Born on April 24, 1853 in Paris to Louis and Zoe Bertillon. He has an older brother named Jacques Bertillon, born November 11, 1851. Alphonse passed before his brother Jacques.
During his younger years, Alphonse went to secondary school. He attended the Imperial Lycée of Versailles. Sadly, he was expelled for reasons unknown. Shortly after he was conscripted into the French army in 1875. When he returned from the war he did not pursue a higher education.