An American family has set a Guinness World Records title after five generations of relatives were born on the same date, September 14, spanning more than a century.
The record was achieved following the birth of Arthur Bell on September 14, 2025, making him the fifth consecutive generation in his family to share the birthday.
According to Guinness World Records in a report published on November 12, 2026, the family’s birthday tradition began with Arthur’s great-great-grandfather, Wilber Harlow, who was born on September 14, 1907.
Wilber’s daughter, Addie Harlow, was born on the same date in 1949, followed by her son, Donald Harlow, in 1972.
Donald’s daughter, Emma Bell, was born on September 14, 1997, while Emma’s son, Arthur, arrived on the same date in 2025.
The five generations are therefore Wilber, Addie, Donald, Emma and Arthur.
Guinness World Records said the family surpassed the previous record of four generations born on the same day, which had been jointly held by seven families since the 1800s.
Emma said the family had known about the four-generation coincidence but delayed applying for official recognition because they hoped another child would extend the record to five generations.
“We kind of always knew that we held a record with four generations, we just never applied because we had that ambition to have the fifth on 14 September,” she said.
“And then it worked out!
“So we applied – better late, than never – and are now the sole record holders, instead of sharing it.”
Arthur’s grandfather, Donald, described the development as a special occurrence, saying, “God works in beautiful ways.”
The record also maintains an alternating male-female pattern across the five generations: boy, girl, boy, girl and boy.
Wilber, who was born in 1907, worked as a postmaster and owned the Harlow General Store in Brooks, Iowa. He died before Donald was born.
Addie, born in 1949, worked for more than two decades as a secretary to the Chief of Police in La Vista, Nebraska. She died in 2023, before Arthur’s birth.
Guinness World Records said the family traditionally marked their shared birthdays by going to restaurants and celebrating with cakes and candles.
Emma and her husband, Wyatt, realised their second child could extend the family tradition when Arthur’s expected delivery date was listed as September 14.
“It seemed like a crazy coincidence, and even more that it continued the boy-girl-boy-girl-boy tradition,” Emma said.
Donald later described his grandson as a miracle, telling him: “Yup, you’re our miracle boy!”
The family also shares another connection involving the date and place of their relationships. Wilber and his wife married in Maryville, Missouri, the same place where Emma and Wyatt met, according to Guinness World Records.
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