February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 318 days remaining until the end of the year (319 in leap years).
- 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols.
- 1646 - Battle of Great Torrington, Devon - the last major battle of the first English Civil War.
- 1742 - Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, becomes British Prime Minister.
- 1804 - First Barbary War: Stephen Decatur leads a raid to burn the pirate-held frigate USS Philadelphia.
- 1838 - Weenen Massacre: Hundreds of Voortrekkers along the Blaukraans River, Natal are killed by Zulus.
- 1852 - Studebaker Brothers wagon company, precursor of the automobile manufacturer, is established.
- 1859 - The French Government passes a law to set the A-note above middle C to a frequency of 435 Hz, in an attempt to standardize the pitch.
- 1862 - American Civil War: General Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Donelson, Tennessee.
- 1866 - Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington becomes the British Secretary of State for War.
- 1868 - In New York City the Jolly Corks organization is renamed the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE).
- 1899 - President Félix Faure of France dies in office.
- 1899 - Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur Iceland's first football club is founded.
- 1918 - The Council of Lithuania unanimously adopts the Act of Independence, declaring Lithuania an independent state.
- 1923 - Howard Carter unseals the burial chamber of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
- 1934 - Austrian Civil War ends with the defeat of the Social Democrats and the Republican Schutzbund.
- 1934 - Commission of Government is sworn in as form of direct rule for the Dominion of Newfoundland.
- 1936 - Elections bring the Popular Front to power in Spain.
- 1937 - Wallace H. Carothers receives a patent for nylon.
- 1940 - World War II: Altmark Incident: The German tanker Altmark is boarded by sailors from the British destroyer HMS Cossack. 299 British prisoners are freed.
- 1943 - World War II: The USSR reconquers Kharkov.
- 1945 - World War II: American forces land on Corregidor island in the Philippines.
- 1947 - Canadians granted Canadian citizenship after 80 years of being British subjects. Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King becomes the first Canadian citizen.
- 1957 - The "Toddlers' Truce", a controversial television closedown between 6.00pm and 7.00pm was abolished in the United Kingdom.
- 1959 - Fidel Castro becomes Premier of Cuba after dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown on January 1.
- 1961 - Explorer program: Explorer 9 (S-56a) is launched.
- 1968 - In Haleyville, Alabama, the first 9-1-1 emergency telephone system goes into service.
- 1978 - The first computer bulletin board system is created (CBBS in Chicago, Illinois).
- 1983 - The Ash Wednesday bushfires in Victoria and South Australia claim the lives of 75 people in Australia's worst ever fires.
- 1985 - The founding of Hezbollah.
- 1986 - The Soviet liner Mikhail Lermontov runs aground in the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand.
- 1987 - The trial of John Demjanjuk, accused of being a Nazi guard dubbed "Ivan the Terrible" in Treblinka extermination camp, starts in Jerusalem.
- 1991 - Nicaraguan Contras leader Enrique Bermúdez is assassinated in Managua.
- 1993 - Western Australia's and Australia's first woman Premier, Carmen Lawrence, is voted out of office.
- 1999 - In Uzbekistan, a bomb explodes and gunfire is heard at the government headquarters in an apparent assassination attempt against President Islom Karimov.
- 1999 - Across Europe, Kurdish rebels take over embassies and hold hostages after Turkey arrested one of their rebel leaders, Abdullah Öcalan.
- 2005 - The Kyoto Protocol comes into force, following its ratification by Russia.
- 2005 - The National Hockey League cancels the entire 2004-2005 regular season and playoffs, becoming the first major sports league in North America to do so over a labor dispute.
- 2006 - The last Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) is decommissioned by the United States Army.
