A mụrụ Arthur Ashkin na Brooklyn, New York, n'afọ 1922, n'ezinụlọ nke ndị Ukraine na ndị Juu. Nne na nna ya bụ Isadore na Anna Ashkin. O nwere ụmụnne nwoke abụọ, nwanne nwoke, Julius, onye bụkwa onye ọkà mmụta sayensị, na nwanne nwanyị, Ruth. Otu nwanne nwoke nke okenye, Gertrude, nwụrụ mgbe ọ dị obere. Ụlọ ezinụlọ dị na Brooklyn, New York, na 983 E 27 Street. Isadore (né Ashkinazi) si na Odessa (mgbe ahụ Alaeze Ukwu Russia, ugbu a Ukraine), kwaga United States mgbe ọ dị afọ 18. Anna, afọ ise na-eto eto, sikwa na Ukraine nke oge a, mgbe ahụ Galicia, Alaeze Ukwu Austro-Hungarian. N'ime afọ iri nke ịbata ya na New York, Isadore ghọrọ nwa amaala US ma na-agba ọsọ ụlọ nyocha na 139 Dely Street na Manhattan. Ashkin zutere nwunye ya, Cornell Aline, na Mahadum United States, ha lụrụ ya na nwa ha nwoke Michael, onye bụ onye nkụzi kemistri na ihe karịrị afọ 60.
Isadore