diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/customLastUpdate.md b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/customLastUpdate.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b8e37d4f8a9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/customLastUpdate.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+title: Custom Last Update
+last_update:
+  author: Custom Author
+  date: 1/1/2000
+---
+
+Custom last update
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly.md b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4929ed91a9c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+title: Last Update Author Only
+last_update:
+  author: Custom Author
+---
+
+Only custom author, so it will still use the date from Git
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly.md b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f9bfeb9759d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/simple-site/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+title: Last Update Date Only
+last_update:
+  date: 1/1/2000
+---
+
+Only custom date, so it will still use the author from Git
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/docs.test.ts.snap b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/docs.test.ts.snap
index f05c66e2aa21..69401a06a04c 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/docs.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/docs.test.ts.snap
@@ -3,13 +3,24 @@
 exports[`simple site custom pagination 1`] = `
 {
   "pagination": [
+    {
+      "id": "customLastUpdate",
+      "next": {
+        "permalink": "/docs/doc with space",
+        "title": "Hoo hoo, if this path tricks you...",
+      },
+      "prev": undefined,
+    },
     {
       "id": "doc with space",
       "next": {
         "permalink": "/docs/doc-draft",
         "title": "doc-draft",
       },
-      "prev": undefined,
+      "prev": {
+        "permalink": "/docs/customLastUpdate",
+        "title": "Custom Last Update",
+      },
     },
     {
       "id": "doc-draft",
@@ -63,14 +74,36 @@ exports[`simple site custom pagination 1`] = `
     {
       "id": "ipsum",
       "next": {
-        "permalink": "/docs/lorem",
-        "title": "lorem",
+        "permalink": "/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+        "title": "Last Update Author Only",
       },
       "prev": {
         "permalink": "/docs/",
         "title": "Hello sidebar_label",
       },
     },
+    {
+      "id": "lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+      "next": {
+        "permalink": "/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly",
+        "title": "Last Update Date Only",
+      },
+      "prev": {
+        "permalink": "/docs/ipsum",
+        "title": "ipsum",
+      },
+    },
+    {
+      "id": "lastUpdateDateOnly",
+      "next": {
+        "permalink": "/docs/lorem",
+        "title": "lorem",
+      },
+      "prev": {
+        "permalink": "/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+        "title": "Last Update Author Only",
+      },
+    },
     {
       "id": "lorem",
       "next": {
@@ -78,8 +111,8 @@ exports[`simple site custom pagination 1`] = `
         "title": "rootAbsoluteSlug",
       },
       "prev": {
-        "permalink": "/docs/ipsum",
-        "title": "ipsum",
+        "permalink": "/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly",
+        "title": "Last Update Date Only",
       },
     },
     {
@@ -170,6 +203,10 @@ exports[`simple site custom pagination 1`] = `
   ],
   "sidebars": {
     "defaultSidebar": [
+      {
+        "id": "customLastUpdate",
+        "type": "doc",
+      },
       {
         "id": "doc with space",
         "type": "doc",
@@ -208,6 +245,14 @@ exports[`simple site custom pagination 1`] = `
         "id": "ipsum",
         "type": "doc",
       },
+      {
+        "id": "lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+        "type": "doc",
+      },
+      {
+        "id": "lastUpdateDateOnly",
+        "type": "doc",
+      },
       {
         "id": "lorem",
         "type": "doc",
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
index c8b0408c5ee1..c428a6c55e86 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/index.test.ts.snap
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ These sidebar document ids do not exist:
 - nonExistent
 