- 1032 - Emperor Yingzong of China (d. 1067)
- 1222 - Nichiren Daishonin, Japanese founder of Nichiren Buddhism (d. 1282)
- 1497 - Philipp Melanchthon, German humanist and reformer (d. 1560)
- 1519 - Gaspard de Coligny, French Huguenot leader (d. 1572)
- 1543 - Kano Eitoku, Japanese painter (d. 1590)
- 1620 - Friedrich Wilhelm I of Brandenburg, Duke of Prussia (d. 1688)
- 1643 - John Sharp, English Archbishop of York (d. 1714)
- 1698 - Pierre Bouguer, French mathematician (d. 1758)
- 1727 - Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin, Austrian scientist (d. 1817)
- 1740 - Giambattista Bodoni, Italian publisher and engraver (d. 1813)
- 1761 - Charles Pichegru, French general (d. 1804)
- 1786 - Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (d. 1859)
- 1802 - Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, American philosopher (d. 1866)
- 1804 - Karl Theodor Ernst von Siebold, German physiologist (d. 1885)
- 1812 - Henry Wilson, 18th Vice President of US (d. 1875)
- 1821 - Heinrich Barth, German explorer (d. 1865)
- 1822 - Sir Francis Galton, English explorer and biologist (d. 1911)
- 1824 - Peter Kozler, Slovenian cartographer and geographer (d. 1879)
- 1826 - Julia Grant, First Lady of the United States (d. 1902)
- 1826 - Joseph Victor von Scheffel, German poet (d. 1886)
- 1831 - Nikolai Leskov, Russian writer (d. 1895)
- 1834 - Ernst Haeckel, German zoologist and philosopher (d. 1919)
- 1838 - Henry Adams, American historian and novelist (d. 1918)
- 1847 - Philipp Scharwenka, Polish-German composer (d. 1917)
- 1848 - Hugo de Vries, Dutch botanist (d. 1935)
- 1856 - Rudolph Karstadt, German entrepreneur (d. 1944)
- 1856 - Willem Kes, Dutch conductor (d. 1934)
- 1866 - Billy Hamilton (baseball player), MLB Hall of Fame Outfielder (d. 1940)
- 1866 - Vyacheslav Ivanov, Russian poet (d. 1949)
- 1874 - Marie Gutheil-Schoder, German soprano (d. 1935)
- 1876 - George Macaulay Trevelyan, English historian (d. 1962)
- 1878 - Pamela Colman Smith, artist, writer, designer of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck of tarot cards (d. 1951)
- 1880 - Frank Burke, American baseball player (d. 1946)
- 1883 - Elizabeth Craig, British writer (d. 1980)
- 1884 - Robert J. Flaherty, American filmmaker (d. 1951)
- 1886 - Van Wyck Brooks, American historian and critic (d. 1963)
- 1887 - Kathleen Clifford, American actress (d. 1962)
- 1898 - Katharine Cornell, American actress (d. 1974)
- 1891 - Hans F. K. Günther, German eugenicist (d. 1967)
- 1901 - Vincent Coleman, American actor (d. 1971)
- 1901 - Wayne King, American musician and orchestra leader (d. 1985)
- 1901 - Chester Morris, American film actor (d. 1970)
- 1903 - Edgar Bergen, American ventriloquist (d. 1978)
- 1903 - George-Henri Lévesque, Quebec priest and sociologist (d. 2000)
- 1904 - George F. Kennan, American historian, diplomat and political policy-maker (d. 2005)
- 1906 - Vera Menchik, British-Czech chess player, the first Women's World Champion in chess (d. 1944)
- 1909 - Hugh Beaumont, American actor (d. 1982)
- 1909 - Jeffrey Lynn, American actor (d. 1995)
- 1909 - Richard McDonald, American fast food pioneer (d. 1998)
- 1915 - Jim O'Hora, American college football coach (d. 2005)
- 1915 - Elisabeth Eybers, South African poet (d. 2007)
- 1915 - Michael Relph, British film producer and director (d. 2004)
- 1916 - Bill Doggett, American jazz and rhythm and blues pianist and organist (d. 1996)
- 1918 - Patty Andrews, American singer
- 1920 - Anna Mae Hays, American army general
- 1921 - Jean Behra, French Formula One driver (d. 1959)
- 1921 - Araucaria, British crossword compiler
- 1921 - Vera-Ellen, American actress (d. 1981)
- 1922 - Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer, German night fighter pilot (d. 1950)
- 1925 - Carlos Paredes, Portuguese guitar master (d. 2004)
- 1926 - John Schlesinger, English film director (d. 2003)
- 1927 - June Brown, British actress
- 1929 - Gerhard Hanappi, Austrian footballer (d. 1980)
- 1931 - George E. Sangmeister, American politician (d. 2007)
- 1931 - Ken Takakura, Japanese actor
- 1932 - Gretchen Wyler, American actress and dancer (d. 2007)
- 1932 - Otis Blackwell, American songwriter and singer (d. 2002)
- 1932 - Harry Goz, American actor (d. 2003)
- 1932 - Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, President of Sierra Leone
- 1934 - Herbie & Harold Kalin, American singers
- 1934 - Marlene Hagge, American professional golfer
- 1935 - Sonny Bono, American entertainer & U.S. Congressman (d. 1998)
