Adeline Virginia Stephen was born on January 25, 1882 in London, England and the daughter of Julia Jackson Ducksworth and Sir Leslie Stephen. Julia, her mother, was a member of Ducksworth publishing family and the descendant of Marie Antoinette. She was first married to Herbert Ducksworth with whom she had three children: George, Stella and Gerald. Sir Leslie Stephen, her father, was a literary critic and an English author. He was first married to Hariet Marion and had a daughter, Laura Makepeace Stephen. Julia and Leslie married in 1875 and had Thoby, Adrian, Virginia and Vanessa. (Young 23)

Virginia was educated at home by her father at Hyde Park Gate in London where she had full access to her father's large library. She didn't enjoy her childhood as much as she would like, and Woolf described her experience as,"No school; mooning about alone among my father's books; never any chance to pick up all that goes on in schools鈥攖hrowing balls; ragging; slang; vulgarities; scenes; jealousies!" She would spend long hours at her father's library reading books, because she was determined to become a writer like her father. (Caws 46)

Her most fondest childhood memory was at the Talland House in St. Ives, Cornwall where the setting of most of her novels occured such as one of her famous books, To the Lighthouse. She spent most of her childhood summer vacations, holidays and family gatherings there. She remembers it as a "fun and festive place to stay." It looked over the Porthminister Bay and the Godrevy Lighthouse. (Rich)