This is a list of long marriages. It includes only marriages extending over at least 80 years.
A study by Robert and Jeanette Lauer, reported in the Journal of Family Issues, conducted on 40 sets of spouses married for at least 50 years, concluded that the long-term married couples received high scores on the Lock-Wallace marital satisfaction test and were closely aligned on how their marriages were doing. [1] In a 1979 study on about 55 couples in marriages with an average length of 55.5 years, couples said their marriages lasted so long because of mutual devotion and special regard for each other. [1] Couples who have been married for a long time have a lower likelihood of divorcing because "common economic interests and friendship networks increase over time" and during stress can assist in sustaining the relationship. [2]
Another study found that people in long marriages are wedded to the idea of "marital permanency" in which "They don't see divorce as an option". [3] Sociologist Pepper Schwartz, the American Association of Retired Persons's relationships authority, said that it was helpful to have a spouse who is quick to recover when there are surprises in life. [3]
A study of 1,152 couples who had been married for over 50 years found that they attributed their long marriages to faith in each other, love, ability to make concessions, admiration for each other, reliance on each other, children, and strong communication. [4] Bowling Green State University (BGSU)'s National Center for Family and Marriage Research found that 7% of American marriages last at least 50 years. [3]
The longest marriage recorded (although not officially recognized) is a granite wedding anniversary (90 years) between Karam and Kartari Chand, who both lived in the United Kingdom, but were married in India. The couple married in 1925, and died in 2016 and 2019, respectively. [5] [6]
Guinness World Records published its first edition in 1955. [7] In the 1984 to 1998 editions, the longest recorded marriages were between Sir Temulji Bhicaji Nariman and Lady Nariman, and Lazarus and Mary Molly Rowe. According to the New England Historical and Genealogical Register, both of them are stated as spanning 86 years. [8] [9] Guinness has since recognized couples with longer marriage spans, with the current world record holders being David and Sarah Hiller. [10] It also keeps record of the oldest married couple by aggregate age. [11]
Other organizations have created events where they honor couples with long marriages. In 2011, World Marriage Encounter (WME), an American organization that was responsible for making a World Marriage Day, created a Longest Married Couple Project (LMCP), where they pick a couple with a long marriage and honor them on Valentine's Day. [12] [13] They have since expanded the awards to representatives in each of the 50 states, although the candidates selected are not necessarily the ones with record-setting marriages. [14] Starting in 2004, the Louisiana Family Forum (LFF) has honored its own annual list of long-time married couples in that particular state, beginning with George and Germaine Briant. [15]
At least one spouse is deceased Both spouses are (most likely) still living Disputed and/or unverified
Names | Marriage date | Length of marriage | End date (husband's or wife's death) |
Residence (at date of last report or death) |
Note(s) | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Karam Chand Kartari Chand |
11 December 1925 | 90 years, 291 days | 30 September 2016 (Karam) |
Bradford, United Kingdom | [a] | [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] |
David Jacob Hiller Sarah (née Davy) Hiller |
23 April 1809 | 88 years, 350 days | 8 April 1898 (Sarah) |