- 1936 - Jill Kinmont, American skier
- 1937 - Yuri Manin, Russian mathematician
- 1938 - John Corigliano, American composer
- 1938 - Barry Primus, American actor
- 1939 - Czesław Niemen, Polish singer-songwriter and composer (d. 2004)
- 1939 - Adolfo Azcuna, Filipino Supreme Court jurist
- 1942 - Kim Jong-il, North Korean leader
- 1943 - Brig Owens, American football player
- 1944 - Richard Ford, American novelist
- 1944 - António Mascarenhas Monteiro, 2nd President of Cape Verde
- 1945 - Jeremy Bulloch, English actor
- 1945 - Frank Welker, American voice actor
- 1946 - Ian Lavender, English actor
- 1948 - Eckhart Tolle, Author and spiritual teacher
- 1950 - Peter Hain, British politician
- 1950 - Kazuki Tomokawa, Japanese acid-folk singer
- 1950 - Roman Tam, Hong Kong famous singer (d. 2002)
- 1951 - William Katt, American actor
- 1952 - Barry Foote, Major League Baseball player
- 1953 - George Martin, American footballer
- 1953 - Lanny McDonald, Canadian ice hockey player
- 1953 - Roberta Williams, computer game designer
- 1954 - Michael Holding, West Indian fast bowler cricket
- 1954 - Iain Banks, Scottish author
- 1954 - Margaux Hemingway, American actress and model (d. 1996)
- 1955 - Hunt Block, American actor
- 1956 - James Ingram, American singer
- 1957 - LeVar Burton, American actor
- 1958 - Natalie Angier, American journalist and author
- 1958 - Lisa Loring, American actress
- 1958 - Oscar Schmidt, Brazilian basketball player
- 1958 - Michael W. Burns, American politician
- 1959 - John McEnroe, American tennis player
- 1959 - Kelly Tripucka, American basketball player
- 1960 - Pete Willis, English guitarist (Def Leppard)
- 1960 - Cherie Chung, Hong Kong actress
- 1961 - Andy Taylor, English rock guitarist (Duran Duran)
- 1962 - John Balance, English musician (Coil, Psychic TV) (d. 2004)
- 1963 - Dave Lombardo, Cuban drummer (Slayer)
- 1963 - Dano Halsall, Swiss swimmer
- 1964 - Bebeto, Brazilian footballer
- 1964 - Christopher Eccleston, English actor
- 1967 - John Valentin, baseball player
- 1967 - Keith Gretzky, former hockey player; brother of Wayne Gretzky
- 1968 - Warren Ellis, British comic book writer
- 1969 - David Heath, American professional wrestler better known as Gangrel
- 1970 - D.J. Wallis, American fitness competitor
- 1970 - Serdar Ortac, Turkish popstar
- 1970 - Angelo Peruzzi, Italian footballer
- 1971 - Amanda Holden, British actress
- 1972 - Jerome Bettis, American football player.
- 1972 - Sarah Clarke, American actress
- 1973 - Christian Bassedas, Argentine former footballer
- 1973 - Cathy Freeman, Australian athlete
- 1973 - Nikos Kostakis, Greek footballer
- 1974 - Fanis Katergiannakis, Greek footballer
- 1974 - Johnny Tri Nguyen, Vietnamese American stuntman and martial arts actor
- 1975 - Nanase Aikawa, Japanese singer
- 1975 - Vanina Ickx, Belgian racing driver
- 1975 - Don Jeffcoat, American actor
- 1976 - Eric Byrnes, American baseball player
- 1976 - Kyo, Japanese singer (Dir en grey)
- 1976 - Joe Odagiri, Japanese actor
- 1977 - Ian Clarke, Irish computer programmer
- 1977 - Ahman Green, American football player
- 1978 - Tia Hellebaut, Belgian athlete
- 1978 - John Tartaglia, Broadway actor and Muppeteer
- 1978 - Wasim Jaffer, Indian Cricketer
- 1979 - Valentino Rossi, Italian motorcycle racer
- 1979 - Eric Mun, Korean rapper (Shinhwa)
- 1980 - Agim Kaba, American actor and film producer
- 1980 - Ashley Lelie, American football player
- 1981 - Jay Howard, British racing driver
- 1981 - Jerry Owens, American baseball player
- 1981 - Qyntel Woods, American basketball player
- 1982 - Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, American rapper
- 1983 - Tuomo Ruutu, Finnish ice hockey player
- 1985 - Zoi Dimoschaki, Greek swimmer
- 1987 - Theresa Goh, Singaporean Paralympic swimmer
- 1988 - Denílson Pereira Neves, Brazilian footballer
- 1991 - Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, Princess of Luxembourg
- 1247 - Heinrich Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia (b. 1204)
- 1279 - King Afonso III of Portugal (b. 1210)
- 1391 - John V Palaeologus, Byzantine Emperor (b. 1332)
- 1531 - Johannes Stöffler, German mathematician and astronomer (b. 1452)
- 1560 - Jean du Bellay, French Catholic cardinal and diplomat
- 1710 - Esprit Fléchier, French writer and Bishop of Nîmes (b. 1632)
- 1721 - James Craggs the Younger, English politician (b. 1686)
- 1754 - Richard Mead, English physician (b. 1673)
- 1820 - Georg Carl von Döbeln, Swedish Lieutenant General and war hero (b. 1758).
