Lâm was born in 1894. Lâm's father was Mạnh Cung (Khắc Nhu) and her mother was Hoan Đỗ. Her paternal grandparents were Phương and Bang Trần. She had two brothers and two sisters, named Kha, Hồ, Thảo and Diêm. She was the third oldest of the five children.