 Available document ids are:
+- customLastUpdate
 - doc with space
 - doc-draft
 - foo/bar
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@ Available document ids are:
 - headingAsTitle
 - hello
 - ipsum
+- lastUpdateAuthorOnly
+- lastUpdateDateOnly
 - lorem
 - rootAbsoluteSlug
 - rootRelativeSlug
@@ -267,6 +270,11 @@ exports[`simple website content 5`] = `
       "versions": [
         {
           "docs": [
+            {
+              "id": "customLastUpdate",
+              "path": "/docs/customLastUpdate",
+              "sidebar": undefined,
+            },
             {
               "id": "doc with space",
               "path": "/docs/doc with space",
@@ -302,6 +310,16 @@ exports[`simple website content 5`] = `
               "path": "/docs/ipsum",
               "sidebar": undefined,
             },
+            {
+              "id": "lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+              "path": "/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+              "sidebar": undefined,
+            },
+            {
+              "id": "lastUpdateDateOnly",
+              "path": "/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly",
+              "sidebar": undefined,
+            },
             {
               "id": "lorem",
               "path": "/docs/lorem",
@@ -390,6 +408,26 @@ exports[`simple website content: data 1`] = `
       "permalink": "/docs/rootAbsoluteSlug"
     }
   }
+}",
+  "site-docs-custom-last-update-md-b8d.json": "{
+  "unversionedId": "customLastUpdate",
+  "id": "customLastUpdate",
+  "title": "Custom Last Update",
+  "description": "Custom last update",
+  "source": "@site/docs/customLastUpdate.md",
+  "sourceDirName": ".",
+  "slug": "/customLastUpdate",
+  "permalink": "/docs/customLastUpdate",
+  "draft": false,
+  "tags": [],
+  "version": "current",
+  "frontMatter": {
+    "title": "Custom Last Update",
+    "last_update": {
+      "author": "Custom Author",
+      "date": "1/1/2000"
+    }
+  }
 }",
   "site-docs-doc-draft-md-584.json": "{
   "unversionedId": "doc-draft",
@@ -563,6 +601,44 @@ exports[`simple website content: data 1`] = `
   "frontMatter": {
     "custom_edit_url": null
   }
+}",
+  "site-docs-last-update-author-only-md-352.json": "{
+  "unversionedId": "lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+  "id": "lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+  "title": "Last Update Author Only",
+  "description": "Only custom author, so it will still use the date from Git",
+  "source": "@site/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly.md",
+  "sourceDirName": ".",
+  "slug": "/lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+  "permalink": "/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+  "draft": false,
+  "tags": [],
+  "version": "current",
+  "frontMatter": {
+    "title": "Last Update Author Only",
+    "last_update": {
+      "author": "Custom Author"
+    }
+  }
+}",
+  "site-docs-last-update-date-only-md-987.json": "{
+  "unversionedId": "lastUpdateDateOnly",
+  "id": "lastUpdateDateOnly",
+  "title": "Last Update Date Only",
+  "description": "Only custom date, so it will still use the author from Git",
+  "source": "@site/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly.md",
+  "sourceDirName": ".",
+  "slug": "/lastUpdateDateOnly",
+  "permalink": "/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly",
+  "draft": false,
+  "tags": [],
+  "version": "current",
+  "frontMatter": {
+    "title": "Last Update Date Only",
+    "last_update": {
+      "date": "1/1/2000"
+    }
+  }
 }",
   "site-docs-lorem-md-b27.json": "{
   "unversionedId": "lorem",
@@ -924,6 +1000,11 @@ exports[`simple website content: data 1`] = `
     ]
   },
   "docs": {
+    "customLastUpdate": {
+      "id": "customLastUpdate",
+      "title": "Custom Last Update",
+      "description": "Custom last update"
