10 Oldest Living Women in the World (Updated 2021)

Based on the averages from countries around the world, women generally have a longer life expectancy than men. Due to this, the oldest living women in the world are also the oldest living people in the world. Additionally, all of the women on this list are supercentenarians, which means that they are over 110 years old.

As of February 2021, this list is as accurate as possible and will be updated as needed.

10. Thelma Sutcliffe (October 1, 1906 – Present)

photo source: fox23.com

Thelma Sutcliffe is currently the second oldest woman in the United States, just a year behind Hester Ford. At the age of 114, Sutcliffe is the oldest person ever in Nebraska history. Sutcliffe got married when she was 17 and her husband lived until the 1970s. The couple did not have any children and Sutcliffe did not work outside of the home, except during World War II for the War Department. Sutcliffe mostly took care of herself and was very active until 2017. She moved into an assisted living facility in Omaha, where she has remained since.

Did You Know?

Themla Sutcliffe has minor health problems, such as some trouble hearing and seeing, but is otherwise healthy. She has survived two bouts of breast cancer over her long life.

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9. Tekla Juniewicz (June 10, 1906 – Present)

photo source: Gerontology Wiki

Tekla Juniewicz is currently the oldest living woman in Poland and the longest-lived person in the country ever verified by the Gerontology Research Group. Juniewicz turned 114 in 2020 and appears to be in excellent health. She was born in Krupsk, which was part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire (now modern-day Ukraine). Juniewicz survived World War I, but lost her mother. After the War, Juniewicz got married and had two daughters. She spent many years working the an earth wax mine in Boryslaw, Poland.

Did You Know?

Tekla Juniewicz lived fully independent life until she was 103. Her grandson Adam moved in to assist her, but Juniewicz still does many things on her own.

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8. Noeme da Silveira Freitas (September 7, 1905 – Present)

photo source: romanews.com.br

Noeme da Silveira Freitas is reportedly the oldest living person in Brazil at the age of 114. Silveira Freitas has not yet had her age verified by Gerontology Research Group, but her family says that she was born in Fortaleza on September 7, 1905.

Silveira Freitas still lives in Fortaleza today with her daughter. Although Silveira Freitas is 114 years old, she has very little health problems. According to her daughter, Silveira Freitas only has a slight problem with her thyroid gland, but is otherwise healthy.

Did You Know?

Noeme da Silveira Freitas says that the secret to her longevity and health is eating lots of fresh fruits and light soups.

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7. Hester Ford (August 15, 1905 – Present)

photo source: qcitymetro.com

After Alelia Murphy passed away in November 2019, Hester Ford became the oldest living women in the United States. There are conflicting reports over Ford’s date, which was previously verified as 1905. However, recently her family says they found new documents pushing Ford’s birth year back to 1904. These documents have not yet been verified.

Ford was born in South Carolina, but moved to North Carolina in 1953. She has remained in Charlotte since then and still lives in her own home, helped by caretakers and her family.

Did You Know?

Despite being over 114 years old, Hester Ford has an incredibly sharp mind and can still recite Bible verses from memory

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6. Antônia Santa Cruz (June 13, 1905 – Present)

photo source: calilanoticias.com

Antônia Santa Cruz just celebrated her 115^th birthday and is now the sixth oldest living woman in the world following the death of several women who used to be on this list. Santa Cruz hails from Brazil and is believed to be the oldest verified living person in the country.

Surprisingly, Santa Cruz isn’t on any medications and according to her daughter, Maria Medrado, Santa Cruz never complains of any illnesses. However, Santa Cruz does need some help getting around and eating. Santa Cruz had 11 children and adopted several more. Currently she has 68 grandchildren and 110 great-grandchildren.

Did You Know?

Antônia Santa Cruz was born on June 13^th, the day of Santo Antônio, which inspired her parents to name her after the Saint.

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5. Jeanne Bot (January 14, 1905 – Present)

photo source: gerontology.wikia.com

Jeanne Bot is the second oldest living person in France and recently celebrated her 114^th birthday. Bot was born on January 14, 1905 in the military barracks of Mont-Louis where her father, Louis, was a non-commissioned officer.

Bot spent 50 years as a bookkeeper in a car garage and never got married or had any kids. Currently, Bot still lives independently in her own apartment and is helped by housekeepers. Bot’s nephew, who is 71, also visits her every few days.

Did You Know?

Jeanne Bot is still quite physically fit, she can move with the assistance of a walker and besides some difficulty hearing, Bot has no major health problems.

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4. Francisca Celsa dos Santos (October 21, 1904 – Present)

photo source: Gerontology Wiki

Francisca Celsa dos Santos, who turned 116 years old back in October 2020, finally had her age verified by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) and became the third oldest verified person in the world. Celsa dos Santos has spent her entire life in Brazil and previously worked as a housekeeper and clothing merchant. She was married to Raimundo Celso until he died in 1979. The couple had six children; only three of them are alive today. Although Celsa dos Santos rarely gets sick, she has not been able to walk since 2012 and is not very lucid. She is currently being cared for by one of her daughters and grandson.

Did You Know?

Francisca Celsa dos Santos is the second-oldest person from South America whose age has been documented. If Celsa dos Santos reaches her 117^th birthday later in 2021, she will surpass the South American record holder Maria Copovilla, who passed away less than a month before her 117^th birthday.

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3. Maria Kononovich (May 27, 1904 – Present)

photo source: www.sb.by

Maria Kononovich is one of the few supercentenarians in the world that has not yet had her age verified by the Gerontology Research Group. However, according to news reports, Kononovich’s passport lists her date of birth as May 27, 1904, which means she should be included on this list.

Kononovich is the oldest person living in Belarus and Eastern Europe. Despite her advanced age, according to several accounts, Kononovich is still active and able to do small tasks around her house. A social worker checks up on Kononovich twice a week and journalists often drop by to cover her story.

Did You Know?

Maria Kononovich still enjoys gardening and until a few years ago, she even kept bees and extracted their honey by simply placing some comb on a cheesecloth and squeezing the honey out.

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2. Lucile Randon (February 11, 1904 – Present)

photo source: gerontology.wikia.com

Lucile Randon is now the second oldest validated living person in the world and the oldest living person in France. Randon celebrated her 116^th birthday a few months ago and according to a French news report from 2017, Randon is still an active nun.

Today, Randon is known as Sister André and currently serves as the Vice-Dean of the Varois. Randon says that she chose her name, Sister André, in honor of her older brother who took care of her. Although Randon is now blind and in a wheelchair, her memory is still exceptionally sharp. Randon survived both World Wars and recalls how tough times were doing those years.

Did You Know?

Before becoming a nun in 1944, Lucile Randon was a governess and teacher and worked for various households during World War I.

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1. Kane Tanaka (January 2, 1903 – Present)

photo source: gerontology.wikia.com

Kane Tanaka is currently the oldest living woman in the world at the incredible age of 117 and one of several Japanese supercentenarians. She was born in 1903 and currently lives in a nursing home in the Fukuoka prefecture. Tanaka became the world’s oldest living person following the death of Chiyo Miyako on July 22, 2018.

In 2016, Tanaka’s great nephew Gary Okada Funakoshi and his wife Linda visited her in Japan to celebrate her 113^th birthday. Funakoshi says that his aunt likes to write poetry and still remembers her trip to the U.S. in the 1970s to visit her relatives in California (the Funakoshis are from California) and Colorado. He also said that she attributes her long life to her faith in God.