Ada Lovelace was born in London, England, the only legitimate child of the famous poet Lord Byron and Lady Anne Isabella Milbanke Byron. Her birth and subsequent upbringing were greatly affected by the tumultuous relationship and eventual separation of her parents. Lord Byron left England when Ada was just a few months old and never returned, leaving Lady Byron to raise Ada alone.

Following Lord Byron's permanent departure from England, Lady Byron, determined to prevent Ada from inheriting her father's perceived madness, focused on cultivating Ada's rational and logical mind. She emphasized mathematics and science, hiring tutors to ensure Ada received a rigorous education – a relatively unusual path for women of that era.