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The following tables list only the verified oldest people 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 aged 122 years and 164 days. She met Vincent van Gogh at age 14.^[1] This led to her being noticed by the media in 1988, at age 113.^{citation needed} Subsequent investigation found that her life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles beyond reasonable question.^{citation needed} 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, the Japanese authorities have hinted that his age was not certain.^[2] Since the death of Yone Minagawa on August 13, 2007, the oldest living person is 115 year-old Edna Parker of the United States, who was born on April 20, 1893.^[3] She and Maria de Jesus of Portugal are the only verified surviving people who were born in 1893.^[4]

Contents 1 Progressive list of the oldest living person (since 1955) 2 Progressive list of the oldest living man (since 1961) 3 Oldest people ever (115+) 4 Oldest men ever (top 10) 5 Oldest validated people currently living (top 10) 6 Oldest men currently living (top 10 or 110+) 7 Supercentenarians who died before 1955 8 National longevity recordholders 8.1 Nation of death (oldest first) 8.2 Emigrant records (oldest first) 9 Gerontology and the verification of age claims 10 Current trends in the lifespans of the oldest humans 11 References 12 External links

Progressive list of the oldest living person (since 1955)

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 independently verified until the 2000s.

From	To	Name	Age when oldest	Lived	Sex	Country
Title began in 1955	24 October 1955	Betsy Baker	?-113	20 August 1842 – 24 October 1955, &0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000065.00000065 days	F	England, UK (born) Nebraska, U.S. (died)
24 October 1955	25 June 1959	Martha Graham	110-114?	c. 27 December 1844[5] – 25 June 1959, 114? years, 180? days	F	North Carolina, U.S.
25 June 1959	10 February 1961	James Brett, Jr.	110-111?	25 June 1849 – 10 February 1961, &0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000230.000000230 days	M	Texas, U.S.
10 February 1961	16 March 1962	Joseph Saint-Amour	108-110	26 February 1852 – 16 March 1962, &0000000000000110.000000110 years, &0000000000000018.00000018 days	M	Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962	17 February 1963	Lovisa Svensson	108-109	20 November 1853 – 17 February 1963, &0000000000000109.000000109 years, &0000000000000089.00000089 days	F	Sweden
17 February 1963	8 October 1963	Ellen Dart[6]	108	1 November 1854 – 8 October 1963, &0000000000000108.000000108 years, &0000000000000341.000000341 days	F	England, UK
8 October 1963	6 March 1965	Elizabeth Kensley	108-109	12 May 1855 – 6 March 1965, &0000000000000109.000000109 years, &0000000000000298.000000298 days	F	England, UK
6 March 1965	24 July 1965	Auguste Pahl	109	23 November 1855 – 24 July 1965, &0000000000000109.000000109 years, &0000000000000243.000000243 days	F	Germany
24 July 1965	10 January 1966	Hannah Smith	109-110	7 January 1856 – 10 January 1966, &0000000000000110.000000110 years, &0000000000000003.0000003 days	F	England, UK
10 January 1966	21 March 1968	John Turner	109-111	15 June 1856 – 21 March 1968, &0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000280.000000280 days	M	England, UK
21 March 1968	16 June 1968	Johanna Booyson	111	17 January 1857 – 16 June 1968, &0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000151.000000151 days	F	Transvaal, South Africa
16 June 1968	October? 1968	Marie Bernátková[7]	110-111	22 October 1857 – fl. October 1968, 111 years, 9+ days	F	Czechoslovakia
October? 1968	11 January 1970	Ada Roe	110-111	6 February 1858 – 11 January 1970, &0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000339.000000339 days	F	England, UK
11 January 1970	27 February 1973	Josefa Salas Mateo	109-112	14 July 1860 – 27 February 1973, &0000000000000112.000000112 years, &0000000000000228.000000228 days	F	Spain
27 February 1973	18 August 1973	Alice Stevenson	111-112	10 July 1861 – 18 August 1973, &0000000000000112.000000112 years, &0000000000000039.00000039 days	F	England, UK