+    },
     "doc with space": {
       "id": "doc with space",
       "title": "Hoo hoo, if this path tricks you...",
@@ -963,6 +1044,16 @@ exports[`simple website content: data 1`] = `
       "title": "ipsum",
       "description": "Lorem ipsum."
     },
+    "lastUpdateAuthorOnly": {
+      "id": "lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+      "title": "Last Update Author Only",
+      "description": "Only custom author, so it will still use the date from Git"
+    },
+    "lastUpdateDateOnly": {
+      "id": "lastUpdateDateOnly",
+      "title": "Last Update Date Only",
+      "description": "Only custom date, so it will still use the author from Git"
+    },
     "lorem": {
       "id": "lorem",
       "title": "lorem",
@@ -1026,6 +1117,11 @@ exports[`simple website content: global data 1`] = `
       "versions": [
         {
           "docs": [
+            {
+              "id": "customLastUpdate",
+              "path": "/docs/customLastUpdate",
+              "sidebar": undefined,
+            },
             {
               "id": "doc with space",
               "path": "/docs/doc with space",
@@ -1061,6 +1157,16 @@ exports[`simple website content: global data 1`] = `
               "path": "/docs/ipsum",
               "sidebar": undefined,
             },
+            {
+              "id": "lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+              "path": "/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+              "sidebar": undefined,
+            },
+            {
+              "id": "lastUpdateDateOnly",
+              "path": "/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly",
+              "sidebar": undefined,
+            },
             {
               "id": "lorem",
               "path": "/docs/lorem",
@@ -1202,6 +1308,14 @@ exports[`simple website content: route config 1`] = `
         "path": "/docs/category/slugs",
         "sidebar": "docs",
       },
+      {
+        "component": "@theme/DocItem",
+        "exact": true,
+        "modules": {
+          "content": "@site/docs/customLastUpdate.md",
+        },
+        "path": "/docs/customLastUpdate",
+      },
       {
         "component": "@theme/DocItem",
         "exact": true,
@@ -1262,6 +1376,22 @@ exports[`simple website content: route config 1`] = `
         },
         "path": "/docs/ipsum",
       },
+      {
+        "component": "@theme/DocItem",
+        "exact": true,
+        "modules": {
+          "content": "@site/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly.md",
+        },
+        "path": "/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly",
+      },
+      {
+        "component": "@theme/DocItem",
+        "exact": true,
+        "modules": {
+          "content": "@site/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly.md",
+        },
+        "path": "/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly",
+      },
       {
         "component": "@theme/DocItem",
         "exact": true,
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/docs.test.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/docs.test.ts
index 9a338c5bf9d2..88b74733f7ce 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/docs.test.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/docs.test.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ ${markdown}
   return {
     source,
     content,
-    lastUpdate: {},
     contentPath: 'docs',
     filePath: source,
   };
@@ -79,7 +78,7 @@ function createTestUtils({
   env = 'production',
 }: TestUtilsArg) {
   async function readDoc(docFileSource: string) {
-    return readDocFile(versionMetadata, docFileSource, options);
+    return readDocFile(versionMetadata, docFileSource);
   }
   async function processDocFile(docFileArg: DocFile | string) {
     const docFile: DocFile =
@@ -119,7 +118,7 @@ function createTestUtils({
 
