What Year Was Edmund Hillary Born?

One of the most famous explorers of all time, Sir Edmund Hillary was born in 1919 in the country of New Zealand. 

Edmund Hillary was born in 1919 and he became famous less than three decades after his birth. Hillary was not only an explorer – he also worked as a philanthropist, devoting many years of his life to assisting the Sherpa people of Nepal. He is most recognized, however, as one of the first climbers to scale Mount Everest. 

Edmund Hillary the Mountain Climber

Now that we know what year Edmund Hillary was born, we also know that Hillary was 33 years old in 1953, when he joined the ninth expedition of British explorers heading up Everest. He was already an experienced mountain climber and had been scaling impressive peaks since the age of 20. In later years, Hillary also became known for travels to the South and North Poles. 

Edmund Hillary and the Sherpas

The Sherpas of Nepal often act as guides to Everest expeditions; they live in the surrounding Himalayan Mountains and they know the terrain well, so this is in many cases their main source of income for survival. Hillary became acquainted with the Sherpas during his Everest climb, and this led to his later work on their behalf; he founded the Himalayan Trust, which is still in existence today and has been responsible for bringing schools, hospitals, and other necessities to the Sherpa’s isolated homeland.

Edmund Hillary's Death

In addition to knowing what year Edmund Hillary was born, you may also wish to know how long he lived. Hillary died of heart failure in 2008 at the age of 88. He is widely recognized as one of the most influential people of the 20th century.