- Guinness World Records began to settle a dispute about the fastest bird in the 1950s
- Sir Hugh Beaver commissioned researchers Ross and Norris McWhirter to compile record facts
- The first edition was published in August 1955 and has sold over 150 million copies
The Guinness World Records (GWR), originally known as the Guinness Book of Records, is believed to be the last word on record-breaking accomplishments, and it all began as a collection of facts to settle disputes in pubs. The GWR has a unique and fascinating origin story rooted in a missed shot during a bird hunt.
When a post on X asked to share a "piece of lore about yourself, GWR responded, reflecting on what laid the foundation for it.
"We were founded because two people couldn't agree on what the fastest bird was whilst they were out hunting," it posted.
we were founded because two people couldn't agree on what the fastest bird was whilst they were out hunting https://t.co/lHKeEJCwxg
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) July 9, 2025
The Beginning (1950s)
It was the 1950s. Guinness Breweries managing director, Sir Hugh Beaver (1890–1967), attended a shooting event in County Wexford where he got into a heated argument with his friends after failing to find the answer in any reference book about the fastest game bird in Europe.
This incident gave Sir Hugh the idea that there ought to be a book that could end these discussions—a reference manual with facts from an array of topics—that people might use to settle conflicts.
First Edition Creation (1954–1955)
In 1954, Sir Hugh recalled his shooting event debate and came up with the concept for a Guinness campaign based on the idea of resolving pub arguments. He contacted the fact-finding researchers from Fleet Street, twins Ross McWhirter and Norris, to create a book of facts and statistics.
They started assembling a comprehensive and painstakingly studied list of record-breaking accomplishments, including everything from sports to natural events to human achievements to oddities from all across the globe, in 1954.
The original ‘Guinness Book of Records' was created in August 1955. It is among the best-selling copyrighted works in publishing history, with an average of over 3.5 million copies sold each year and more than 150 million copies since its initial publication. It is published all around the world and has been translated into over 40 languages.
What Guinness World Records does
The book is most famous for its lists and descriptions of records about various extremes of size, speed, and distance. Some of the examples are the tallest person, the heaviest onion, the fastest animal, and the most distant human-made object in the world.
It also lists unusual and challenging competitive challenges, such as arranging the most coins in 30 seconds, shooting the longest arrow with only one's feet, and cramming the most people into a large car, among others.
Today
In 1999, the Guinness Book of World Records changed its name to Guinness World Records to reflect its expanding business, per USA Today. The company also branched out from publishing books to other endeavours, such as a museum of its records in Hollywood and a television program called "Guinness World Records Primetime" in the United States.
With offices in London, New York, Beijing, Tokyo, and Dubai, as well as brand ambassadors and panellists on the ground all over the world, Guinness World Records is a global brand today.
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