William Shakespeare is traditionally said to have been born on 23 April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, though the exact day is not recorded.

Quick Scoop

  • Shakespeare’s birth year: 1564.
  • Place of birth: Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
  • Exact birth date: Not written in any surviving record; his baptism was recorded on 26 April 1564.
  • Why 23 April? Baptisms were usually held a few days after birth, so scholars and cultural tradition settled on 23 April, which is also the date of his death in 1616.

In many modern biographies and timelines, you’ll see his birth shown as “c. 23 April 1564” or simply “23 April 1564 (traditionally).”

TL;DR: When people ask “when was William Shakespeare born,” the widely accepted traditional answer is 23 April 1564, even though historians only know for sure that he was baptized on 26 April 1564.

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