18 August 1973	31 October 1973	Elizabeth Watkins	110	10 March 1863 – 31 October 1973, &0000000000000110.000000110 years, &0000000000000235.000000235 days	F	Northern Ireland, UK (born) England, UK (died)
31 October 1973	31 May 1975	Mito Umeta	110-112	27 March 1863 – 31 May 1975, &0000000000000112.000000112 years, &0000000000000065.00000065 days	F	Kyūshū, Japan
31 May 1975	16 November 1976	Niwa Kawamoto	111-113	5 August 1863 – 16 November 1976, &0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000103.000000103 days	F	Kansai, Japan
16 November 1976	21 February 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	111-120?	29 June 1865? – 21 February 1986, 120? years, 237 days	M	Kyūshū, Japan
20 February 1986	20 September 1986	Mamie Eva Keith	112-113	22 March 1873 – 20 September 1986, &0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000182.000000182 days	F	Illinois, U.S.
20 September 1986	2 February 1987	Mary McKinney	113	30 May 1873 – 2 February 1987, &0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000248.000000248 days	F	California, U.S.
2 February 1987	27 December 1987	Anna Eliza Williams	113-114	2 June 1873 – 27 December 1987, &0000000000000114.000000114 years, &0000000000000208.000000208 days	F	England, UK (born) Wales, UK (died)
27 December 1987	11 January 1988	Florence Knapp	114	10 October 1873 – 11 January 1988, &0000000000000114.000000114 years, &0000000000000093.00000093 days	F	Pennsylvania, U.S.
11 January 1988	14 February 1991	Carrie C. White	113-116?	18 November 1874? – 14 February 1991, &0000000000000116.000000116 years, &0000000000000088.00000088 days?	F	Florida, U.S.
14 February 1991	4 August 1997	Jeanne Calment	115-122	21 February 1875 – 4 August 1997, &0000000000000122.000000122 years, &0000000000000164.000000164 days	F	Provence, France
4 August 1997	16 April 1998	Marie-Louise Meilleur	116-117	29 August 1880 – 16 April 1998, &0000000000000117.000000117 years, &0000000000000230.000000230 days	F	Ontario, Canada
16 April 1998	30 December 1999	Sarah Knauss	117-119	24 September 1880 – 30 December 1999, &0000000000000119.000000119 years, &0000000000000097.00000097 days	F	Pennsylvania, U.S.
30 December 1999	2 November 2000	Eva Morris	114	8 November 1885 – 2 November 2000, &0000000000000114.000000114 years, &0000000000000360.000000360 days	F	England, UK
2 November 2000	6 June 2001	Marie Brémont	114-115	25 April 1886 – 6 June 2001, &0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000042.00000042 days	F	Anjou, France
5 June 2001	18 March 2002	Maude Farris-Luse	114-115	21 January 1887 – 18 March 2002, &0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000056.00000056 days	F	Michigan, U.S.
19 March 2002	31 October 2003	Kamato Hongo	114-116?	16 September 1887? – 31 October 2003, &0000000000000116.000000116 years, &0000000000000045.00000045 days?	F	Kyūshū, Japan
31 October 2003	13 November 2003	Mitoyo Kawate	114	15 May 1889 – 13 November 2003, &0000000000000114.000000114 years, &0000000000000182.000000182 days	F	Chūgoku, Japan
13 November 2003	29 May 2004	Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan	114	31 August 1889 – 29 May 2004, &0000000000000114.000000114 years, &0000000000000272.000000272 days	F	Puerto Rico
29 May 2004	27 August 2006	María Capovilla	114-116	14 September 1889 – 27 August 2006, &0000000000000116.000000116 years, &0000000000000347.000000347 days	F	Ecuador
27 August 2006	11 December 2006	Elizabeth Bolden	116	15 August 1890 – 11 December 2006, &0000000000000116.000000116 years, &0000000000000118.000000118 days	F	Tennessee, U.S.
11 December 2006	24 January 2007	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	115	21 August 1891 – 24 January 2007, &0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000156.000000156 days	M	Puerto Rico
24 January 2007	28 January 2007	Emma Tillman	114	22 November 1892 – 28 January 2007, &0000000000000114.000000114 years, &0000000000000067.00000067 days	F	Connecticut, U.S.
29 January 2007	13 August 2007	Yone Minagawa	114	4 January 1893 – 13 August 2007, &0000000000000114.000000114 years, &0000000000000221.000000221 days	F	Kyūshū, Japan
13 August 2007	Present	Edna Parker	114-115*	20 April 1893 – age, &0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000169.000000169 days	F	Indiana, U.S.