   async function testSlug(docFileSource: string, expectedPermalink: string) {
     const docFile = await readDoc(docFileSource);
-    const metadata = processDocMetadata({
+    const metadata = await processDocMetadata({
       docFile,
       versionMetadata,
       context,
@@ -137,14 +136,16 @@ function createTestUtils({
     }[];
     sidebars: Sidebars;
   }> {
-    const rawDocs = docFiles.map((docFile) =>
-      processDocMetadata({
-        docFile,
-        versionMetadata,
-        context,
-        options,
-        env: 'production',
-      }),
+    const rawDocs = await Promise.all(
+      docFiles.map(async (docFile) =>
+        processDocMetadata({
+          docFile,
+          versionMetadata,
+          context,
+          options,
+          env: 'production',
+        }),
+      ),
     );
     const sidebars = await loadSidebars(versionMetadata.sidebarFilePath, {
       sidebarItemsGenerator: ({defaultSidebarItemsGenerator, ...args}) =>
@@ -230,6 +231,9 @@ describe('simple site', () => {
         'headingAsTitle.md',
         'doc with space.md',
         'doc-draft.md',
+        'customLastUpdate.md',
+        'lastUpdateAuthorOnly.md',
+        'lastUpdateDateOnly.md',
         'foo/bar.md',
         'foo/baz.md',
         'slugs/absoluteSlug.md',
@@ -481,6 +485,164 @@ describe('simple site', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('docs with last_update front matter', async () => {
+    const {siteDir, context, options, currentVersion, createTestUtilsPartial} =
+      await loadSite({
+        options: {
+          showLastUpdateAuthor: true,
+          showLastUpdateTime: true,
+        },
+      });
+
+    const testUtilsLocal = createTestUtilsPartial({
+      siteDir,
+      context,
+      options,
+      versionMetadata: currentVersion,
+    });
+
+    await testUtilsLocal.testMeta('customLastUpdate.md', {
+      version: 'current',
+      id: 'customLastUpdate',
+      unversionedId: 'customLastUpdate',
+      sourceDirName: '.',
+      permalink: '/docs/customLastUpdate',
+      slug: '/customLastUpdate',
+      title: 'Custom Last Update',
+      description: 'Custom last update',
+      frontMatter: {
+        last_update: {
+          author: 'Custom Author',
+          date: '1/1/2000',
+        },
+        title: 'Custom Last Update',
+      },
+      lastUpdatedAt: new Date('1/1/2000').getTime() / 1000,
+      formattedLastUpdatedAt: '1/1/2000',
+      lastUpdatedBy: 'Custom Author',
+      sidebarPosition: undefined,
+      tags: [],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('docs with only last_update author front matter', async () => {
+    const {siteDir, context, options, currentVersion, createTestUtilsPartial} =
+      await loadSite({
+        options: {
+          showLastUpdateAuthor: true,
+          showLastUpdateTime: true,
+        },
+      });
+
+    const testUtilsLocal = createTestUtilsPartial({
+      siteDir,
+      context,
+      options,
+      versionMetadata: currentVersion,
+    });
+
+    await testUtilsLocal.testMeta('lastUpdateAuthorOnly.md', {
+      version: 'current',
+      id: 'lastUpdateAuthorOnly',
+      unversionedId: 'lastUpdateAuthorOnly',
+      sourceDirName: '.',
+      permalink: '/docs/lastUpdateAuthorOnly',
+      slug: '/lastUpdateAuthorOnly',
+      title: 'Last Update Author Only',
+      description: 'Only custom author, so it will still use the date from Git',
+      frontMatter: {
+        last_update: {
+          author: 'Custom Author',
+        },
+        title: 'Last Update Author Only',
+      },
+      lastUpdatedAt: 1539502055,
+      formattedLastUpdatedAt: '10/14/2018',
+      lastUpdatedBy: 'Custom Author',
+      sidebarPosition: undefined,
+      tags: [],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('docs with only last_update date front matter', async () => {
+    const {siteDir, context, options, currentVersion, createTestUtilsPartial} =
+      await loadSite({
+        options: {
+          showLastUpdateAuthor: true,
+          showLastUpdateTime: true,
+        },
+      });
+
+    const testUtilsLocal = createTestUtilsPartial({
+      siteDir,
+      context,
+      options,
+      versionMetadata: currentVersion,
+    });
+
+    await testUtilsLocal.testMeta('lastUpdateDateOnly.md', {
+      version: 'current',
+      id: 'lastUpdateDateOnly',
+      unversionedId: 'lastUpdateDateOnly',
+      sourceDirName: '.',
+      permalink: '/docs/lastUpdateDateOnly',
+      slug: '/lastUpdateDateOnly',
+      title: 'Last Update Date Only',
+      description: 'Only custom date, so it will still use the author from Git',
+      frontMatter: {
+        last_update: {
+          date: '1/1/2000',
+        },
+        title: 'Last Update Date Only',
+      },
+      lastUpdatedAt: new Date('1/1/2000').getTime() / 1000,
+      formattedLastUpdatedAt: '1/1/2000',
+      lastUpdatedBy: 'Author',
+      sidebarPosition: undefined,
+      tags: [],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('docs with last_update front matter disabled', async () => {
+    const {siteDir, context, options, currentVersion, createTestUtilsPartial} =
+      await loadSite({
+        options: {
+          showLastUpdateAuthor: false,
+          showLastUpdateTime: false,
+        },
+      });
+
+    const testUtilsLocal = createTestUtilsPartial({
+      siteDir,
+      context,
+      options,
+      versionMetadata: currentVersion,
+    });
+
+    await testUtilsLocal.testMeta('customLastUpdate.md', {
+      version: 'current',
+      id: 'customLastUpdate',
+      unversionedId: 'customLastUpdate',
+      sourceDirName: '.',
+      permalink: '/docs/customLastUpdate',
+      slug: '/customLastUpdate',
+      title: 'Custom Last Update',
+      description: 'Custom last update',
+      frontMatter: {
+        last_update: {
+          author: 'Custom Author',
+          date: '1/1/2000',
+        },
+        title: 'Custom Last Update',
+      },
+      lastUpdatedAt: undefined,
+      formattedLastUpdatedAt: undefined,
+      lastUpdatedBy: undefined,
+      sidebarPosition: undefined,
+      tags: [],
+    });
+  });
+
   it('docs with slugs', async () => {
     const {defaultTestUtils} = await loadSite();
 
