Elon Musk Biography
Elon Reeve Musk was born on June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa. He taught himself computer programming at age 12 and sold his first software — a video game called Blastar — at age 12. He moved to Canada at 17 and later to the United States to attend the University of Pennsylvania. He co-founded Zip2, then X.com (which became PayPal), then SpaceX, and then Tesla Motors. Under his leadership, Tesla transformed the electric vehicle industry and SpaceX became the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station.
Personal Life
Who are Elon Musk's parents?
Errol Musk, Maye Musk
Did Elon Musk have siblings?
Yes — Kimbal Musk, Tosca Musk.
Was Elon Musk married?
| Name | Married | Divorced |
|---|---|---|
| Justine Wilson | 2000 | 2008 |
| Talulah Riley | 2010 | 2012 |
| Talulah Riley | 2013 | 2016 |
Did Elon Musk have children?
Elon Musk had 9 children: Nevada Alexander Musk, Griffin Musk, Xavier Musk, Kai Musk, Saxon Musk, Damian Musk, X Æ A-Xii Musk, Exa Dark Sideræl Musk, Techno Mechanicus Musk.
What religion was Elon Musk?
Elon Musk was None (agnostic).
What was Elon Musk's ethnicity?
Elon Musk was of Afrikaner, British heritage.
Career Highlights
TV Shows
- The Big Bang Theory (cameo)
- South Park (referenced)
- Saturday Night Live (host, 2021)
Awards
- Royal Aeronautical Society Gold Medal
- Heinlein Prize for Advances in Space Commercialization
- Axel Springer Award
Facts About Elon Musk
- He was the first private citizen to send a spacecraft to orbit and return it safely
- SpaceX became the first private company to send astronauts to the International Space Station
- He changed Twitter's name to X after acquiring it for $44 billion
- He has 11 known children with three women
Elon Musk Quotes
"When something is important enough, you do it even if the odds are not in your favor."
"I think it's very important to have a feedback loop, where you're constantly thinking about what you've done and how you could be doing it better."
Legacy
Elon Musk is one of the most polarizing and consequential figures of the early 21st century. His companies — Tesla, SpaceX, and X — have disrupted three major industries. He is frequently the world's wealthiest person with a net worth exceeding $300 billion. His stated goal of making humanity a multi-planetary species has driven unprecedented private investment in space exploration.
Sources
Last verified: 2026-05-19