24 historically significant individuals born on December 13. December 13 is the birth date of ten notable individuals from different times and professions. Among them are German poet Heinrich Heine, born in 1797, and Canadian actor Christopher Plummer, born in 1929. Additionally, this date is shared by several contemporary political leaders, including Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš, born in 1964, and Vietnamese President Võ Văn Thưởng, born in 1970.
Total Born
24
Countries
21
Top Century
20th· 12
Top Field
scientist
3 individuals
Headline Figures
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (12)
18th (4)
1st C.20th C.
20th Century
12Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Philip W. Anderson
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physics (1977)
Ben Bernanke
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (2022)
Trygve Haavelmo
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences (1989)
Christopher Plummer
character actorfilm actor
Distinguished Canadian actor who won an Academy Award for "Beginners" and was known for roles in "The Sound of Music" and "All the Money in the World".
Krišjānis Kariņš
businesspersonpolitician
Latvian politician and businessman who served as Prime Minister of Latvia from 2019 to 2023, leading the country through the COVID-19 pandemic and initial response to the war in Ukraine.
Hellen Obiri
athletics competitormiddle-distance runner
Kenyan middle and long-distance runner who won Olympic silver in 5,000m (2016) and later became a dominant marathon runner, winning Boston and New York City.
Oljas Bektenov
civil servantjurist
Current Prime Minister of Kazakhstan since February 2024, previously serving as deputy prime minister and in various government administrative roles.
Taylor Swift
lyricistsinger
American singer-songwriter (born 1989)
MS
Mauricio Solís
association football coachassociation football player
Costa Rican defender and midfielder who captained the national team and later became a football coach, known for his leadership on the pitch.
Abdiel Arroyo
association football player
Panamanian forward who has represented his country in international competitions and plays in professional leagues across the Americas.
Võ Văn Thưởng
politician
Vietnamese politician who served as President of Vietnam from March 2023 to March 2024, resigning amid anti-corruption investigations.
Hazza Al Mansouri
aircraft pilotastronaut
First Emirati astronaut who spent eight days aboard the International Space Station in September 2019 as part of a Russian Soyuz mission.
19th Century
3Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
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Edmund Zalinski
inventormilitary engineer
Union Army soldier (1849–1909)
Richard Daintree
botanical collectorgeologist
Australian geologist and photographer (1832–1878)
Pedro Luís Pereira de Sousa
diplomatjournalist
Brazilian politician
18th Century
4Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Heinrich Heine
composeressayist
German poet, writer and literary critic (1797–1856)
Pakubuwono V
monarchruler
Susuhunan of Surakarta
William McRee
military engineersurveyor
American military engineer (1787-1833)
James Henry
classical philologistlatinist
Irish poet (1798–1876)
17th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Bernardo De Dominici
art historianpainter
Italian painter, art historian and biographer
16th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
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Eric XIV of Sweden
monarch
Swedish king (1533-1577)
13th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Frederick III of Sicily
composerpoet
King of Sicily from 1295 to 1337
11th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Alaungsithu
monarch
King of Pagan Dynasty of Burma (Myanmar) from 1112/1113 to 1168
1st Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Nero
military personnelmusician
Fifth and last Roman Emperor of Julio-Claudian dynasty (54–68)
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Discover historical events and other data for this day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on December 13?
Christopher Plummer, a Canadian actor known for his role in The Sound of Music and his Oscar-winning performance in Beginners, is likely the most recognized person born on December 13. Heinrich Heine, a German poet and writer from 1797, is also celebrated for his literary contributions.
What celebrities were born on December 13?
Notable figures born on December 13 include Christopher Plummer (1929), the actor famous for The Sound of Music, and Heinrich Heine (1797), the German poet and essayist. Other figures include politicians Krišjānis Kariņš from Latvia and Võ Văn Thưởng from Vietnam.
Are there any politicians born on December 13?
Yes, several politicians were born on December 13, including Krišjānis Kariņš (1964), the Prime Minister of Latvia, and Võ Văn Thưởng (1970), a Vietnamese political leader. Mauricio Solís (1972) is another political figure born on this date.