Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was born in 1875 in Nadiad, Gujarat. Vallabhbhai himself stated that "I have to bluff" when people asked him how old he was, for his actual date of birth was never officially recorded. Patel entered October 31st as his date of birth on his matriculation examination papers.He was the fourth son of Jhaverbhai Patel and Ladba, and lived in the village of Karamsad, in the Kheda district. Somabhai, Narsibhai and Vithalbhai Patel were his elder brothers; the latter was also a major figure in the struggle for Independence, although at odds with Gandhi's leadership. He had a younger brother, Kashibhai, and a sister, Dahiba.

Young Vallabh helped his father in the fields, and kept a fast for 24 hours, twice a month- abstaining from food and water.He entered school late, and received virtually no interest or support for his education from his family.He traveled from Nadiad to Petlad and Borsad to complete his schooling, living on his own with other boys like him, and taking his matriculation at the age of 22. At this point, he was seen as an unambitious, average young man with no perceivable future save as a householder. But Vallabhbhai assiduously worked to a ambitious yet sober plan: he would pass the Pleader's examination and earn as a simple lawyer. Saving enough money, he would journey to England to become a barrister.During the many years it took him to save money, Vallabhbhai the pleader earned a reputation of fierceness, ruthlessness as a lawyer. His name was revered by his peers. He had built a character of stoicism and discipline, lancing a painful boil without hesitation on his own,and living for years away from his parents and brothers to make his own way in life. During these years, Vallabhbhai fetched his wife Jhaverba (they had been married at young age), and set up his household. His wife bore him two children - Mani, a girl in 1904, and Dahya, a boy in 1906. Vallabhbhai cared for a personal friend when the plague swept the state, and even briefly suffered from the killer disease. When he learned that he had caught the disease, he immediately sent away his family to safety and left his home for a Nadiad (or by some accounts, a dilapidated temple), where he recovered.Not much is known about his wife since she died at the young age of 29 in 1909 in Bombay, and Vallabhbhai was an extremely reserved man. He chose against marrying again.

Vallabhbhai never flouted the traditions of his family and took on the burdens of his homestead even while saving for England and supporting a young family, Vallabhbhai also made way for his brother Vithal to travel to England in place of him, on his own saved money and opportunity. The famous episode occurred as the tickets and pass arrived in the name of "V. J. Patel", and arrived at his brother's home, who bore the same initials. Vallabhbhai did not hesitate to make way for his elder brother's ambition before his own, and funded his trip as well.At the age of 36, he journeyed to England and enrolled at the Middle Temple Inn in London. Finishing a 36 month course in 30 months, Vallabhbhai topped his class despite having no previous college background. He returned to the city of Ahmedabad, and became one of the city's most prominent barristers. Patel was also elected Ahmedabad's sanitation commissioner and municipal president in the 1920s, improving life for the common people while increasing his experience in public administration and politics. During his terms, Ahmedabad was extended a major supply of electricity, a massively improved drainage and sanitation system and major education reforms. He even took on sensitive Hindu-Muslim issues decisively, with the overall objective of looking after the wider population of the city.