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/frontMatter.test.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/frontMatter.test.ts
index 81eedbf13b9a..55da1682c725 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/frontMatter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/__tests__/frontMatter.test.ts
@@ -396,3 +396,52 @@ describe('validateDocFrontMatter draft', () => {
     ],
   });
 });
+
+describe('validateDocFrontMatter last_update', () => {
+  testField({
+    prefix: 'last_update',
+    validFrontMatters: [
+      {last_update: undefined},
+      {last_update: {author: 'test author', date: undefined}},
+      {last_update: {author: undefined, date: '1/1/2000'}},
+      {last_update: {author: undefined, date: new Date('1/1/2000')}},
+      {last_update: {author: 'test author', date: '1/1/2000'}},
+      {last_update: {author: 'test author', date: '1995-12-17T03:24:00'}},
+      {last_update: {author: undefined, date: 'December 17, 1995 03:24:00'}},
+    ],
+    invalidFrontMatters: [
+      [
+        {last_update: null},
+        'does not look like a valid front matter FileChange object. Please use a FileChange object (with an author and/or date).',
+      ],
+      [
+        {last_update: {}},
+        'does not look like a valid front matter FileChange object. Please use a FileChange object (with an author and/or date).',
+      ],
+      [
+        {last_update: ''},
+        'does not look like a valid front matter FileChange object. Please use a FileChange object (with an author and/or date).',
+      ],
+      [
+        {last_update: {invalid: 'key'}},
+        'does not look like a valid front matter FileChange object. Please use a FileChange object (with an author and/or date).',
+      ],
+      [
+        {last_update: {author: 'test author', date: 'I am not a date :('}},
+        'must be a valid date',
+      ],
+      [
+        {last_update: {author: 'test author', date: '2011-10-45'}},
+        'must be a valid date',
+      ],
+      [
+        {last_update: {author: 'test author', date: '2011-0-10'}},
+        'must be a valid date',
+      ],
+      [
+        {last_update: {author: 'test author', date: ''}},
+        'must be a valid date',
+      ],
+    ],
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/docs.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/docs.ts
index 2ea127f99fbb..580d90101740 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/docs.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/docs.ts
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import type {
   VersionMetadata,
   DocFrontMatter,
   LoadedVersion,
+  FileChange,
 } from '@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs';
 import type {LoadContext} from '@docusaurus/types';
 import type {SidebarsUtils} from './sidebars/utils';
@@ -50,9 +51,21 @@ type LastUpdateOptions = Pick<
 async function readLastUpdateData(
   filePath: string,
   options: LastUpdateOptions,
+  lastUpdateFrontMatter: FileChange | undefined,
 ): Promise<LastUpdateData> {
   const {showLastUpdateAuthor, showLastUpdateTime} = options;
   if (showLastUpdateAuthor || showLastUpdateTime) {
+    const frontMatterTimestamp = lastUpdateFrontMatter?.date
+      ? new Date(lastUpdateFrontMatter.date).getTime() / 1000
+      : undefined;
+
+    if (lastUpdateFrontMatter?.author && lastUpdateFrontMatter.date) {
+      return {
+        lastUpdatedAt: frontMatterTimestamp,
+        lastUpdatedBy: lastUpdateFrontMatter.author,
+      };
+    }
+
     // Use fake data in dev for faster development.
     const fileLastUpdateData =
       process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production'
@@ -61,14 +74,16 @@ async function readLastUpdateData(
             author: 'Author',
             timestamp: 1539502055,
           };
-
-    if (fileLastUpdateData) {
-      const {author, timestamp} = fileLastUpdateData;
-      return {
-        lastUpdatedAt: showLastUpdateTime ? timestamp : undefined,
-        lastUpdatedBy: showLastUpdateAuthor ? author : undefined,
-      };
-    }
+    const {author, timestamp} = fileLastUpdateData ?? {};
+
+    return {
+      lastUpdatedBy: showLastUpdateAuthor
+        ? lastUpdateFrontMatter?.author ?? author
+        : undefined,
+      lastUpdatedAt: showLastUpdateTime
+        ? frontMatterTimestamp ?? timestamp
+        : undefined,
+    };
   }
 
