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Everyone desires a longer life, provided it comes with full functionality and mental clarity. While there’s much debate and conflicting theories about what contributes to a long and healthy life, there are documented cases of individuals living exceptionally long lives despite habits like smoking, consuming chocolate, drinking alcohol, and other behaviors typically deemed unhealthy.
This list focuses not on centenarians (those who have reached 100 years), but on supercentenarians—individuals who have lived to 110 years or more. Supercentenarians are a rare subset of centenarians, with only 1 in 1,000 centenarians achieving this milestone. Moreover, just 2% of supercentenarians survive to age 115. Currently, there are 76 verified female and 2 male supercentenarians.
This compilation includes only verified supercentenarians, excluding unverified claims like Shirali Muslim (though he is mentioned as a bonus). However, a few disputed cases with some evidence are also noted.
Here they are, ranked from the youngest to the oldest.
10. Kamato Hongo 16 September 1887 – 31 October 2003 (Disputed) Age: 116 years 45 days
Kamato Hongo, a Japanese supercentenarian, was recognized as the oldest living person from March 2002 until her passing in 2003. Residing in Kagoshima, she celebrated her 116th birthday just a month before succumbing to pneumonia.
Born on the small island of Tokunoshima, Hongo later relocated to Kagoshima, where she lived with her daughter. She gained minor fame and even inspired merchandise like washcloths, keyrings, and phone cards (imagine the unique style of a shirt featuring a centenarian grandmother). Hongo was 58 years old when World War II concluded.
Kyushu, the region where Kagoshima is situated, is known for its high number of age record holders, earning it a reputation as a hub of longevity, similar to Okinawa.
9. Carrie C. White November 18th 1874 – February 14th 1991 Age: 116 years 88 days
Carrie C. White was acknowledged by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person around her 114th birthday in 1988. A resident of a Palatka, Florida nursing home, Carrie was institutionalized not due to old age but because of a nervous breakdown in 1909. Despite some disputes, her documentation was sufficient to secure her the title of the world's oldest person from January 11th, 1988, until her passing on February 14th, 1991.
8. Elizabeth Bolden 15 August 1890 – 11th December 2006 Age: 116 years 118 days
Elizabeth's case is undisputed, with all documentation perfectly in order. Like many others on this list, she hailed from the United States, which boasts more supercentenarians than any other country. However, the U.S. isn't typically seen as a longevity hotspot due to its lower per capita ratio.
Elizabeth Bolden was one of only seven individuals globally to reach the age of 116. Her birth marked the last documented birth of 1890. Born Elizabeth Jones in Somerville, Tennessee, she was the daughter of freed slaves. She married Lewis Bolden around 1908, and their first child, Ezell, was born on September 21st, 1909. Elizabeth had seven children in total, with only two surviving at the time of her death in 2006.
In addition to her seven children, Elizabeth had 40 grandchildren, 75 great-grandchildren, 150 great-great-grandchildren, 220 great-great-great-grandchildren, and 75 great-great-great-great-grandchildren. Imagine the size of her family gatherings!
While researching, I couldn’t uncover details about her lifestyle habits. However, some individuals further down this list share insights into their longevity secrets.
7. Tane Ikai 18th January 1879 – 12th July 1995 Age: 116 years 175 days
Tane Ikai holds the record as Japan’s oldest documented female and is the oldest undisputed individual since the establishment of the Koseki system in 1879.
Tane Ikai outlived her daughter and three sons. She moved to a retirement home in 1972 at the age of 93, where she enjoyed sewing and pottery until suffering a stroke at 99. After another stroke at 113, she remained bedridden, surviving on three daily meals of rice gruel (though better diets for supercentenarians are mentioned later). She passed away at 116 years and 175 days due to kidney failure.
Her body was the first known supercentenarian to undergo an autopsy.
6. Maria Esther Heredia de Capovilla 14th September 1889 – 27th August 2006 Age: 116 years 347 days
Maria, a supercentenarian from Ecuador, was acknowledged as the world’s oldest living person until her passing. She holds the distinction of being the oldest documented individual to have lived across three centuries.
Maria, the daughter of a colonel, led an upper-class lifestyle, attending social events and art classes. Unlike others on this list, she never smoked or consumed hard liquor. At 100, she nearly died and received last rites but remained relatively healthy until her death. At 116, she was in good health, able to watch TV, read newspapers, and walk without a cane.
By March 2006, Maria’s health had declined slightly. She could no longer read newspapers, stopped speaking, and needed assistance from two people to walk. However, she could still sit upright in a chair and was reportedly doing well. She passed away from pneumonia just 18 days before her 117th birthday.
5. Marie-Louise Meilleur 29th August 1880 – 16th April 1998 Age: 117 years 230 days
Meilleur, a French-Canadian supercentenarian, became the oldest living person after the passing of Jeanne Calment (who tops this list). She remains the oldest Canadian ever recorded.
At the time of her death from a blood clot at 117, her son was already residing in the same nursing home, and her eldest daughter was 90 years old. Imagine having a 90-year-old daughter—it certainly puts age into perspective. She was reportedly a vegetarian and an 'Avid Cigarette Smoker' (as opposed to a casual smoker?).