Michigan, United States | Recognized by Guinness World Records for longest marriage ever as of 2024 [update] [10] | [10] [22] |
K. Philipose Thomas Sosamma Thomas |
17 February 1918 | 88 years, 2 days | 19 February 2006 (Sosamma) |
Kerala, India | [23] [24] | |
Herbert Fisher Sr. Zelmyra (née George) Fisher |
13 May 1924 | 86 years, 290 days | 27 February 2011 (Herbert) |
North Carolina, United States | Was previously officially recognized by Guinness World Record for longest marriage ever [25] [26] | [27] [28] |
Sir Temulji Bhicaji Nariman Lady Nariman |
c. 31 December 1853 | c. 86 years, 214 days | 1 August 1940 (Sir Temulji Bhicaji) |
Maharashtra, India | Temulji and Lady Nariman married as cousins when they were five years old. This was noted as the longest marriage recorded through 1940. Shared Guinness World Record with Lazarus and Mary Molly Rowe for editions up to 1998. [9] | [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] |
Liu Yung-Yang Liu Yang Yang-Wan |
10 March 1917 | 86 years, 133 days | 21 July 2003 (Yang Yang-Wan) |
Taoyuan, Taiwan | Was recognized by Guinness World Records 2004 (published in 2003) as world's longest marriage [34] [35] | [36] [37] [38] [39] [34] [40] |
Ralph Kohler Dorothy (née Redding) Kohler |
16 September 1935 | 86 years, 77 days | 2 December 2021 (Dorothy) |
California, United States | Recognised as America's longest lived married couple | [41] [42] [43] [44] [45] |
John George Betar Sr. Ann (née Shawah) Betar |
25 November 1932 | 85 years, 291 days | 12 September 2018 (John George) |
Connecticut, United States | Winner of the "Worldwide Marriage Encounter's Longest Married Couple Project" in 2013 | [46] [47] [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] |
Duranord Veillard Jeanne Hermina Veillard |
29 November 1932 | 85 years, 184 days | 1 June 2018 (Duranord) |
New York, United States | [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] | |
Lazarus Rowe Mary Molly (née Webber) Rowe |
c. 31 December 1743 | c. 85 years, 178 days | 27 June 1829 (Mary Molly) |
Maine, United States | Shared Guinness World Record with Sir and Lady Nariman for editions up to 1998 [9] | [60] [61] [62] [63] |
Tadanosuke Hashimoto Hanae Hashimoto |
1911 | c. 85 years |
c. 1996/7 (Hanae) |
Hyogo, Japan | [64] [65] | |
Cleovis Whiteside Sr. Arwilda (née Kelly) Whiteside |
24 July 1939 | 84 years, 242 days | 23 March 2024 (Cleovis) |
Arkansas, United States | Recognised as the longest marriage in the state | [66] [67] [68] [69] |
Marco Milo Pasqua (née Palmieri) Milo |
15 January 1938 | 84 years, 122 days | 17 May 2022 (Marco) |
Bari, Italy | [70] [71] [72] | |
Maurice Kaye Helen Kaye |
27 August 1934 | 83 years, 330 days | 23 July 2018 (Maurice) |
Bournemouth, United Kingdom | [73] [74] [75] [76] | |
Henry Andrew Johnson Lena (née Knudsen) Johnson |
8 February 1920 | 83 years, 231 days | 27 September 2003 (Lena) |
Iowa, United States | [35] | |
William B. Ritchie Claudia Lillian Ritchie |
12 April 1919 | 83 years, 224 days | 22 November 2002 (William B.) |
Kentucky, United States | Recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living married couple in 2002 | [77] [78] [79] [80] [35] |
Norman James Burmah Norma "Mickey" (née Depland) Burmah |
27 January 1931 | 83 years, 222 days | 6 September 2014 ("Mickey") |
Louisiana, United States | Recognized by the Louisiana Family Forum in 2013 and 2014. Also recognised as the longest marriage in the state. | [81] [82] [83] |
Marshall N. Kuykendall Winifred Louisiana "Winnie Louise" (née Macnab) Kuykendall |
14 February 1929 | 83 years, 221 days | 22 September 2012 ("Winnie Louise") |
New Mexico, United States | Winner of the Worldwide Marriage Encounter's inaugural Longest Married Couple Project in 2011 | [84] [85] [86] [87] |
