When you think of the Kardashian empire, Kim usually takes up all the oxygen in the room. It’s almost by design. But if you’re looking at the actual birth certificates, the crown for the the kardashians who is the oldest belongs to Kourtney Kardashian Barker. Honestly, it’s a bit of a trivia stumper because she’s often the most low-key member of the family, even if "low-key" still involves a private jet and a lifestyle brand.
Kourtney was born on April 18, 1979.
That makes her the firstborn of the "OG" Kardashian crew, followed by Kim, Khloé, and eventually Rob. While she’s the eldest of Kris Jenner’s children, the family tree gets a lot more tangled when you add the Jenner side of the house. People often forget that by the time Kendall and Kylie were even born in the mid-90s, Kourtney was already navigating her teens and heading off to college.
Why the Birth Order Actually Matters in the Kardashian Empire
Being the oldest isn't just a fun fact; it shaped the entire dynamic of their first reality show. When Keeping Up with the Kardashians premiered back in 2007, Kourtney was 28. She wasn't some teenager looking for fame. She was a grown woman running a boutique called DASH.
You’ve probably seen the old episodes where she’s the one rolling her eyes at the drama. That’s classic big-sister energy. Because she was the first to experience everything—from their parents' divorce to the sudden spotlight of the O.J. Simpson trial—she developed a sort of "done with it" attitude that became her TV persona.
The Age Gap Breakdown
To understand the scale of the family, you have to look at the years between them. It’s not just a year or two.
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- Kourtney Kardashian Barker: April 18, 1979
- Kim Kardashian: October 21, 1980 (About 18 months younger)
- Khloé Kardashian: June 27, 1984 (5 years younger)
- Rob Kardashian: March 17, 1987 (8 years younger)
When you jump to the Jenner sisters, the gap is massive. Kourtney is 16 years older than Kendall and 18 years older than Kylie. Basically, she could have been their babysitter. In many ways, she was. This huge age difference is why the "Kardashian" side and the "Jenner" side sometimes feel like two different generations of fame.
The Oldest Sibling's Pivot: From Reality Star to Wellness Guru
For a long time, Kourtney was labeled as "the one who doesn't want to work." That was a major plot point on the show. Kim and Khloé would constantly grill her about her lack of "passion."
But being the kardashians who is the oldest comes with a different perspective. While Kim was focused on building a billion-dollar beauty and shapewear brand, Kourtney shifted toward wellness. She launched Poosh in 2019. It’s a lifestyle site that covers everything from "clean" eating to how to have a better sex life.
She followed that up with Lemme, her line of vitamin supplements. It’s a move that feels very on-brand for the sibling who was always the most concerned about what was in her kids' snacks.
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The Travis Barker Era
Kourtney’s life took a hard turn into the spotlight again when she started dating Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. They got married (multiple times) in 2022. Suddenly, the "boring" sister was the one in leather jackets and public displays of affection that made everyone a little uncomfortable.
In November 2023, they welcomed their son, Rocky Thirteen Barker. Adding a newborn to the mix when you're in your mid-40s is a big deal, and Kourtney has been pretty open about her IVF journey and the struggles of a later-in-life pregnancy. It’s probably the most "real" she’s ever been on camera.
Common Misconceptions About the Family Ages
Is Kourtney the oldest person in the family? No.
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That title belongs to the matriarch, Kris Jenner, born in 1955. And if we’re talking about all the siblings including the step-siblings from Caitlyn Jenner’s previous marriages, the list gets even longer. Burt Jenner (born in 1978) is actually older than Kourtney.
But when people search for the kardashians who is the oldest, they’re almost always talking about the core group we see on the Hulu show. In that specific circle, Kourtney is the undisputed leader of the pack.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Researchers
If you're trying to keep the Kardashian timeline straight, remember these three things:
- Check the college degrees: Kourtney is one of the few siblings who actually finished university. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Theatre Arts. This education often gave her a different outlook on the family business than her sisters.
- Look at the branding: Kourtney’s brands (Poosh, Lemme) target a slightly older, "wellness-conscious" demographic compared to Kylie’s Gen Z-focused makeup or Kim’s mass-market SKIMS.
- The "First Grandchild" Marker: Kourtney was also the first to make Kris Jenner a grandmother. Her son Mason was born in 2009, long before the "baby boom" that saw Kim and Kylie having kids at the same time.
The next time someone tries to tell you Kim is the oldest because she’s the "leader," you can politely correct them. Kourtney has been the big sister since 1979, and she isn't letting go of that title anytime soon.
Next Steps for You
To get a full picture of the family’s evolution, you should look into the founding of DASH in Calabasas. It was the original business venture that Kourtney led before the reality TV cameras even arrived, proving she had the business mindset long before the "momager" took over.