4. Lucy Hannah 16th July 1875 – 21st March 1993 Age: 117 years 248 days
Lucy Hannah, an American supercentenarian, holds the distinction of being the oldest African American ever and the oldest American at the time of her death. Interestingly, she never held the title of the oldest living person because her lifespan overlapped with Jeanne Calment.
3. Jeanne Calment 21st February 1875 – 4th August 1997 Age: 122 years 164 days
Jeanne Calment is a personal favorite of mine. The concept of super longevity is incredibly intriguing, especially considering the maximum human lifespan is believed to be 123–125 years. Jeanne’s life stands out as truly extraordinary, as she seemingly overstayed her time on Earth.
Jeanne Louise Calment, a French supercentenarian from Arles, outlived both her daughter and grandson. She gained fame at 113 during the centenary of Vincent Van Gogh’s visit to Arles, being the last living person to have met the artist. Her age is one of the most thoroughly documented cases in history.
Fun Fact: At age 90 in 1965, Calment had no living heirs. She struck a deal with lawyer André-François Raffray, agreeing to a reverse mortgage where he would pay her 2,500 francs monthly until her death. This seemed like a smart move at the time, given her age, but he ended up paying over $180,000—more than double the apartment’s value. After Raffray’s death from cancer at 77 in 1995, his wife continued the payments until Calment’s passing. Imagine making such a deal and then watching her live another 32 years!
Calment met Vincent Van Gogh in 1888 when he visited her father’s shop to purchase paint and pencils. She described him as unkempt, poorly dressed, and unpleasant. She vividly recalled this encounter, as well as witnessing the construction of the Eiffel Tower.
At 85, Jeanne took up fencing, and at 100, she was still cycling. She claimed she was never athletic or obsessive about health. Calment lived independently until just before her 110th birthday, when a cooking accident nearly proved fatal, prompting her move to a nursing home. She remained in excellent health, walking until a fall at 114 years and 11 months fractured her femur, requiring a wheelchair. She fell ill with the flu before her 116th birthday and smoked until 117. Calment credited her longevity and youthful appearance to olive oil, which she used on her skin, in cooking, and even drank. She also enjoyed port wine and consumed nearly a kilogram (2.2 lbs) of chocolate weekly. Here’s another photo of Jeanne at age 22.
2. Shigechiyo Izumi 29th June 1865 – 21st February 1986 Age: 120 years 237 days
Izumi’s case, like the earlier entries, is disputed, though Guinness World Records still recognizes his record as valid. He stands out on this list as one of the few male supercentenarians, as longevity trends heavily favor women. This disparity is often attributed to the theory that men historically lead more stressful and demanding lives, which may impact their lifespan.
Izumi, a Japanese supercentenarian, was recorded in Japan’s first census in 1871. He holds the world record for the longest working career, spanning 98 years. His wife passed away at 90, which is still impressive. He enjoyed brown sugar shochu, a barley or rice-based alcoholic drink, and surprisingly took up smoking at 70. He claimed to have started working at age 6 in 1872 and continued until 1970 at 105. He credited his long life to the gods, Buddha, and the sun, having lived through 71 Japanese prime ministers.
Izumi passed away from pneumonia on February 21st, 1986, coincidentally the same day as Jeanne Calment’s 111th birthday. Some research suggests Izumi may not have been as old as claimed, estimating his age at 105. However, this remains debated. If true, Christian Mortensen, who lived to 115 years and 252 days, would hold the undisputed title of the oldest man ever.
1. Sarah Knauss 24th September 1880 – 30th December 1999 Age: 119 years 97 days
Sarah Knauss holds the record as the oldest person to have ever lived in America. She passed away just 33 hours before the year 2000. Sarah spent her entire life in Pennsylvania, born in a small coal-mining town named Hollywood—yes, the other Hollywood.
Knauss worked as a homemaker and insurance office manager. Her daughter, who was 96 at the time of Sarah’s death and lived to 101, described her as an exceptionally calm and serene individual. She claimed nothing ever troubled her mother, attributing her longevity to this trait. In 1995, when asked if she enjoyed her long life, Sarah replied that she did, thanks to her good health and ability to stay active. Her hobbies included needlepoint, watching golf on TV, and indulging in chocolate turtles, cashews, and potato chips. Sarah was known for her elegance and refinement.
Sarah passed away peacefully in her room at the Phoebe-Devitt Home Foundation Facility on December 30th, 1999. Doctors reported she was in excellent health with no signs of illness; she simply 'expired.' Had she lived three more days, she would have spanned three centuries.
+ Shirali Muslimov 1805 – 1973 (Allegedly) Age: 168 years
Shirali Muslimov presents a fascinating case. While some believe his claimed age is genuine, most experts dispute his extraordinary longevity. Muslimov was a Talysh shepherd from Barzavu, a village in Azerbaijan’s Lerik region, a mountainous area close to the Iranian border.
The sole evidence supporting Muslimov’s age is a passport listing his birth year as 1805, which leaves room for speculation. However, it’s more plausible that he was mistaken for someone else, possibly his father or grandfather. Still, the idea of living a healthy 168 years is intriguing. In the photo above on the right, Muslimov is said to be over 160 years old.
