Linus Torvalds

Finnish software engineer (born 1969)
Person human Q34253
Press Enter · cited answer in seconds

Linus Torvalds

Summary

Linus Torvalds is a human[1]. He was born in Helsinki[2]. He was born on December 28, 1969[3]. He worked as a programmer[4], software developer[5], writer[6], inventor[7], and blogger[8]. He ranks in the top 0.38% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (11,587 views/month, #3,763 of 1,000,298).[9]

Key Facts

  • Born in Helsinki[2], Linus Torvalds…
  • Linus Torvalds was born on December 28, 1969[3].
  • Linus Torvalds's father was Nils Torvalds[10].
  • Linus Torvalds's mother was Anna Torvalds[11].
  • Linus Torvalds was married to Tove Torvalds[12].
  • A child of Linus Torvalds was Patricia Miranda Torvalds[13].
  • A child of Linus Torvalds was Daniela Yolanda Torvalds[14].
  • A child of Linus Torvalds was Celeste Amanda Torvalds[15].
  • Linus Torvalds held citizenship in United States[16].
  • Linus Torvalds held citizenship in Finland[17].
  • Swedish was Linus Torvalds's native language[18].
  • Linus Torvalds's professions included programmer[4].
  • Linus Torvalds worked as a software developer[5].
  • Linus Torvalds's professions included writer[6].
  • Linus Torvalds worked as an inventor[7].
  • Linus Torvalds worked as a blogger[8].
  • Linus Torvalds's professions included computer scientist[19].
  • Linus Torvalds's field of work was software engineer[20].
  • Among Linus Torvalds's employers was Linux Foundation[21].
  • Linus Torvalds's education included a stint at Svenska normallyceum[22].
  • A notable work attributed to Linus Torvalds is Linux kernel[23].
  • A notable work attributed to Linus Torvalds is Q186055[24].
  • A notable work attributed to Linus Torvalds is Subsurface[25].
  • Linus Torvalds received the Millennium Technology Prize[26].
  • Linus Torvalds received the Computer Pioneer Award[27].

Product Details

The following facts are restated verbatim from public-domain and CC0 open-data sources — every line is independently verifiable against the named source's catalog.

MusicBrainz — CC0 open music encyclopedia

  • Type: Person[28]

  • Country: FI[29]

  • MusicBrainz ID: 7783a6a1-fb37-4ece-ba14-e57e4febe124[30]

Body

Origins and Family

Linus Torvalds's place of birth was Helsinki[2]. He was born on December 28, 1969[3]. His father was Nils Torvalds[10]. His mother was Anna Torvalds[11]. Swedish was his native language[18].

Education

Linus Torvalds's education included a stint at Svenska normallyceum[22]. He earned the academic degree of Master of Science[31].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include programmer[4], software developer[5], writer[6], inventor[7], blogger[8], and computer scientist[19]. Linus Torvalds's field of work was software engineer[20]. He was employed by Linux Foundation[21].

Works and Contributions

Notable works include Linux kernel[23], Q186055[24], and Subsurface[25]. Things named for Linus Torvalds include Linux[32], founded in 1991[33]; Linux kernel[34], a free and open-source software[35], founded in 1991[36]; Linus's Law[37], a principle[38], written by Eric S. Raymond[39]; Tanenbaum–Torvalds debate[40], a polemic[41]; Linux-libre[42]; and Linux Surface[43].

Recognition

Awards received include Millennium Technology Prize[26], a science award[44], in Finland[45], founded in 2004[46]; Computer Pioneer Award[27], an award[47], in United States[48], founded in 1981[49]; Suuret suomalaiset[50]; Lovelace Medal[51], a medallion[52], in United Kingdom[53], founded in 1998[54]; honorary doctor of Stockholm University[55], an award[56], in Sweden[57]; and EFF Award[58], a science award[59], founded in 1992[60].

Personal Life

Among Linus Torvalds's spouses was Tove Torvalds[12]. Children include Patricia Miranda Torvalds[13], Daniela Yolanda Torvalds[14], and Celeste Amanda Torvalds[15]. His religion is recorded as agnosticism[61].