- 1844 - Joseph Crosfield, English soap and alkali manufacturer (b. 1792)
- 1898 - Thomas Bracken, New Zealand poet (b. 1843)
- 1899 - Félix Faure, President of France (b. 1841)
- 1907 - Giosuè Carducci, Italian writer, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1835)
- 1912 - St. Nikolai of Japan, Eastern Orthodox priest (b. 1836)
- 1917 - Octave Mirbeau, French writer (b. 1848)
- 1919 - Vera Kholodnaya, Russian film star (b. 1893)
- 1928 - Eddie Foy, American singer and dancer (b. 1856)
- 1932 - Ferdinand Buisson, French pacifist, Nobel Prize Laureate (b. 1841)
- 1967 - Antonio Moreno, Spanish-born actor (b. 1887)
- 1967 - Smiley Burnette, American actor, singer and songwriter (b. 1911)
- 1974 - John Garand, Canadian rifle engineer and manufacturer (b. 1888)
- 1975 - Morgan Taylor, American athlete (b. 1903)
- 1975 - Norman Treigle, American bass-baritone (b. 1927)
- 1977 - Carlos Pellicer, Mexican poet (b. 1897)
- 1978 - E. Roland Harriman, American financier (b. 1895)
- 1979 - Nematollah Nassiri, executed Iran general/head of SAVAK (b. 1911)
- 1980 - Erich Hückel, German physicist (b. 1895)
- 1988 - Jean Carignan, French Canadian fiddler (b. 1916)
- 1990 - Keith Haring, American artist (b. 1958)
- 1991 - Enrique Bermúdez, Nicaraguan Contra leader (b. 1932)
- 1992 - Angela Carter, English writer (b. 1940)
- 1992 - Jânio Quadros, Brazilian politician (b. 1917)
- 1992 - Herman Wold, Swedish statistician (b. 1908)
- 1996 - Roger Bowen, American actor (b. 1932)
- 1996 - Edmund G. Brown, Governor of California (b. 1905)
- 1996 - Brownie McGhee, American singer (b. 1915)
- 1997 - Chien-Shiung Wu, Chinese-American physicist (b. 1912)
- 1999 - Michael Larson, Press Your Luck Big-winning contestant (b. 1949)
- 2000 - Marceline Day, American actress (b. 1908)
- 2000 - Karsten Solheim, Norwegian-born engineer and inventor (b. 1911)
- 2000 - Lila Kedrova, Russian-born actress (b. 1918)
- 2001 - Bob Buhl, baseball player (b. 1928)
- 2001 - Howard W. Koch, American film director (b. 1916)
- 2001 - William Masters, American gynecologist and sexologist (b. 1915)
- 2002 - Walter Winterbottom, England football manager (b. 1913)
- 2003 - Eleanor "Sis" Daley, wife of Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley (b. 1907)
- 2004 - Shirley Strickland, Australian athlete (b. 1925)
- 2004 - Doris Troy, American singer (b. 1937)
- 2005 - Nicole DeHuff, American actress (pneumonia) (b. 1975)
- 2005 - Queen Narriman, second and last wife of King Farouk and mother of their only child King Fuad II
- 2006 - Johnny Grunge, American professional wrestler (b. 1966)
- 2006 - Ernie Stautner, German-born American football player (b. 1925)
