Brockovich ni a bi ni Erin Pattee ni Lawrence, Kansas, ọmọbinrin Betty Jo (born O'Neal; c. 1923<unk>2008), onise iroyin, ati Frank Pattee (1924<unk>2011), onimọ-ẹrọ ile-iṣẹ ati ẹrọ orin bọọlu afẹsẹgba. O ni awọn arakunrin meji, Frank Jr. ati Thomas (1954<unk>1992), ati arabinrin kan, Jodie. O pari lati Ile-ẹkọ giga Lawrence, lẹhinna lọ si Ile-ẹkọ giga ti Ipinle Kansas, ni Manhattan, Kansas, o si gboye pẹlu Associate ni Awọn oye Arts Degree lati Wade College ni Dallas, Texas. O ṣiṣẹ bi alakoso alakoso alakoso fun Kmart ni ọdun 1981 ṣugbọn fi silẹ lẹhin awọn oṣu diẹ o si wọ inu ẹwa ẹwa kan. O gba Miss Pacific Coast ni ọdun 1981 o si fi ẹwa ẹwa silẹ lẹhin iṣẹgun. O ti ngbe ni California lati ọdun 1982.
Erin Pattee