richardson Pruitt (102), died December 26, 2004.
Rosabell Fenstermaker (111 years 344 days), died October 14, 2005.

None of her daughters lived to (their) mother's age. She had 4 sons, though, and none of them past 90.

Notable story:

In Spain, Josefa Punzón (111) met her 97 year-old sister María after 60 years. María and her family though that Josefa had died long ago, before hearing of her again in the news because of her 111 birthday. Elpais.com has a video of their meeting.