Assange er født i [[Townsville]] i Queensland og tilbragte det meste af sin ungdom på [[Magnetic Island]].<ref>[www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/wikileaks-founder-julian-assange-a-born-and-bred-queenslander/story-e6freoof-1225898281283 "Wikileaks founder Julian Assange a born and bred Queenslander". The Courier-Mail. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 4 December 2010.]</ref> Hans biologiske forældre var John Shipton og Christine. Christine var datter af Warren Hawkins fra Sydney og rektor for [[Northern Rivers College]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jan/30/julian-assange-wikileaks-profile Leigh], David (30 January 2011). "Julian Assange: the teen hacker who became insurgent in information war". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2011.]</ref><ref>[http://www.northernstar.com.au/story/2010/07/29/wikileaks-founders-lismore-roots/ Feain, Dominic (29 July 2010). "WikiLeaks founder's Lismore roots"]. The Northern Star. Retrieved 18 May 2011.]</ref> Assange har hævdet at hans "bedstefar var en taiwansk pirat".<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023140/WikiLeaks-Julian-Assange-portrayed-predatory-narcissistic-fantasist-new-book.html ''The WikiFreak: In a new book one author reveals how she got to know Julian Assange and found him a predatory, narcissistic fantasist'', dailymail.co.uk, 7. august 2011]</ref> Da Julian var et år gammel, blev hans mor Christine gift med teaterdirektør Brett Assange, som gav ham sit efternavn,<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-01-31/assange-dressed-as-old-woman-to-evade-cia/1923842 ''Assange 'dressed as old woman' to evade CIA'', abc.net.au, 31. januar 2011]</ref>
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