Harry Kroto was born on 7 October 1939 in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England, UK. He was married to Margaret Hunter. He died on 30 April 2016 in East Sussex, England, UK.
His father, who was Jewish, and his mother went to England as refugees from Nazi Germany and eventually changed the family name to Kroto. His father ran a small business making balloons and decorating them with images. From childhood, Harry was interested in graphic design.