- Dec 5 Titian James Coffey, Atty Gen (Union), (d. 1867)
- Dec 10 George MacDonald, Scottish poet and sci-fi author (Princess & Curdie), born in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (d. 1905)
- Dec 14 Pierre Puvis de Chavannes, French painter, born in Lyon, Rhône, France (d. 1898)
- Dec 17 John Kerr, Scottish physicist and pioneer in the field of electro-optics (electro-visually Kerr-effect), born in Ardrossan, Scotland (d. 1907)
- Dec 17 Manning Ferguson Force, American lawyer, judge and Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 1899)
- Dec 17 Thomas Starr King, American Unitarian clergyman (Christianity & Humanity), born in New York City (d. 1864)
- Dec 19 Hercules Robinson, British colonial administrator (Ceylon, Fiji, New Zealand, South Africa), born in County Westmeath Ireland (d. 1897)
- Dec 24 Peter Cornelius, German composer (The Barber of Baghdad), and educator, born in Mainz, Grand Duchy of Hesse (d. 1874)
- Dec 26 Augustus Louis Chetlain, American Major General (Union Army), born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1914)
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