19 December

Across recorded history, 1,610 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 19 December. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

← December 18 December 20 →

Emily Brontë

1818–1848

English novelist and poet

Emily Brontë was an English novelist and poet best known for her literary work.

Robert Andrews Millikan

1868–1953

American physicist

Robert Andrews Millikan was an American physicist who conducted experiments to determine the charge of the electron.

J. M. W. Turner

1775–1851

English painter and draftsman

J. M. W. Turner was an English landscape painter known for his expressive use of light and color in his works.

Alois Alzheimer

1864–1915

German psychiatrist and neuropathologist

Alois Alzheimer was a neuropathologist who identified the first case of the neurodegenerative condition that was later named after him.

Robert H. Grubbs

1942–2021

Nobel prize winning American chemist

Robert H. Grubbs was an American chemist who received the Nobel Prize for his work in the field of olefin metathesis.

Paul Langevin

1872–1946

French physicist, philosopher of science and pedagogue

Paul Langevin was a physicist who contributed to the development of Langevin dynamics and the study of magnetism.

Herbert C. Brown

1912–2004

American chemist

Herbert C. Brown was an American chemist who conducted research on the use of boron compounds in organic synthesis.

Andrei Karlov

1954–2016

Soviet and Russian diplomat

Andrei Karlov was a Russian diplomat who served as an ambassador.

Abbas II

1874–1944

Khedive of Egypt (1874-1944) (r. 1892-1914)

Abbas II was the Khedive of Egypt who served as the country's ruler during the period of British occupation.

Kyösti Kallio

1873–1940

Finnish politician and 4th President of Finland

Kyösti Kallio was a Finnish politician who served as the fourth President of Finland.

Harold Holt

1908–1967

Australian politician, 17th Prime Minister of Australia

Harold Holt was an Australian politician who served as the Prime Minister of Australia.

Renata Tebaldi

1922–2004

Italian opera singer

Renata Tebaldi was an Italian opera singer known for her performances in major international opera houses.

Hope Lange

1933–2003

American actress

Hope Lange was an American actress who performed in film, television, and stage productions.

Kim Peek

1951–2009

American savant

Kim Peek was an American mnemonist known for his exceptional memory.

Emily Donelson

1807–1836

niece of U.S. President Andrew Jackson

Emily Donelson served as the official hostess for U.S. President Andrew Jackson.

Desmond Llewelyn

1914–1999

British actor

Desmond Llewelyn was a British actor best known for his long-running role as Q in the James Bond film series.

James Ransone

1979–2025

American actor

James Ransone was an American actor known for his roles in film and television.

Kurt Masur

1927–2015

German conductor

Kurt Masur was a German conductor who served as a university teacher.

H. L. A. Hart

1907–1992

English legal philosopher

H. L. A. Hart was a legal philosopher who authored influential works on the nature of law and legal systems.

Amata Kabua

1928–1996

former President of the Marshall Islands

Amata Kabua was a politician who served as the President of the Marshall Islands.

Masaru Ibuka

1908–1997

Japanese businessman

Masaru Ibuka was an entrepreneur who co-founded the Sony Corporation.

Federico Mayor Zaragoza

1934–2024

Spanish politician and academic

Federico Mayor Zaragoza was a Spanish politician and academic who served as the Director-General of UNESCO.

Nellie Tayloe Ross

1876–1977

First woman state governor in the U.S.

Nellie Tayloe Ross was the first woman to serve as a state governor in the United States.

Jacques Tourneur

1904–1977

French film director

Jacques Tourneur was a French film director known for his work in the horror and film noir genres.

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.