Jeanne Calment (the longest-lived person in history)
The person verified the have had the most birthdays for a human was Jeanne Calment, a French woman who lived to 122. She rode a bicycle until she was 100 and said her long life was due to a sense of humour, and a taste for port wine and chocolate!
Her daily routine consisted of beginning the day with a ‘long prayer’ at her window to thank God for being alive, and the beautiful day about to start. She did daily exercises, washed herself and had dessert with every meal (but also ate healthy food and daily fruit salads).
She would have a two hour nap each day and after evening meals, would return to her room to listen to music (after her eyes could no longer do crosswords). She was asleep each night by 10pm, and would attend mass each Sunday and Vespers (monks chanting in Latin) on Fridays.
Since Jeanne’s death, the world’s oldest living person as of 2026 is English Ethel Caterham (she’s 116). Born in Hampshire, she did contract COVID during the pandemic, but recovered.
Jiroemon Kimura was the longest-ever lived man at 116. He worked for the post office until 65, then as as a farmer until he was 90. He was known to eat well, and keep interested in politics.
The world’s oldest living man is now João Marinho Neto (113) who says he lives long, due to being surrounded by ‘good people’.
Which well-known people lived to over 100?
Although in many countries, people regularly live to 100 (mostly due to different lifestyles – community, clean hair, natural exercise, organic food). In the western world it’s not so common. A few well-known people who got past the big 100 were:
- Jimmy Carter (100, former US president)
- Kirk Douglas (103, Hollywood actor)
- Olivia de Havilland (104, Hollywood actress).
- Bob Hope (100, comedian and entertainer
- George Burns (100, comedian and actor).
George was once famously asked why he lived so long, as he smoked cigars. He replied that he ate well, exercised, took afternoon naps and ‘never took stress to bed with him’. When asked what his doctors thought of his habit of smoking cigars, he admitted his doctors had told him to stop (but they died years ago!)
The history of birthday celebrations
Birthdays have roots in ancient Roman and Egyptian traditions, which were originally to celebrate gods and rulers, not children turning 10. Hardly anyone is born and dies on the same day, though one who did was Shakespeare on April 23).
Of course one birthday is always celebrated is if someone turns 100. The King sends a letter to anyone who turns 100 (and at 105 and thereafter). It seems a bit unfair that they don’t get a letter if they are 101 to 104, as this is pretty spectacular too!
Origins of the Happy Birthday song
This was originally written in 1893 as ‘Good Morning to All’ for kindergarten, and only became public domain in 2016, after a major copyright lawsuit.
The song was written by sisters Patty and Mildred Hill, two daughters of an American minister. Mildred was a pianist who on hearing black singers on the street, predicted that ‘Blues’ would become a huge genre, and how right she was! Patty meanwhile campaigned for children’s education and is credited with the US kindergarten movement.
