- 1297 Emperor Hanazono, Emperor of Japan (d. 1348)
- 1473 Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury, daughter of George, Duke of Clarence (d. 1541)
- 1479 Princess Catherine of York (d. 1527)
- 1552 Fra Paolo Sarpi, [Paulus Venetus], expert/philosopher
- 1575 Robert Hayman, English-born poet (d. 1629)
- 1586 William Hutchinson, Rhode Island colonist (d. 1642)
- 1599 Méric Casaubon, English classical scholar (d. 1671)
- 1625 François de Harlay de Champvallon, Archbishop of Paris (d. 1695)
- 1626 Daniel Elsevier, book publisher, born in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherland (d. 1680)
- 1642 Cosimo III de' Medici, monarch of Florence (1670-1723)
- 1653 Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle, English statesman (d. 1688)
- 1687 Johan Willem Friso, prince of Orange/ruler (Nassau-Dietz) [NS]
- 1688 Frederik Willem I, king of Prussia (bodyguard of giants)
- 1714 Claude-Joseph Vernet, French painter
- 1727 Henriette-Anne of France, daughter of king Louis XV (d. 1752)
- 1727 Louise-Elisabeth of France, daughter of king Louis XV (d. 1759)
- 1737 Charles Hutton, mathematician
- 1740 Pius VII, [Luigi B Chiaramonti], bishop of Imola/Pope (1800-23)
- 1758 Carle [Antoine CH] Vernet, French painter/lithographer
Hans Christian Ørsted
1777 Hans Christian Ørsted, Danish physicist and chemist (View of Chemical Law), born in Rudkøbing, Denmark (d. 1851)
Hans Christian Ørsted
- 1777 Francis I of the Two Sicilies (d. 1830)
- 1784 Francesco Capaccini, Italian cardinal and diplomat, born in Rome (d. 1845)
- 1802 Letitia Elizabeth Landon, England, poet (Heath's Book of Beauty)
- 1814 Henry Hayes Lockwood, American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Kent County, Delaware (d. 1899)
- 1817 Alexander H. Bailey, American politician (d. 1874)
- 1821 Clement Hoffman "Rock" Stevens, Brigadier General (Confederate Army)
- 1824 William Terry, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), (d. 1888)
- 1836 Walter Besant, English writer and philanthropist (Rebel Queen), born in Portsmouth, Hampshire (d. 1901)
- 1840 Baron Richard Freiherr von Krafft-Ebing, psychiatrist
- 1842 Henry Duff Traill, British author and journalist (The Marquis of Salisbury), born in Blackheath, London (d. 1900)
- 1847 Robert Comtesse, member of the Swiss Federal Council (d. 1922)
Doc Holliday
1851 Doc Holliday, American gambler, dentist and gunfighter (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral), born in Griffin, Georgia (d. 1887)
Doc Holliday
- 1860 Ernest T. Seton, naturalist, painter and author (Buffalo Wind-1938), born in South Shields, Durham, England (d. 1946)
- 1865 Guido Castelnuovo, Italian mathematician, born in Venice (d. 1952)
- 1866 Charles Jean de la Vallée-Poussin, Belgian mathematician (Prime number theorem), born in Leuven, Belgium (d. 1962)
- 1867 John Galsworthy, English author (Forsyte Saga-Nobel 1932), born in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England (d. 1933)
- 1874 Mustafa Kamil Pasha, Egyptian lawyer, journalist and nationalist activist, born in Cairo, Egypt (d. 1908)
- 1876 Alexander I Obrenovic, King of Serbia/Yugoslavia (1922-34)
- 1876 Sibilla Aleramo [Rina Faccio], Italian feminist and poet (Una Donna), born in Alessandria, Italy (d. 1960)
- 1878 Harald Kidde, Danish writer (Aage og Else)
- 1882 Gisela Richter, English art historian (d. 1972)
- 1883 Ernest Everett Just, African-American embryologist known for his pioneering work in the physiology of development, especially fertilization and cell division, born in Charleston, South Carolina (d. 1941)
John Logie Baird
1888 John Logie Baird, Scottish inventor and father of the television, born in Helensburgh, Scotland (d. 1946)
John Logie Baird
- 1901 James Pitman, Bath England, educator/publisher/phonetic speller
- 1903 John Ringling North, circus director (Ringling Bros)
