Christopher Columbus was born in 1451 in the city of Genoa, in what is now Italy, though the exact day and month are uncertain.

Most modern historians agree that his birth fell between late August and late October 1451, rather than on a single firmly documented date. Some later or popular sources give a specific date such as 31 October 1451, but these are not supported by contemporary records and are treated as approximate or traditional rather than definitively proven.