The Guinness World Records (originally known as The Guinness Book of Records) was established in 1955.
The concept originated in the early 1950s from Sir Hugh Beaver, managing director of Guinness Breweries, after a debate during a 1951 shooting party in Ireland about the fastest game bird, which couldn’t be settled due to lack of reference material. In 1954, he commissioned twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter to compile the book.
The first edition was published on August 27, 1955 (as confirmed by official Guinness World Records sources, Wikipedia, and historical accounts like History Today and Britannica). Some references note an initial promotional run or completion earlier in 1955, with public sale starting around October 3, 1955, but 1955—specifically the publication in late August—is widely recognized as the establishment year.
It began as a promotional item for Guinness pubs but quickly became a bestseller and evolved into the global authority on world records. As of recent editions (e.g., 2025–2026), it has celebrated over 70 years.