Progressive list of the oldest living man (since 1961)

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 by reliable bodies specializing in gerontology.

From	To	Name	Age when oldest	Lived	Country
10 February 1961	16 March 1962	Joseph Saint-Amour	108-110	26 February 1852 – 16 March 1962, &0000000000000110.000000110 years, &0000000000000018.00000018 days	Quebec, Canada
16 March 1962	21 March 1968	John Turner	105-111	15 June 1856 – 21 March 1968, &0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000280.000000280 days	England, UK
21 March 1968	August? 1970	Khasako Dzugayev	107-110	7 August 1860 – August? 1970, 110 years, 0+ days[8]	USSR
August? 1970	5 May 1973	Friedrich Wedeking	107-110	10 October 1862 – 5 May 1973, &0000000000000110.000000110 years, &0000000000000207.000000207 days	Germany
5 May 1973	9 March 1974	Frederick Butterfield	109-110	28 February 1864 – 9 March 1974, &0000000000000110.000000110 years, &0000000000000009.0000009 days	England, UK
9 March 1974	21 February 1986	Shigechiyo Izumi	108-120?	29 June 1865? – 21 February 1986, 120? years, 237 days	Kyūshū, Japan
20 February 1986	14 December 1986	Joe Thomas	110-111	1 May 1875 – 14 December 1986, &0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000227.000000227 days	Louisiana, U.S.
14 December 1986	5 January 1987	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	Alphaeus Philemon Cole	110-112	12 July 1876 – 25 November 1988, 112 years, 136 days	New Jersey, U.S.
25 November 1988	10 June 1990	John Evans	111-112	19 August 1877 – 10 June 1990, 112 years, 295 days	Wales, UK
10 June 1990	18 June 1990	Henri Pérignon	110	14 October 1879 – 18 June 1990, &0000000000000110.000000110 years, &0000000000000247.000000247 days	Normandy, France
18 June 1990	16 October 1991	James Wiggins	110-112	15 October 1879 – 16 October 1991, 112 years, 1 day	Arkansas, U.S.
16 October 1991	14 June 1993	Frederick L. Frazier	111-113	27 January 1880 – 14 June 1993, 113 years, 138 days	Alabama, U.S.
14 June 1993	25 April 1998	Christian Mortensen	110-115	16 August 1882 – 25 April 1998, 115 years, 252 days	Denmark (born) California, U.S. (died)
25 April 1998	17 July 1998	Johnson Parks	113	15 October 1884 – 17 July 1998, 113 years, 275 days	Florida, U.S.
17 July 1998	25 December 1998	Walter Richardson	112-113	7 November 1885 – 25 December 1998, 113 years, 48 days	Illinois, U.S.
25 December 1998	29 April 1999	Denzo Ishisaki	112	20 October 1886 – 29 April 1999, 112 years, 191 days	Kantō, Japan
29 April 1999	15 November 1999	Antonio Urrea-Hernández	111	16 February 1888 – 15 November 1999, 111 years, 272 days	Catalonia, Spain
15 November 1999	1 March 2001	John Painter	111-112	20 September 1888 – 1 March 2001, 112 years, 162 days	Tennessee, U.S.
1 March 2001	3 January 2002	Antonio Todde	112	22 January 1889 – 3 January 2002, 112 years, 346 days	Sardinia, Italy
3 January 2002	28 September 2003	Yukichi Chuganji	112-114	23 March 1889 – 28 September 2003, 114 years, 189 days	Kyūshū, Japan
28 September 2003	5 March 2004	Joan Riudavets	113-114	15 December 1889 – 5 March 2004, 114 years, 81 days	Minorca, Spain
5 March 2004	19 November 2004	Fred H. Hale, Sr.	113	1 December 1890 – 19 November 2004, 113 years, 354 days	Maine, U.S.
19 November 2004	24 January 2007	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	113-115	21 August 1891 – 24 January 2007, 115 years, 156 days	Puerto Rico
24 January 2007	Present	Tomoji Tanabe	111-113*	18 September 1895 – age, &0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000018.00000018 days	Kyūshū, Japan

