An haifi Nikola Tesla a cikin ƙauyen Smiljan, gundumar Lika, a cikin Daular Austriya (a yau Croatia), a ranar 10 ga Yuli [O.S. 28 Yuni] 1856. Mahaifinsa, Milutin Tesla (1819<unk>1879), firist ne na Orthodox na Gabas. Mahaifiyar Tesla, Đuka Tesla (née Mandić; 1822<unk>1892), wanda mahaifinsa kuma firist ne na Orthodox, yana da baiwa don yin kayan aikin gida da kayan aikin injiniya da kuma ikon haddace waƙoƙin almara na Serbia. Đuka bai taɓa samun ilimi na yau da kullun ba. Tesla ya yaba da ƙwaƙwalwar ajiyar sa da ƙwarewar kirkirar sa ga ilimin halittar mahaifiyarsa da kuma tasirinsa. Kakannin Tesla sun fito ne daga yammacin Serbia, kusa da Montenegro. Tesla shi ne na huɗu na yara biyar. Yana da 'yan'uwa mata uku, Milina, Angelina da Marica Higmet, kuma tsohuwar dan Austriya, wanda ake kira Danish Orthodox.
Milka, Angelina da kuma Marica,