- 1903 Ronald Stewart, CEO (London Brick Co)
- 1905 Nicolas Cotoner y Cotoner, spanish courtier
- 1908 Lady Jean Swaythling, chief controller (ATS)
- 1911 Ethel Lois Payne, American civil rights journalist and "1st Lady of the Black Press", born in Chicago, Illinois
- 1911 Pieter Platteel, last governor Neth New-Guinea
- 1912 Eva Strittmatter, writer
- 1914 Sydney Wooderson, miler (world record 1937)
- 1915 Lord Mishcon, economist
- 1915 B.A. Santamaria, Australian political activist and journalist (d. 1998)
- 1916 Andrew Kay, surgeon/professor of surgery (U of Glasgow)
- 1921 Giorgio Strehler, theatre director
- 1926 Alice Adams, US author
- 1927 Lord Whaddon, CEO (Daltrade & Skorimpex-Rind)
- 1928 Laurens van Deenen, Dutch biochemist, born in Maastricht, Germany
- 1929 Hewlett Thompson, Bishop of Exeter
- 1929 Louise M Slaughter, (Rep-D-New York)
- 1929 Oliver Neville, principal (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts)
- 1929 Thomas Meehan, American writer (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray), born in Ossining, New York (d. 2017)
- 1930 Gerald B H Solomon, (Rep-R-New York, 1979- )
- 1930 Lord Chorley, mountaineering enthusiast
- 1931 Frederic Raphael, writer (After the War, California Time)
- 1931 Marylyn Roberts, librarian/founding member (WIC)
- 1932 Dom Philip Jebb, headmaster (Downside School Great Britain)
- 1932 James V Hansen, (Rep-R-Utah, 1981- )
- 1932 Lee Hoffman, American author (d. 2007)
- 1933 Richard R. Ernst, Swiss chemist and Nobel Prize Laureate
- 1933 Bryce Courtenay, Australian novelist (The Power of One), born in Johannesburg, South Africa (d. 2012)
- 1934 Robin McLaren, British ambassador (China)
- 1938 Niara Sudarkasa [Gloria M Clark], educator and anthropologist (Lincoln College), born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- 1938 Stuart McKinnon, high court judge
- 1943 Jon Andrew McBride, Charleston WV, Capt USN/astronaut (STS 41G)
- 1943 Keith Hampson, British politician (C), arrested, not charged for sexual assault
- 1945 Jennifer d'Abo, CEO (Ryman, Moyses Stevens)
- 1945 Wim Wenders, West German director (American Friend, Hammett)
- 1946 Alexander Curly, [Harm Breemer], Dutch artist
- 1946 Marga van Praag, Dutch radio hostess
Danielle Steel
1947 Danielle Steel, author (Rememberance, Zoya, Star, Daddy), born in NYC, New York
Danielle Steel
Gary Larson
1950 Gary Larson, cartoonist (Far Side), born in Tacoma, Washington
Gary Larson
- 1952 Mark C Lee, Viroqua WI, Mjr USAF/astronaut (STS 30, 47, 64, 82, sk: 98)
- 1953 Cliff Johnson, American computer game author
- 1954 Monica Baltodano, Leon, Nicaragua, Nicaraguan Sandinista Revolution commander
- 1962 Mark Robert Isfeld, combat engineer
- 1962 Lady Bunny [Jon Ingle], American drag queen, promoter and founder of the annual Wigstock event, born in Chattanooga, Tennessee
- 1964 Brannon Braga, American scriptwriter
- 1968 Billy Mavreas, Greek-Canadian cartoonist
- 1969 DJ Uncle Al, American hip-hop DJ (d. 2001)
- 1972 Jay Manuel, Canadian make-up artist
August in History
Ship Of Gold Sails Into Oblivion
A frigate with more than 150 souls on board, as well as nearly three tons of gold, sailed out of Melbourne on this day – never to be seen again.
August 12, 1853
America's Last Public Hanging
The last man to be publicly hanged in the United States met his fate on this day in history. It was a squalid affair watched by about 10,000 people.
August 14, 1936
First Faltering Steps of Jane Eyre
With hope, pride – and some subterfuge – Charlotte Brontë sent her hefty manuscript of Jane Eyre to publishers in London on this day, then crossed her fingers.
August 15, 1847
A Kiss For Adolf Hitler
A woman spectator leaned over and kissed Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Olympic Games on this day. Hitler pretended to be amused, but his guards were to suffer.
August 15, 1936