María Branyas Morera, World’s Oldest Person, has reached the age of 117, becoming only the 11th validated person in history to have done so. Per the LongeviQuest rankings, Morera is the 11th oldest person in human history. She became the World’s Oldest Person on Jan. 17, 2023 after the death of Lucile Randon of France. Photo provided.

News Release

SPAIN — Born on the Pacific Coast in the city of San Francisco in 1907, María Branyas Morera emigrated with her family to Catalonia in 1915 and has lived in the region for over a century. Recognized as the Oldest Living Person in Spain since December 2019, Morera is also the oldest person ever born in the state of California and the oldest emigrant in world history.

LongeviQuest Chief Executive Ben Meyers, who met Morera in March 2023, states, “María Branyas Morera’s longevity has entered historic territory. Having met her a year ago, I am not surprised she has reached this milestone. She is surrounded by loving family, friends, and caregivers and she seemed to have a zest for life. We wish her utmost happiness as she celebrates her birthday with her loved ones.”

LongeviQuest is the global authority on maximum human longevity. The organization was founded in 2022 as a collaboration between the world’s leading age validation experts, with professional researchers in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Among its notable research achievements, LongeviQuest validated the first recognized supercentenarians in India and the Philippines. Further information, including the largest database of validated living supercentenarians, can be found here.