- Dec 13 Franz von Lenbach, German painter, born in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria (d. 1904)
- Dec 15 Edmond Picard, French-Belgian lawyer and writer (La forge Roussel), born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1924)
- Dec 19 Maria Sanford, American pioneering educator and professor, born in Saybrook, Connecticut (d. 1920)