George Leon Briant Germaine (née Thibodeaux) Briant |
20 July 1921 | 83 years, 192 days | 28 January 2005 (Germaine) |
Louisiana, United States | Honored by Congressman David Vitter in the Louisiana Family Forum's inaugural Louisiana's longest married couple contest in 2004. George, a World War I veteran, was interviewed by Richard Rubin in the same year. | [88] [89] |
Steven "Steve" Wrubel Victoria Virginia "Vicky" (née Puvalowski) Wrubel |
28 August 1929 | 83 years, 192 days | 8 April 2013 ("Vicky") |
Florida, United States | Were recognized by Guinness World Records in 2011, but did not clinch the record [86] | [90] [91] [92] |
Harley Dewey Utz Sylvia (née Booker) Utz |
15 June 1918 | 83 years, 150 days | 12 November 2001 (Harley) |
Ohio, United States | Recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living married couple in 2001. Sylvia survived her husband by almost 8 years, eventually becoming a supercentenarian. | [93] [94] |
Marcel Brouard Berthe (née Pallu) Brouard |
26 November 1938 | 83 years, 131 days | 6 April 2022 (Marcel) |
Saint-Éliph, France | Recognised as the longest marriage in the history of France | [95] |
Evert Stolpe Anni (née Lepistö) Stolpe |
24 March 1941 | 83 years, 103 days | Ostrobothnia, Finland | [96] | ||
Thell E. Ellison Margie Lea (née Rose) Ellison |
24 June 1941 | 83 years, 11 days | Arkansas, United States | Recognised as the longest incumbent marriage in the state | [97] [98] [99] [100] [101] | |
Arend Noordhuis Aaltje (née Nijstad) Noordhuis |
22 January 1938 | 82 years, 298 days | 15 November 2020 (Arend) |
Ruinen, Netherlands | Recognised as the longest marriage in the history of the Netherlands | [102] [103] |
René Debove Denise (née Dauboin) Debove |
4 October 1941 | 82 years, 275 days | Clermont-l'Hérault, France | [104] [105] | ||
Louis Herman Marine Grace Marie (née Jacks) Marine |
15 January 1942 | 82 years, 172 days | California, United States | [106] | ||
Ira Milan Margery Milan |
17 January 1942 | 82 years, 170 days | Louisiana, United States | Recognized by the Louisiana Family Forum in 2023 | [107] [108] | |
Eric Frank Kingston Annie Sarah "Nancy" Kingston |
1 June 1940 | 82 years, 72 days | 12 August 2022 (Eric Frank) |
Blackford, United Kingdom | [109] [110] [111] | |
David P. Beachy Katherine (née Swartz) Beachy |
23 December 1939 | 82 years, 59 days | 20 February 2022 (David) |
Florida, United States | [112] [113] [114] | |
Lauris Broussard Earline Marie (née Dyson) Broussard |
25 January 1941 | 82 years, 15 days | 9 February 2023 (Earline Marie) |
Louisiana, United States | Recognized by the Louisiana Family Forum in 2023 | [115] [116] [117] |
Ronald "Ron" Bond Joyce E. (née Sanders) Bond |
4 January 1941 | 81 years, 350 days | 20 December 2022 ("Ron") |
Milton Keynes, United Kingdom | [118] [119] | |
Gene Bond Irene Bond |
15 August 1942 | 81 years, 325 days | Oklahoma, United States | [120] | ||
Vern(on) Stinebaugh Angela Stinebaugh |
19 August 1942 | 81 years, 321 days | Pennsylvania, United States | Recognised as the longest marriage in the state | [121] | |
Mota Eli Young Avanelle (née McGinnis) Young |
14 April 1936 | 81 years, 314 days | 22 February 2018 (Mota Eli) |
Kentucky, United States | He was a World War II veteran | [122] [123] |
Nicolaas Christiaan "Nico" Cornelisse Anna (née Breijaen) Cornelisse |
16 September 1942 | 81 years, 293 days | Bellingwolde, Netherlands | [124] [125] | ||
Masao Matsumoto Miyako (née Sonoda) Matsumoto |
20 October 1937 | 81 years, 209 days | 17 May 2019 (Masao) |
Kagawa, Japan | Guinness World Record for "Oldest living married couple, aggregate age", recognized in August 2018,
[126] and for "Oldest married couple, aggregate age" (17 May 2019) [b] |
[127] [128] |
