| Ancestor | Meaning of name | Where | When | Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homo habilis | Handy man | Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania and Kenya | 2-6 million years ago | Chopper stone tools |
| Homo erectus | Upright man - walked on two legs | Eastern African Rift Valley | 2 million years ago | Hand axes and cleavers |
| Homo neanderthalensis | — | Europe and Southwest Asia | Till about 40,000 years ago | Middle Palaeolithic flake tools |
| Homo sapiens | Wise man | All over the earth | Evolved 300,000 years ago; alive today | Complex technologies |
Summary table of early ancestors
Last updated at August 31, 2026 by Teachoo