Oldest people ever (115+)

Main article: List of the verified oldest people

Rank	Name	Age	Born	Died	Sex	Notes
1	Jeanne Calment	122 years 164 days	21 February 1875	4 August 1997	F	Oldest person ever verified. French.
2	Shigechiyo Izumi	120? years 237 days	29 June 1865?	21 February 1986	M	Oldest male ever verified. Japanese. Disputed (may have been 105).
3	Sarah Knauss	119 years 97 days	24 September 1880	30 December 1999	F	Oldest American ever verified and oldest living person verified 1998-1999.
4	Lucy Hannah	117 years 248 days	16 July 1875	21 March 1993	F	Oldest African American ever verified.
5	Marie-Louise Meilleur	117 years 230 days	29 August 1880	16 April 1998	F	Oldest Canadian ever verified and oldest living person verified 1997-1998.
6	María Capovilla	116 years 347 days	14 September 1889	27 August 2006	F	Oldest Ecuadorian ever verified and oldest living person verified 2004-2006.
7	Tane Ikai	116 years 175 days	18 January 1879	12 July 1995	F	Oldest Japanese woman ever verified.
8	Elizabeth Bolden	116 years 118 days	15 August 1890	11 December 2006	F	Oldest living person verified 2006. American.
9	Carrie White	116? years 88 days	18 November 1874?	14 February 1991	F	Oldest living person verified 1988-1991. American. Disputed (may have been 102).
10	Kamato Hongo	116? years 45 days	16 September 1887?	31 October 2003	F	Oldest living person verified 2002-2003. Japanese. Disputed (may have been 115).
11	Maggie Barnes	115 years 319 days	6 March 1882	19 January 1998	F	American. Disputed (may have been 116 or 117).
12	Christian Mortensen	115 years 252 days	16 August 1882	25 April 1998	M	- Oldest undisputed male ever verified. Danish immigrant to United States.
13	Charlotte Hughes	115 years 228 days	1 August 1877	17 March 1993	F	Oldest Briton ever verified.
14	Margaret Skeete	115 years 192 days	27 October 1878	7 May 1994	F	American.
15	Edna Parker	&0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000169.000000169 days	20 April 1893	Living	F	Oldest living person 2007- American.
16	Aniţica Butariu	115? years 157 days	17 June 1882?	21 November 1997	F	Oldest Romanian ever verified. Disputed.
17	Emiliano Mercado del Toro	115 years 156 days	21 August 1891	24 January 2007	M	Oldest Puerto Rican ever verified and oldest living person verified 2006-2007.
18	Bettie Wilson	115 years 153 days	13 September 1890	13 February 2006	F	American.
19	Julie Winnefred Bertrand	115 years 124 days	16 September 1891	18 January 2007	F	Oldest living woman verified 2006-2007. Canadian.
20	Susie Gibson	115 years 108 days	31 October 1890	16 February 2006	F	American.
21	Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper	115 years 62 days	29 June 1890	30 August 2005	F	Oldest Dutch person ever verified.
22	Maud Farris-Luse	115 years 56 days	21 January 1887	18 March 2002	F	Oldest living person verified 2001-2002. American.
23	Marie Brémont	115 years 42 days	25 April 1886	6 June 2001	F	Oldest living person verified 2000-2001. French.
24	Maria de Jesus	&0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000026.00000026 days	10 September 1893	Living	F	Oldest Portuguese person ever.
25	Annie Jennings	115 years 8 days	12 November 1884	20 November 1999	F	Briton.