Charles Abraham "Charlie" Muise Anne Celina "Annie" (née Bourque) Muise |
13 July 1942 | 81 years, 194 days | 23 January 2024 ("Charlie") |
Nova Scotia, Canada | [129] [130] [131] [132] [133] [134] | |
Roy Walter Dorothy Walter |
27 July 1942 | 81 years, 192 days | 4 February 2024 (Dorothy) |
Wingham, United Kingdom | Marriage date recognized in 2017 article about their 75th wedding anniversary [135] | [136] [137] [119] |
Robert Schaum Edith Mae Schaum |
26 December 1942 | 81 years, 192 days | Pennsylvania, United States | [138] | ||
Reginald Louis Arthur "Jimmy/Reg" Woolgar Doris Woolgar |
30 August 1942 | 81 years, 191 days | 8 March 2024 ("Jimmy/Reg") |
Brighton, United Kingdom | [139] [119] [140] | |
Wallace Menard Gladys (née Broussard) Menard |
17 September 1938 | 81 years, 177 days | 12 March 2020 (Wallace) |
Louisiana, United States | Recognized by the Louisiana Family Forum in 2018 and 2019 | [141] [142] [143] [144] [145] |
Isaac Benjamin Williams Ima Jewel (née Alverson) Williams |
4 September 1937 | 81 years, 159 days | 10 February 2019 (Isaac Benjamin) |
Arkansas, United States | Recognized by "The Family Council", a Christian society, in 2018 | [146] [147] [148] [149] [150] |
Eduard Gerardus Cuyvers Maria Angelina/e (née Haeseldonckx) Cuyvers |
30 January 1943 | 81 years, 157 days | Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium | Recognised as the longest marriage in the history of Belgium, also its first ever marriage of at least 80 years. He was inducted in the Order of Leopold. | [151] [152] | |
Irving Black Dorothy Black |
11 November 1940 | 81 years, 92 days | 11 February 2022 (Dorothy) |
New York, United States | [153] [154] [155] [156] [157] [158] [159] | |
Chester A. Pish Martha Pish |
23 May 1942 | 81 years, 89 days | 20 August 2023 (Chester A.) |
Pennsylvania, United States | Previously recognised as the longest marriage in the state | [160] [161] [162] [163] [164] |
Adolph Velasquez Lucy R. Velasquez |
17 July 1942 | 81 years, 64 days | 19 September 2023 (Lucy R.) |
Missouri, United States | [165] [166] | |
Warren Clinton Snell Arline (née Larson) Snell |
25 February 1940 | 81 years, 20 days | 17 March 2021 (Warren Clinton) |
Iowa, United States | [167] | |
William Aaron Bruce Georgette Nadine (née Holth) Bruce |
19 June 1943 | 81 years, 16 days | Indiana, Unites States | [168] [169] | ||
Roy Ward Freda Ward |
1 July 1943 | 81 years, 4 days | Bilton, United Kingdom | [170] | ||
Michael Nikolaus Katharina Nikolaus |
26 December 1924 | 80 years, 358 days | 19 December 2005 (Katharina) |
Siegen, Germany | [171] [172] [173] [174] | |
Ronald "Ron" Golightly Beryl Golightly |
8 January 1941 | 80 years, 349 days | 23 December 2021 ("Ron") |
Harrogate, United Kingdom | [175] [176] | |
Roger Lee Kunkle Beverly B. (née Robinson) Kunkle |
6 August 1943 | 80 years, 334 days | Ohio, United States | [177] | ||
Loyd Monroe Collins Evelyn Eunice (née Garlington) Collins |
11 August 1934 | 80 years, 333 days | 10 July 2015 (Evelyn Eunice) |
Louisiana, United States | Recognized by the Louisiana Family Forum in 2012 | [178] |
William Henry Wilcher Juanita Wilcher |
12 May 1941 | 80 years, 312 days | 20 March 2022 (William Henry) |
Virginia, United States | [179] [180] | |
Orvel Sherrill Virginia Lee Sherrill |
3 July 1942 | 80 years, 306 days | 5 May 2023 (Virginia Lee) |
Oklahoma, United States | Recognized by the Louisiana Family Forum in 2022 | [181] [182] [183] [184] [185] |
John Paul Henderson Charlotte (née Curtis) Henderson |
22 December 1939 | 80 years, 299 days | 16 October 2020 (John Paul) |
Texas, United States | Recognized by Guinness World Records in 2019 as the oldest living married couple by aggregate age and oldest married couple by aggregate age. [c] | [186] [187] |
William Henry Olive Vacle P. Olive |
