Famous birthdays by year

Famous People Born in 1872

Born in 1872? Meet the well-known people who share your birth year, from the biggest names to the ones you might not expect, month by month.

Turning 154 in 2026 · Chinese zodiac: Year of the Monkey

The 1870s

The most famous people born in 187219

1872–1928

Roald Amundsen

Norwegian polar explorer who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole in December 1911

Roald Engelbregt Gravning Amundsen (UK:, US:; Norwegian:; 16 July 1872 – c. 18 June 1928) was a Norwegian explorer of polar regions. He was a key figure of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

ExplorationDied aged 55

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Photo: Anonymous Unknown author · Public domain

1872–1970

Bertrand Russell

British philosopher, logician and anti-war campaigner who co-wrote Principia Mathematica and won the Nobel Prize in Literature

Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970), was an English mathematician and philosopher. A founder of analytic philosophy, he was a leading philosopher of the 20th century who produced pioneering work in logic, set theory, and philosophy of language.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

PhilosophyDied aged 97

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Photo: Bassano Ltd · Public domain

1872–1933

Calvin Coolidge

Quiet New England Republican nicknamed Silent Cal who served as the 30th US President during the Roaring Twenties

Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; KOOL-ij; July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States, serving from 1923 to 1929. A Republican lawyer from Massachusetts, he served from 1921 to 1923 as the 29th vice president, under President Warren G.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

PoliticsDied aged 60

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Photo: Harris & Ewing · Public domain

1872–1950

Aurobindo Ghosh

Indian philosopher and yogi who led the fight for independence

Sri Aurobindo (born Aurobindo Ghosh; 15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950) was an Indian philosopher, yogi and nationalist who is noted for his participation in the movement for India's independence from British rule; he advocated for complete autonomy through his writings and political activity.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

PhilosophyDied aged 78

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Photo: Rudolf 1922 · Public domain

1872–1944

Piet Mondrian

Dutch painter who created abstract works using primary colours and grids

Pieter Cornelis Mondriaan (Dutch:; 7 March 1872 – 1 February 1944), known after 1911 as Piet Mondrian (US also; Dutch:), was a Dutch painter and art theoretician, who is regarded as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

ArtDied aged 71

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Photo: Anonymous Unknown author · Public domain

1872–1952

A. Kollontaĭ

Revolutionary politician and the first female ambassador in modern history

Alexandra Mikhailovna Kollontai (Russian: Александра Михайловна Коллонтай; née Domontovich; 31 March 1872 – 9 March 1952) was a Russian revolutionary, politician, diplomat and Marxist theoretician.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

ActivismDied aged 79

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Photo: Unknown (Sovfoto) · Public domain

1872–1950

Léon Blum

Socialist politician who served three times as Prime Minister of France

André Léon Blum (French:; 9 April 1872 – 30 March 1950) was a French socialist politician and three-time Prime Minister of France. As a Jew, he was heavily influenced by the Dreyfus affair of the late 19th century.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

PoliticsDied aged 77

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Photo: Agence de presse Meurisse · Public domain

1872–1918

Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse)

The last Empress of Russia and wife of Tsar Nicholas II

Alexandra Feodorovna (Russian: Александра Фёдоровна, romanized: Aleksandra Fyodorovna; born Princess Alix of Hesse and by Rhine; 6 June 1872 – 17 July 1918) was the last empress of Russia as the consort of Nicholas II from their marriage on 26 November 1894 until his forced abdication on 15 March 1917.

Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

ArtDied aged 46

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Photo: Boasson and Eggler St. Petersburg Nevsky 24. Bain News Service, publisher · Public domain

Born in 1872, month by month

January
- Paul Langevin (January 23) · French physicist who developed the Langevin equation and Langevin dynamics
March
- Piet Mondrian (March 7) · Dutch painter who created abstract works using primary colours and grids
- A. Kollontaĭ (March 19) · Revolutionary politician and the first female ambassador in modern history
April
- Léon Blum (April 9) · Socialist politician who served three times as Prime Minister of France
May
- Marcel Mauss (May 10) · French sociologist known for his influential work on social exchange
- Bertrand Russell (May 18) · British philosopher, logician and anti-war campaigner who co-wrote Principia Mathematica and won the Nobel Prize in Literature
June
- Alexandra Feodorovna (Alix of Hesse) (June 6) · The last Empress of Russia and wife of Tsar Nicholas II
July
- Calvin Coolidge (July 4) · Quiet New England Republican nicknamed Silent Cal who served as the 30th US President during the Roaring Twenties
- Roald Amundsen (July 16) · Norwegian polar explorer who led the first expedition to reach the South Pole in December 1911
August
- Haakon VII of Norway (August 3) · First King of modern Norway who reigned for over fifty years
- Richard Willstätter (August 13) · Nobel Prize-winning chemist who identified the structure of chlorophyll
- Aurobindo Ghosh (August 15) · Indian philosopher and yogi who led the fight for independence
September
- Maurice Gamelin (September 20) · Commander of the French Army during the Battle of France
October
- Ralph Vaughan Williams (October 12) · English composer known for The Lark Ascending and nine symphonies
November
- Georgy Chicherin (November 24) · Soviet diplomat who served as People's Commissar for Foreign Affairs
December
- Johan Huizinga (December 7) · Dutch historian who helped establish the field of cultural history
- Anton Denikin (December 16) · Russian general and leader of the White Army during the Civil War
- Norman Angell (December 26) · Nobel Peace Prize-winning author, journalist, and Labour Member of Parliament
- Pío Baroja (December 28) · Spanish writer and leading figure of the Generation of '98

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