   return {};
@@ -80,7 +95,6 @@ export async function readDocFile(
     'contentPath' | 'contentPathLocalized'
   >,
   source: string,
-  options: LastUpdateOptions,
 ): Promise<DocFile> {
   const contentPath = await getFolderContainingFile(
     getContentPathList(versionMetadata),
@@ -89,11 +103,8 @@ export async function readDocFile(
 
   const filePath = path.join(contentPath, source);
 
-  const [content, lastUpdate] = await Promise.all([
-    fs.readFile(filePath, 'utf-8'),
-    readLastUpdateData(filePath, options),
-  ]);
-  return {source, content, lastUpdate, contentPath, filePath};
+  const content = await fs.readFile(filePath, 'utf-8');
+  return {source, content, contentPath, filePath};
 }
 
 export async function readVersionDocs(
@@ -108,7 +119,7 @@ export async function readVersionDocs(
     ignore: options.exclude,
   });
   return Promise.all(
-    sources.map((source) => readDocFile(versionMetadata, source, options)),
+    sources.map((source) => readDocFile(versionMetadata, source)),
   );
 }
 
@@ -125,7 +136,7 @@ function isDraftForEnvironment({
   return (env === 'production' && frontMatter.draft) ?? false;
 }
 
-function doProcessDocMetadata({
+async function doProcessDocMetadata({
   docFile,
   versionMetadata,
   context,
@@ -137,8 +148,8 @@ function doProcessDocMetadata({
   context: LoadContext;
   options: MetadataOptions;
   env: DocEnv;
-}): DocMetadataBase {
-  const {source, content, lastUpdate, contentPath, filePath} = docFile;
+}): Promise<DocMetadataBase> {
+  const {source, content, contentPath, filePath} = docFile;
   const {siteDir, i18n} = context;
 
   const {
@@ -155,8 +166,15 @@ function doProcessDocMetadata({
     // (01-MyFolder/01-MyDoc.md => MyFolder/MyDoc)
     // but allow to disable this behavior with front matter
     parse_number_prefixes: parseNumberPrefixes = true,
+    last_update: lastUpdateFrontMatter,
   } = frontMatter;
 
+  const lastUpdate = await readLastUpdateData(
+    filePath,
+    options,
+    lastUpdateFrontMatter,
+  );
+
   // E.g. api/plugins/myDoc -> myDoc; myDoc -> myDoc
   const sourceFileNameWithoutExtension = path.basename(
     source,
@@ -287,7 +305,7 @@ export function processDocMetadata(args: {
   context: LoadContext;
   options: MetadataOptions;
   env: DocEnv;
-}): DocMetadataBase {
+}): Promise<DocMetadataBase> {
   try {
     return doProcessDocMetadata(args);
   } catch (err) {
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/frontMatter.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/frontMatter.ts
index de944a6b1716..9d210a831b25 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/frontMatter.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/frontMatter.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ import {
 } from '@docusaurus/utils-validation';
 import type {DocFrontMatter} from '@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs';
 
+const FrontMatterLastUpdateErrorMessage =
+  '{{#label}} does not look like a valid front matter FileChange object. Please use a FileChange object (with an author and/or date).';
+
 // NOTE: we don't add any default value on purpose here
 // We don't want default values to magically appear in doc metadata and props
 // While the user did not provide those values explicitly
@@ -42,6 +45,15 @@ const DocFrontMatterSchema = Joi.object<DocFrontMatter>({
   pagination_prev: Joi.string().allow(null),
   draft: Joi.boolean(),
   ...FrontMatterTOCHeadingLevels,
+  last_update: Joi.object({
+    author: Joi.string(),
+    date: Joi.date().raw(),
+  })
+    .or('author', 'date')
+    .messages({
+      'object.missing': FrontMatterLastUpdateErrorMessage,
+      'object.base': FrontMatterLastUpdateErrorMessage,
+    }),
 }).unknown();
 
 export function validateDocFrontMatter(frontMatter: {
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/plugin-content-docs.d.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/plugin-content-docs.d.ts
index 1d7be06b74dc..835c87204375 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/plugin-content-docs.d.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/plugin-content-docs.d.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,14 @@ declare module '@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs' {
     image?: string;
   };
 
