She was the fourth child and only daughter to Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophie of Bavaria.

Named in honor of her paternal aunt Maria Anna of Savoy,[1] Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria was born on 27 October 1835, in Vienna, Austria.

Her father was Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and her mother was Princess Sophie of Bavaria.

She was baptized with the names of Maria Anna Karolina Annunziata Johanna Josepha Gabriela Theresa Katharina Margaretha Philomena,[2] although in the family she was called Ännchen.

At birth, she seemed to be robust, however, she soon started to show signs of epilepsy,[a] and had died at the early age of 4 after a violent seizure.