Why It Matters

Linus Torvalds ranks in the top 0.38% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (11,587 views/month, #3,763 of 1,000,298).[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[62] He is known by 78 alternative names across languages and contexts.[63]

Works attributed to him include Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary[64], a literary work[65]. Entities named for him include Linux[32], founded in 1991[33]; Linux kernel[34], a free and open-source software[35], founded in 1991[36]; Linus's Law[37], a principle[38], written by Eric S. Raymond[39]; Tanenbaum–Torvalds debate[40], a polemic[41]; Linux-libre[42]; and Linux Surface[43].

FAQs

Where was Linus Torvalds born?

Linus Torvalds's place of birth was Helsinki[2].

Who were Linus Torvalds's parents?

Linus Torvalds's father was Nils Torvalds[10]. Linus Torvalds's mother was Anna Torvalds[11].

Who was Linus Torvalds married to?

Linus Torvalds's spouses include Tove Torvalds[12].

What did Linus Torvalds do for work?

Linus Torvalds worked as programmer[4], software developer[5], writer[6], inventor[7], and blogger[8].

Where did Linus Torvalds go to school?

Linus Torvalds was educated at Svenska normallyceum[22].

What awards did Linus Torvalds receive?

Honors received include Millennium Technology Prize[26], Computer Pioneer Award[27], Suuret suomalaiset[50], and Lovelace Medal[51].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [2] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  2. [10] . wikidata.org.
  3. [11] . wikidata.org.
  4. [12] . wikidata.org.
  5. [16] . bbc.co.uk. Retrieved . bbc.co.uk. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  6. [17] . Biografiskt lexikon för Finland. wikidata.org.
  7. [13] . wikidata.org.
  8. [14] . wikidata.org.
  9. [15] . wikidata.org.
  10. [22] . wikidata.org.
  11. [20] . wikidata.org.
  12. [18] . Biografiskt lexikon för Finland. wikidata.org.
  13. [4] . nndb.com. Retrieved . nndb.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  14. [5] . wikidata.org.
  15. [6] . wikidata.org.
  16. [7] . wikidata.org.
  17. [8] . torvalds-family.blogspot.com. Retrieved . torvalds-family.blogspot.com. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  18. [19] . wikidata.org.
  19. [21] . wikidata.org.
  20. [61] . wikidata.org.
  21. [26] . millenniumprize.org. millenniumprize.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  22. [27] . computer.org. Retrieved . computer.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  23. [50] . wikidata.org.
  24. [51] . bcs.org. Retrieved . bcs.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  25. [55] . wikidata.org.
  26. [58] . eff.org. Retrieved . eff.org. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  27. [31] . wikidata.org.
  28. [3] . Integrated Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  29. [23] . wikidata.org.
  30. [24] . wikidata.org.
  31. [25] . wikidata.org.

Product details (FDA / USDA / NHTSA public-domain catalog data)

  1. [28] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.
  2. [29] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.
  3. [30] . MusicBrainz (MetaBrainz Foundation). musicbrainz.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [64] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [32] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [34] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [37] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [40] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [42] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [43] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [48] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [52] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [54] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [56] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [59] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [60] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [65] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [9] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [62] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [63] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

📑 Cite this page

Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Linus Torvalds. Retrieved March 9, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/linus-torvalds
MLA “Linus Torvalds.” 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph, 4ort.xyz, 9 Mar. 2026, https://4ort.xyz/entity/linus-torvalds.
BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_linus-torvalds_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Linus Torvalds}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/linus-torvalds}, note = {Accessed: 2026-03-09}}
LLM prompt According to 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph (aggregator of Wikidata, Wikipedia, and authoritative open-data sources): Linus Torvalds — https://4ort.xyz/entity/linus-torvalds (retrieved 2026-03-09)

Canonical URL: https://4ort.xyz/entity/linus-torvalds · Last refreshed:

Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 21d ago · Epìdosis · 2026-05-15 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Image purged license
    Image needs reharvest
    Image last checked license
    Image purged at
    + 2 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbremoveclaims-remove:1| */ [[Property:P1871]]: cnp00841362, [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/257929|batch #257929]]"
Live feed via Wikidata EventStreams. New edits appear within minutes of being made on Wikidata.