Oldest men ever (top 10)

Main article: List of the verified oldest men

Rank	Name	Age	Born	Died	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[9]	114 years 222 days	9 July 1870	16 February 1985	Oldest American man verified.
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).[10][11]
9	Johnson Parks	113 years 275 days	15 October 1884	17 July 1998	American. Oldest living man verfied 1998.
10	John Ingram McMorran	113 years 250 days	19 June 1889	24 February 2003	American.

Oldest validated people currently living (top 10)

Main article: List of living supercentenarians

Please note that approximately 90% of all supercentenarians are women. This list is currently all female.

Rank	Name	Age as of 6 October 2008	Sex	Born	Residence
1	Edna Parker	&0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000169.000000169 days	F	20 April 1893	Oldest person in the world (since August 13, 2007). Lives in Indiana, United States
2	Maria de Jesus	&0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000026.00000026 days	F	10 September 1893	Lives in Ourém, Portugal
3	Gertrude Baines	&0000000000000114.000000114 years, &0000000000000183.000000183 days	F	6 April 1894	Lives in California, United States
4	Catherine Hagel	&0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000313.000000313 days	F	28 November 1894	Lives in Minnesota, United States
5	Beatrice Farve	&0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000159.000000159 days	F	30 April 1895	Lives in Georgia, United States
6	Kama Chinen	&0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000149.000000149 days	F	10 May 1895	Lives in Okinawa, Japan
7	Mary Josephine Ray	&0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000142.000000142 days	F	17 May 1895	Lives in New Hampshire, United States
8	Manuela Fernández	&0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000110.000000110 days	F	18 June 1895	Lives in Asturias, Spain
9	Olivia Patricia Thomas	&0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000099.00000099 days	F	29 June 1895	Lives in New York, United States
10	Neva Morris	&0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000064.00000064 days	F	3 August 1895	Lives in Iowa, United States

Oldest men currently living (top 10 or 110+)

Main article: List of living supercentenarians

Rank	Name	Age as of 6 October 2008	Born	Residence
1	Tomoji Tanabe	&0000000000000113.000000113 years, &0000000000000018.00000018 days	18 September 1895	Oldest man in the world (since 24 January 2007). Lives in Kyūshū, Japan
2	Henry Allingham	&0000000000000112.000000112 years, &0000000000000122.000000122 days	6 June 1896	Lives in England, United Kingdom. World War I Veteran
	George Francis	&0000000000000112.000000112 years, &0000000000000122.000000122 days	6 June 1896	Lives in California, United States
4	Walter Breuning	&0000000000000112.000000112 years, &0000000000000015.00000015 days	21 September 1896	Lives in Montana, United States
5	Augusto de Oliveira	&0000000000000112.000000112 years, &-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1.0000000 days	6 October 1896	Lives in Portugal
6	Jiroemon Kimura	&0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000170.000000170 days	19 April 1897	Lives in Kansai, Japan
7	Kiyoshi Igarashi	&0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000065.00000065 days	2 August 1897	Lives in Hokkaidō, Japan
8	Aarne Arvonen	&0000000000000111.000000111 years, &0000000000000063.00000063 days	4 August 1897	Lives in Finland. Finnish Civil War Veteran
9	Harry Patch	&0000000000000110.000000110 years, &0000000000000111.000000111 days	17 June 1898	Lives in England, United Kingdom.