Christopher Columbus was most likely from Genoa, in the Republic of Genoa, which is part of what is now Italy. He was born around the year 1451. This is the widely accepted and traditional view supported by historical documents and Columbus's own references to Genoa as his homeland. His real name was Cristoforo Colombo, and he came from a family involved in the wool weaving business. There are alternative theories about his origins, including claims that he might have been from Galicia in Spain, Portugal, Corsica, or even of Jewish Spanish origin, but the consensus among historians remains that he was Genoese by birth and upbringing.
Columbus left Genoa as a young man, spent time in Portugal, and later moved to Spain where he received support for his famous transatlantic voyages. Despite controversies and competing theories, the Genoese origin is the most substantiated by historical evidence and scholarly research.