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Galileo was born on February 15, 1564 in the Pisa, Italy to a musician father, Vincenzo, who also traded wool, and Guilia, who came from Pescia. As the oldest of seven children, he was expected to be successful, and his father wanted him to study medicine. Galileo actually came from a family of nobility and there had always been a doctor in the family for many generations. Thus, Galileo had some big shoes to fill. After nine years in Pisa, the family, without Galileo, returned to Vincenzo's home town of Florence. Galileo stayed in Pisa with his uncle, who was Guilia's brother-in-law. After living with his uncle for two years, Galileo, now 10 years old, moved to Florence. A year later, he started his studies at a monastery, located 33 kilomenters from Florence.
Other than that, not much is known about his childhood. Eventually his father died and Galileo had to take care of the family. He never married but did have a mistress who bore him three children: two girls and a boy. His mistress eventually moved on and married another man (St. Andrews University).