25 January 1941 | 80 years, 295 days | 16 November 2021 (William Henry) |
Arkansas, United States | [188] [189] | |
Ralph Francis Lumb Phyllis Mae (née Wetherbee) Lumb |
11 February 1941 | 80 years, 252 days | 21 October 2021 (Phyllis Mae) |
New York, United States | [190] [191] | |
Arnold Bell Kathleen "Kathy" Bell |
16 November 1943 | 80 years, 232 days | Prudhoe, England | [192] | ||
Donald Niles Hart Sr. Vivian Cornelia (née Brecker) Hart |
25 June 1937 | 80 years, 206 days | 17 January 2018 (Donald Niles) |
Michigan, United States | [193] [194] | |
Ronald Gilbert "Ron" Collings Esther Elizabeth Collings |
19 October 1938 | 80 years, 187 days | 24 April 2019 (Esther Elizabeth) |
Adelaide, Australia | [195] [196] [197] | |
Willie Chambers Geraldine Chambers |
28 January 1943 | 80 years, 180 days | 27 July 2023 (Willie) |
Maryland, United States | [198] [199] [200] [201] [202] | |
Leroy Kayser Julia Kayser |
8 January 1944 | 80 years, 179 days | New York, United States | [203] | ||
Raymond Johnson Mary Johnson |
11 January 1944 | 80 years, 176 days | Florida, United States | [204] [205] | ||
Allen John Frandsen Evelyn (née Mackay) Frandsen |
30 March 1942 | 80 years, 159 days | 5 September 2022 (Allen John) |
Utah, United States | Recognized by the Utah governor's office as the longest marriage in the state | [206] [207] [208] |
George Dennis Louise Dennis |
4 February 1944 | 80 years, 152 days | Alabama, United States | Recognised as the longest marriage in the state | [209] | |
Leo Dormaier Vivian Dormaier |
25 February 1944 | 80 years, 131 days | Washington, United States | Recognised as the longest marriage in the state | [210] | |
Jón Albert Magnússon Rita Rona Magnússon |
14 July 1940 | 80 years, 97 days | 19 October 2020 (Jón Albert) |
Hvidovre, Denmark | [211] [212] [213] | |
Henry W. Hoell Sr. Rosa (née Gurganus) Hoell |
28 April 1941 | 80 years, 49 days | 16 June 2021 (Rosa) |
North Carolina, United States | [214] [215] | |
Gottfried Schmelzer Ursula Schmelzer |
17 May 1944 | 80 years, 49 days | Bad Sobernheim, Germany | [216] | ||
Jack Bare Joan Bare |
3 August 1939 | 80 years, 38 days | 10 September 2019 (Jack) |
Codsall, United Kingdom | Previously recognised as Britain's "longest married couple" | [217] [218] [219] |
Benjamin Franklin "Ben" Hartley Drusilla Orlena (née Keith) Hartley |
24 November 1875 | 80 years, 32 days | 26 December 1955 ("Ben") |
Idaho, United States | Recognised as "Nation's Longest Marriage" ever for several years | [220] [221] |
Warren Leslie MacQuarrie Clara Wilma MacQuarrie |
15 September 1942 | 80 years, 31 days | 16 October 2022 (Clara Wilma) |
California, United States | [222] [223] | |
Andrew Paul "Andy" Kowalczyk Bertha "Bunny" (née Burnham) Kowalczyk |
1 January 1944 | 80 years, 30 days | 31 January 2024 ("Andy") |
Missouri, United States | He was a World War II United States Navy veteran and electrical engineer | [224] [225] [226] |
Percy George Arrowsmith Florence Mary "Flo" (née Dallimore) Arrowsmith |
1 June 1925 | 80 years, 14 days | 15 June 2005 (Percy George) |
Hereford, United Kingdom | Previously recognised as Britain's "longest married couple" | [227] [228] [229] |
Peter Mascolo Anna (née DiTuccio) Mascolo |
23 April 1928 | 80 years, 9 days | 2 May 2008 (Peter) |
Connecticut, United States | They were the parents of actor Joseph Mascolo | [230] [231] |
Pierre Jean Louis Germain Soulages Colette Marcelle Léonie (née Llaurens) Soulages |
24 October 1942 | 80 years, 1 day | 25 October 2022 (Pierre Jean Louis Germain) |
Sète, France | He was an artist whose abstract works are in many modern art museums | [232] |
It is presumed the United States do not contain another man and wife who have lived so long in the conjugal state