- 1032 Zhao Shu, Chinese Emperor Yingzong of Song (1063-67), born in Kaifeng, China (d. 1067)
- 1075 Ordericus Vitalis, French monk/historian/poet
- 1222 Nichiren, Japan, Buddhist priest/saint
- 1331 Coluccio Salutati, Italian political leader and humanist, Chancellor of the Republic of Florence (appointed 1375), born in Stignano (d. 1406)
- 1497 Philipp Melanchthon, Germ, Protestant reformer (Augsburgse Confessie)
- 1519 Gaspard de Coligny, Huguenot leader/French admiral
- 1543 Kano Eitoku, Japanese painter (d. 1590)
- 1620 Frederick William, Great Elector, founder of Brandenburg-Prussia
- 1643 John Sharp, English Archbishop of York (1691-1714), born in Bradford, England (d. 1714)
- 1698 Pierre Bouguer, French mathematician (heliometer)
- 1727 Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin, Austrian scientist (d. 1817)
- 1740 Giambattista Bodoni, Saluzzo Italy, printer/typeface designer (Bodoni)
- 1746 Johann Heinse, German Sturm und Drang novelist/art critic
- 1761 Charles Pichegru, French general (d. 1804)
- 1786 Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (d. 1859)
- 1787 Andreas Schelfhout, Dutch painter/etcher/lithographer
- 1788 Juan van Halen, Dutch/Spanish officer/adventurer
- 1802 Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, American philosopher (d. 1866)
- 1804 Karl Theodor Ernst von Siebold, German physiologist (d. 1885)
- 1807 Lysander Cutler, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Royalston, Massachusetts (d. 1866)
- 1812 Henry Wilson, (R) 18th VP (1873-75)
- 1813 Joseph Reid Anderson, Brigadier General (Confederate Army) (d. 1892)
- 1821 Heinrich Barth, geographer/explorer (Central Africa), born in Hamburg, Germany
- 1822 Francis Galton, British anthropologist and geneticist (eugenics), born in Birmingham, England (d. 1911)
- 1822 James Patton Anderson, Major General (Confederate Army), (d. 1872)
- 1823 John Daniel Imboden, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), (d. 1895)
- 1824 Peter Kozler, Slovenian cartographer and geographer (d. 1879)
- 1826 Joseph V von Scheffel, German writer (Gaudeamus)
- 1831 Nikolai Leskow, writer
- 1832 Camille Armand Jules Marie de Polignac, Mjr General (Confederate Army)
- 1834 Ernst Haeckel, German biologist (Causes of Evolution) and philosopher (Social Darwinism), born in Potsdam, Prussia (d. 1919)
- 1838 Arnoldus Pannevis, South African ship's doctor/linguist
- 1838 Henry Adams, historian, writer (Education of Henry Adams), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- 1848 Hugo de Vries, Dutch botanist (How species emerge)
- 1850 Octave Mirbeau, French writer (Journal of a Lady's Maid)
- 1852 Charles Taze Russell, religion founder (Jehovah's Witnesses)
- 1852 William Scarborough, Macon Ga, linguist/author (Birds of Aristophanes)
- 1856 Rudolph Karstadt, German entrepreneur (d. 1944)
- 1858 Laurence "Lon" Myers, American track star (top US miler)
- 1868 Wilhelm Schmidt, German anthropologist/linguist (Anthropos)
- 1876 G. M. Trevelyan [George Macaulay Trevelyan], British historian and academic, born in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England (d. 1962)
- 1881 Maurits H E Uyldert, Dutch poet/writer (Youth of a Poet)
- 1883 Elizabeth Craig, British writer (d. 1980)
- 1886 Van Wyck Brooks, NJ, literary historian/writer (Ordeal of Mark Twain)
- 1891 Hans F. K. Günther, German eugenicist (d. 1967)
- 1903 George-Henri Lévesque, Quebec priest and sociologist (d. 2000)
