Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Kingsley bụ nwa nke anọ n'ime ụmụ ise nke Reverend Charles Kingsley na nwunye ya Mary; a mụrụ ya na Barnack, Northamptonshire na 14 February 1826. Charles Kingsley na onye edemede Henry Kingsley bụ ụmụnne ya, na onye edemede Charlotte Chanter bụ nwanne ya nwanyị. Ọ gụrụ akwụkwọ na King's College School, London, na Mahadum nke Edinburgh, ebe ọ gụsịrị akwụkwọ na M.D. na 1846, na Paris, ebe ọ merụrụ ahụ nke nta n'oge
ihe mgbochi nke 1848. Mgbe e mesịrị na 1848, nwanne ya nwoke bụ Charles chetara ọrụ ya n'ịlụso ntiwapụ nke ọrịa ọgbụgbọ na England ọgụ n'ihe osise Tom Thurnall na "Two Years Ago".