+  export type FileChange = {
+    author?: string;
+    /** Date can be any
+     * [parsable date string](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Date/parse).
+     */
+    date?: Date | string;
+  };
+
   /**
    * Custom callback for parsing number prefixes from file/folder names.
    */
@@ -371,6 +379,8 @@ declare module '@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs' {
     pagination_prev?: string | null;
     /** Should this doc be excluded from production builds? */
     draft?: boolean;
+    /** Allows overriding the last updated author and/or date. */
+    last_update?: FileChange;
   };
 
   export type LastUpdateData = {
diff --git a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/types.ts b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/types.ts
index cb4506b20d1a..4c4568517fbb 100644
--- a/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/docusaurus-plugin-content-docs/src/types.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
 import type {BrokenMarkdownLink, Tag} from '@docusaurus/utils';
 import type {
   VersionMetadata,
-  LastUpdateData,
   LoadedVersion,
   CategoryGeneratedIndexMetadata,
 } from '@docusaurus/plugin-content-docs';
@@ -19,7 +18,6 @@ export type DocFile = {
   filePath: string; // /!\ may be localized
   source: string;
   content: string;
-  lastUpdate: LastUpdateData;
 };
 
 export type SourceToPermalink = {
diff --git a/website/_dogfooding/_docs tests/doc-with-last-update.md b/website/_dogfooding/_docs tests/doc-with-last-update.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..34c1cb0c7cb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/_dogfooding/_docs tests/doc-with-last-update.md	
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+last_update:
+  author: custom author
+  date: 1/1/2000
+---
+
+# Doc With Last Update Front Matter
diff --git a/website/_dogfooding/docs-tests-sidebars.js b/website/_dogfooding/docs-tests-sidebars.js
index e7ebb55ce1a5..0c2783feeda3 100644
--- a/website/_dogfooding/docs-tests-sidebars.js
+++ b/website/_dogfooding/docs-tests-sidebars.js
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ const sidebars = {
     'test-draft',
     'doc-without-sidebar',
     'doc-with-another-sidebar',
+    'doc-with-last-update',
     {
       type: 'category',
       label: 'Tests',
diff --git a/website/_dogfooding/dogfooding.config.js b/website/_dogfooding/dogfooding.config.js
index b6239f787b42..f8a4e7007f0e 100644
--- a/website/_dogfooding/dogfooding.config.js
+++ b/website/_dogfooding/dogfooding.config.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ const dogfoodingPluginInstances = [
       // Using a _ prefix to test against an edge case regarding MDX partials: https://github.com/facebook/docusaurus/discussions/5181#discussioncomment-1018079
       path: '_dogfooding/_docs tests',
       showLastUpdateTime: true,
+      showLastUpdateAuthor: true,
       sidebarItemsGenerator(args) {
         return args.defaultSidebarItemsGenerator({
           ...args,
diff --git a/website/docs/api/plugins/plugin-content-docs.md b/website/docs/api/plugins/plugin-content-docs.md
index 4b7deaff16d6..aaec7289daf1 100644
--- a/website/docs/api/plugins/plugin-content-docs.md
+++ b/website/docs/api/plugins/plugin-content-docs.md
@@ -281,6 +281,7 @@ Accepted fields:
 | `slug` | `string` | File path | Allows to customize the document url (`/<routeBasePath>/<slug>`). Support multiple patterns: `slug: my-doc`, `slug: /my/path/myDoc`, `slug: /`. |
 | `tags` | `Tag[]` | `undefined` | A list of strings or objects of two string fields `label` and `permalink` to tag to your docs. |
 | `draft` | `boolean` | `false` | A boolean flag to indicate that a document is a work-in-progress. Draft documents will only be displayed during development. |
+| `last_update` | `FileChange` | `undefined` | Allows overriding the last updated author and/or date. Date can be any [parsable date string](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Date/parse). |
 
 </APITable>
 
@@ -288,6 +289,10 @@ Accepted fields:
 type Tag = string | {label: string; permalink: string};
 ```
 
+```ts
+type FileChange = {date: string; author: string};
+```
+
 Example:
 
 ```md
@@ -306,6 +311,9 @@ keywords:
   - docusaurus
 image: https://i.imgur.com/mErPwqL.png
 slug: /myDoc
+last_update:
+  date: 1/1/2000
+  author: custom author name
 ---
 
 # Markdown Features