- Dec 2 William Shirley, British Colonial Governor of Massachusetts (played an important role in Britain’s struggle against France for control of North America), born in Preston, Sussex, England (d. 1771)
- Dec 22 Hermann Samuel Reimarus, German philosopher and writer, born in Hamburg, Germany (d. 1768)
- Dec 28 Ceslav Vanura, Czech composer, born in Miletín (d. 1736)