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when was isaac newton born

Isaac Newton was born on 4 January 1643 (New Style, Gregorian calendar), which corresponds to 25 December 1642 in the Old Style Julian calendar used in England at the time.

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Quick Scoop: When was Isaac Newton born?

Isaac Newton’s birth date is usually given today as 4 January 1643, in Woolsthorpe, Lincolnshire, England. In his own time, England still used the older Julian calendar, under which he was born on Christmas Day, 25 December 1642, so both dates refer to the same historical birthday.

Key facts

  • Place of birth: Woolsthorpe (near Grantham), Lincolnshire, England.
  • Old Style date: 25 December 1642 (Julian calendar).
  • New Style date: 4 January 1643 (Gregorian calendar, used in modern references).

Why two different dates?

England did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until the 18th century, so Newton’s birth was recorded under the older Julian system. When historians convert that record into the modern Gregorian calendar, his birthday shifts to early January 1643, which is why both December 25, 1642, and January 4, 1643, appear in biographies.

Information gathered from public data available on the internet and portrayed here.