Science · Literature · Art · 1834–1919

Ernst Haeckel — Age & Birthday

Born: 16 February 1834 · Died: 9 August 1919 · Age at death: 85

How old was Ernst Haeckel when he died?

Ernst Haeckel died aged 85. He was born on 16 February 1834 and died on 9 August 1919.

German biologist and artist who coined the word ecology and drew the famous Art Forms in Nature

Did you know?He was a talented artist and published a famous collection of detailed botanical and marine illustrations called Art Forms in Nature.

Quick facts

  • Date of birth16 February 1834
  • Date of death9 August 1919
  • Age at death85
  • NationalityGerman
  • BirthplacePotsdam, Germany
  • Occupationbiologist, physician, zoologist

Editor's Take:

Ernst Haeckel was a zoologist, artist and tireless promoter of evolution. He trained as a doctor before turning to biology at Jena. He discovered and named thousands of new species, many of them tiny sea creatures. He was an early champion of Darwin in Germany. He coined words such as ecology and phylum. His Art Forms in Nature showed jellyfish and radiolarians in stunning detail and influenced Art Nouveau. Some of his embryo drawings were exaggerated, causing controversy.

Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel (German:; 16 February 1834 – 9 August 1919) was a German zoologist, naturalist, eugenicist, philosopher, physician, professor, marine biologist and artist.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Profile

Ernst Haeckel: Biologist and Artist

German biologist, 1834–1919

Ernst Haeckel was born in Potsdam on 16 February 1834.

He coined the word ecology in 1866.

He published Art Forms in Nature from 1899.

He died in Jena on 9 August 1919, aged 85.

Career highlights

  1. 1862Jena: professor
  2. 1862Radiolaria: monograph
  3. 1866Ecology: word coined
  4. 1868Natural History of Creation: book
  5. 1904Art Forms in Nature: completed

Did you know?He named a jellyfish after his first wife, Anna, who died young.

Age at death
85
Years since death
107

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Questions people ask

Frequently asked questions

When is Ernst Haeckel's birthday?
Ernst Haeckel's birthday is February 16. He was born on February 16, 1834 in Potsdam, Germany.
How old was Ernst Haeckel when he died?
Ernst Haeckel died on August 9, 1919, aged 85.
Who shares a birthday with Ernst Haeckel?
Famous people who share Ernst Haeckel's February 16 birthday include Octave Mirbeau, Kim Jong-il, Philipp Melanchthon, Diego Godín and Elizabeth Olsen.

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Reviewed by the Who Shares My Birthday editorial team.

Last reviewed: October 2026