- 1904 George F Kennan, US ambassador (to Moscow), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- 1905 Lord Franks, British ambassador (to US)
- 1909 Richard McDonald, American fast food pioneer (d. 1998)
- 1910 Michael Milne-Watson, CEO (BUPA)
- 1911 Hal Porter, Australia, writer (Tilted Cross, Paper Chase)
- 1912 Arthur Crook, British editor (Times Literary Supplement)
- 1912 Bob Tadema Sporry, Dutch (female) author
- 1914 J Tobin, British anaesthetist
- 1920 Hubert van Herreweghen, Flemish writer/journalist
- 1920 Anna Mae Hays [McCabe], American military officer and US military's 1st female General, born in Buffalo, New York (d. 2018)
- 1921 Araucaria, British crossword compiler
- 1921 Esther Bubley, Phillips, Wisconsin, American photographer
Hua Guofeng
1921 Hua Guofeng, Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (1976-81) and Premier of the People's Republic of China (1976-80), born in Jiaocheng County, Shanxi (d. 2008)
Hua Guofeng
- 1922 Paul van 't Veer, Dutch journalist/writer (Het Vrije Volk)
- 1924 James Swaffield, director-general (Swaffield & Clerk to the GLC)
- 1924 Peter Webster, British High Court Judge
- 1925 David Emms, director (London Goodenough Trust for Overseas Graduates)
- 1925 PER Bailey, director (Gatwick & Stansted Airports)
- 1926 John Schlesinger, director (Midnight Cowboy, Darling), born in London, England
- 1926 Jack Levy, mechanical engineer
- 1926 David Austin, English rose breeder (Austin roses), born in Albrighton, England (d. 2018)
- 1929 Peter NF Porter, Australian/British author/poet (Chair of Babel)
- 1930 Frederick "Fred" Cuming, British painter, born in London
- 1931 Alfred Kolleritsch, Austrian writer, born in Eichfeld
- 1931 George E Sangmeister, (Rep-D-Illinois)
- 1932 Aharon Appelfeld, Israeli writer, born in Jadova Commune, Kingdom of Romania
- 1932 Nand Baert, Belgian radio/TV-host
- 1932 Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, President of Sierra Leone
- 1935 Robin Clark, chemist (FRS)
- 1935 Kenneth Price, ceramic artist and print maker (Hot Bottoms, Tamed), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2012)
- 1936 Jill Kinmont, American skier
Carl Icahn
1936 Carl Icahn, American businessman (Icahn Enterprises), born in NYC, New York
Carl Icahn
Kim Jong-il
1942 Kim Jong-il, Supreme Leader of North Korea (1994-2011), born in Vyatskoye, Soviet Union [disputed birthplace and birth date, 1941] (d. 2011)
Kim Jong-il
- 1943 James Beaton, British GC
- 1944 António Mascarenhas Monteiro, 2nd President of Cape Verde
- 1946 J R Farndon, British consultant surgeon
- 1947 Franz West, artist (Flause), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2012)
- 1948 Eckhart Tolle, Author and spiritual teacher
- 1949 Dorus Vrede, Surinam poet (Otobanda; the Other Bank)
- 1950 Peter Hain, British MP
- 1953 Roberta Williams, video game designer (Mystery House, Sierra Entertainment), born in La Verne, California
- 1954 Iain [Menzies] Banks, UK, sci-fi author (Wasp Factory), (d. 2013)
- 1955 Guy Gallo, writer (Under the Volcano), born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- 1958 Michael W. Burns, American politician, born in Baltimore, Maryland
- 1965 Dave Lombardo, Cuban drummer (Slayer)
- 1965 Adama Barrow, Gambian politician, President of Gambia (2017-), born in Mankamang Kunda, Gambia
- 1968 Warren Ellis, British comic book writer (Red), born in Essex, England
- 1970 D.J. Wallis, American fitness competitor
- 1977 Ian Clarke, Irish computer programmer
- 1998 Mr Jefferson, Virginia, 1st cloned calf