Famous People Who Lived to 100 — Centenarian Secrets
Reaching your 100th birthday is still rare enough to make headlines — and for good reason. Only a tiny fraction of people ever join the centenarian club, and the handful who go well beyond it, into their 110s, are rarer still. Yet the famous people who lived to 100 are more than a curiosity. Studied together, they reveal a surprisingly consistent set of habits and circumstances that anyone can learn from.
Below is a table of real, verified centenarians — from the Japanese supercentenarian Kane Tanaka to Hollywood's Olivia de Havilland — followed by the six traits they most had in common, and how you can apply those lessons to your own life. Curious where you stand? You can estimate your own outlook with our free longevity calculator.
Real Centenarians Who Lived to 100 and Beyond
| Name | Country | Lived | Age | Notable habit / note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bob Hope | USA | 1903–2003 | 100 | Comedian and entertainer; played golf almost daily well into his 90s. |
| Olivia de Havilland | USA / France | 1916–2020 | 104 | Two-time Oscar-winning actress; stayed sharp with reading and crossword puzzles. |
| Henry Allingham | UK | 1896–2009 | 113 | World War I veteran; one of the last surviving founding members of the Royal Air Force. |
| Kane Tanaka | Japan | 1903–2022 | 119 | Verified oldest person ever from Japan; loved board games, green tea, and time with family. |
| Susannah Mushatt Jones | USA | 1899–2016 | 116 | Once the world's oldest living person; credited family, faith, and plenty of sleep. |
The Indian Centenarian Story
Longevity is not only a Western or Japanese phenomenon. India's centenarian population is growing steadily, and within the country Kerala has the highest density of centenarians. Researchers link this to a combination of strong healthcare access, exceptionally high literacy, tight-knit family structures, and a largely plant-based coastal diet rich in vegetables, fish, and rice. In many ways Kerala functions as an Indian counterpart to the world's famous longevity hotspots — proof that the ingredients for a long life travel well across cultures.
What They Had in Common: 6 Traits of People Who Live to 100
No two centenarians lived identical lives. But when you line up their stories, the same threads keep reappearing. These six traits are the closest thing we have to a shared blueprint for a very long life.
1. Strong social connections
Nearly every long-lived person stayed embedded in family and community. Kane Tanaka relished visits from relatives and games with the people around her; Susannah Mushatt Jones lived surrounded by nieces and nephews. Loneliness is now considered a genuine health risk, and consistent human contact appears again and again among centenarians.
2. A clear sense of purpose
Whether it was Bob Hope entertaining troops for decades or Henry Allingham keeping the memory of his generation alive, having a reason to get up in the morning — what Okinawans call ikigai — is one of the most consistent threads across people who reach 100.
3. Moderate, regular activity
Centenarians rarely trained like athletes, but they kept moving. Bob Hope walked the golf course almost daily; many others gardened, walked, or did daily chores well into old age. Gentle, consistent movement beats intense but occasional exercise for long-term health.
4. Stress resilience
Living a century means outliving spouses, friends, and often children. The people who endured it tended to be adaptable and even-tempered, able to process loss without being consumed by it. A calm relationship with stress protects the heart and the mind alike.
5. Mostly plant-based eating
Diets varied by culture, but a common pattern emerges: modest portions, plenty of vegetables, beans, and whole grains, and meat treated as a flavouring rather than the centrepiece. Kane Tanaka favoured simple food and green tea; the world's longevity hotspots share a largely plant-forward plate.
6. Faith or spiritual practice
A regular spiritual life — prayer, worship, meditation, or belonging to a faith community — recurs among centenarians such as Susannah Mushatt Jones. Beyond belief itself, it provides routine, community, and a framework for meaning that supports emotional wellbeing.
How Long Might You Live?
The habits of centenarians are within your reach. See how your own lifestyle shapes your outlook with BornClock's free, private longevity estimate.
Try the Longevity Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the oldest verified person to ever live to 100 and beyond?
Among the people covered here, Kane Tanaka of Japan is the oldest, living to 119 (1903–2022) and recognised as the verified oldest person ever from Japan. The oldest verified human of all time remains Jeanne Calment of France, who reached 122. Verification of these ages is rigorous, which is why the confirmed list is short.
What did famous people who lived to 100 have in common?
Across figures like Kane Tanaka, Bob Hope, Olivia de Havilland, Henry Allingham, and Susannah Mushatt Jones, six traits recur: strong social connections, a clear sense of purpose, moderate regular activity, stress resilience, mostly plant-based eating, and a faith or spiritual practice. No single habit guarantees a long life, but these patterns appear again and again.
Is living to 100 mostly genetics or lifestyle?
Researchers estimate that genetics accounts for roughly a quarter of longevity, while lifestyle and environment shape the rest. That means daily habits — how you eat, move, connect with others, and manage stress — have a large influence on your odds of a long, healthy life, especially before the very oldest ages.
Are there many centenarians in India?
Yes, and their numbers are rising as life expectancy improves. Within India, Kerala has the country's highest density of centenarians, often attributed to better healthcare access, high literacy, strong family structures, and a largely plant-based coastal diet. It offers an Indian parallel to the world's well-known longevity hotspots.
How can I apply the habits of centenarians to my own life?
Start with the habits that are within your control today: nurture close relationships, find a sense of purpose, move your body gently but regularly, eat more plants and smaller portions, and build routines that calm rather than stress you. You can estimate how these choices shape your own outlook using BornClock's free longevity calculator.