Cleese was born in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, the only child of Reginald Francis Cleese (1893–1972), an insurance salesman, and his wife Muriel Evelyn (née Cross, 1899–2000), the daughter of an auctioneer. His family's surname was originally Cheese, but his father had thought it was embarrassing and used the name Cleese when he enlisted in the Army during the First World War; he changed it officially by deed poll in 1923.
Πω πω! Χώρες με μηδενική κατανάλωση τυριού! Τί δυστυχία!
(στο ΗΒ πάντως οι Έλληνες που ξέρω παραγγέλνουν πίτσα με εξτρα έξτρα τυρί, γιατί αλλιώς θα φάνε ψωμί με ντομάτα).