21 August

Across recorded history, 1,433 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 21 August. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

← August 20 August 22 →

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

1910–1995

Indian-American astrophysicist

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was an astrophysicist who conducted research on the evolution of stars.

Stefán Karl Stefánsson

1975–2018

Icelandic actor

Stefán Karl Stefánsson was an Icelandic actor known for his work in television.

Adelbert von Chamisso

1781–1838

German poet and botanist

Adelbert von Chamisso was a German poet and botanist who conducted extensive scientific research and exploration.

Giuseppe Meazza

1910–1979

Italian association football player and manager

Giuseppe Meazza was an Italian association football player and manager.

Yuri Nikulin

1921–1997

Soviet and Russian actor and clown

Yuri Nikulin was a Soviet and Russian actor and clown known for his work in film and the circus.

Palmiro Togliatti

1893–1964

former leader of the Italian Communist Party

Palmiro Togliatti was a politician who served as the leader of the Italian Communist Party.

Ninoy Aquino

1932–1983

Filipino senator and governor of Tarlac

Ninoy Aquino was a Filipino politician who served as a senator and the governor of Tarlac.

Robert Moog

1934–2005

American electronic music pioneer and inventor

Robert Moog was an inventor who pioneered the development of electronic musical instruments.

Benjamin Thompson

1753–1814

American-born British physicist and inventor

Benjamin Thompson was a physicist and inventor who conducted research on the nature of heat.

Sobhuza II

1899–1982

King of Swaziland

Sobhuza II was the King of Swaziland who served as a long-reigning monarch.

Claude-Louis Navier

1785–1836

French engineer and physicist

Claude-Louis Navier was a French engineer and physicist who contributed to the development of fluid mechanics and structural analysis.

Ettore Bugatti

1881–1947

Italian automobile designer and manufacturer

Ettore Bugatti was an automobile manufacturer who designed and produced high-performance vehicles.

Ugyen Wangchuck

1862–1926

king of Bhutan

Ugyen Wangchuck was the first king of Bhutan who unified the country under a central monarchy.

Kenji Miyazawa

1896–1933

Japanese poet and author of children's literature

Kenji Miyazawa was a Japanese poet and author of children's literature.

William Thurston

1946–2012

American mathematician

William Thurston was an American mathematician known for his contributions to the study of three-dimensional manifolds.

Bismillah Khan

1916–2006

Indian shehnai player

Bismillah Khan was an Indian musician who played the shehnai.

Ildefons Cerdà

1815–1876

Urban planner (1815-1876), noted for the extension plan of Barcelona

Urban planner Ildefons Cerdà is noted for designing the extension plan of Barcelona.

Adolf Fick

1829–1901

German-born physician and physiologist

Adolf Fick was a physiologist who developed the Fick principle for measuring cardiac output.

Marie-Aglaë, Princess of Lichtenstein

1940–2021

Consort of Liechtenstein

Marie-Aglaë, Princess of Lichtenstein (1940–2021), Consort of Liechtenstein (1989-2021).

Sophia Magdalena of Denmark

1746–1813

Queen consort of Sweden

Sophia Magdalena of Denmark served as the Queen consort of Sweden.

John Ross

1777–1856

Scottish naval officer and polar explorer

John Ross was a polar explorer and naval officer who led multiple expeditions to the Arctic in search of the Northwest Passage.

Ken Robinson

1950–2020

UK writer

Ken Robinson was an educator and writer who advocated for the transformation of educational systems.

John Amos

1939–2024

American actor

John Amos was an American actor known for his roles in film and television.

Edward Turner Bennett

1797–1836

British zoologist

Edward Turner Bennett was a British zoologist who focused his scientific research on the study of animals.

Source: Wikidata, released into the public domain under CC0. Snapshot: 2026-07. Names, dates and roles come from Wikidata; summaries are condensed from it. Nothing here is generated to fill a gap.