An haifi Engelbart a Portland, Oregon, a ranar 30 ga Janairu, 1925, zuwa Carl Louis Engelbart da Gladys Charlotte Amelia Munson Engelbart. Kakanninsa sun kasance daga asalin Jamus, Sweden da Norwegian.Ya kasance tsakiyar yara uku, tare da 'yar'uwa Dorianne (shekaru uku), da kuma ɗan'uwa David (watanni 14).Iyalin ya zauna a Portland, Oregon, a farkon shekarunsa, kuma ya koma yankunan karkara kusa da Johnson Creek lokacin da yake 8.Mahaifinsa ya mutu shekara guda daga baya. Ya sauke karatu daga makarantar sakandaren Franklin na Portland a 1942.
Carl Louis Engelbart da kuma Gladys Charlotte Amelia Munson Engelbart