About the day » Thursday May 21, 1874Calender converter

• Adolphina Christina Louisa Kouffeld, Oosterbeek,, Gelderland, Nederland († 1952)
• Adolphina Christina Louisa Kouffeld, Renkum
• Adam Hooijmans, Voorburg, Leidschendam-Voorburg, Zuid-Holland, Nederland († 1875)
• Aaltje Wittenberg, Spanbroek († 1943)
• Albert van Veen, Urk
• Antje Bosma, Steenwijkerwold († 1960)
• Adriana Cornelia Doornhein, Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel, Zuidplas, Zuid-Holland, Nederland
• Adam Hooijmans, Voorburg († 1875)
• Adrianus Klaassen, Amsterdam († 1960)
• Andreas Stephanus Chrisstoffels, Enspijk († 1875)

• Alida Jacoba Bakkenes (0), Leusden, Utrecht, Nederland
• Adrianus Smorenburg (84), Houten, Utrecht, Nederland
• Adrianus Smoorenburg, Houten
• Alida Zegstroo
• Adriana de Jong (72), Oosterhout
• Albertus Roebersen (30), Nieuwleusen, Overijssel, Nederland
• (Stillborn) Vedder (Vedders,Fedder,Veder,Verders,Feders,Ferder) (0), Arnhem, Nederland
• Anna Posthuma (64), Bolsward
• Anna Doornbos (0), Slochteren
• Alphonsus Simon Coppens (3), Reusel

• 1856 » José Batlle y Ordóñez, Uruguayan journalist and politician, President of Uruguay († 1929)
• 1860 » Willem Einthoven, Indonesian-Dutch physician, physiologist, and academic, Nobel Prize laureate († 1927)
• 1861 » Abel Ayerza, Argentinian physician and academic († 1918)
• 1863 » Archduke Eugen of Austria († 1954)
• 1864 » Princess Stéphanie of Belgium († 1945)
• 1873 » Hans Berger, German neurologist and academic († 1941)
• 1878 » Glenn Curtiss, American cyclist and engineer († 1930)
• 1880 » Tudor Arghezi, Romanian journalist, author, and poet († 1967)
• 1884 » Manuel Pérez y Curis, Uruguayan poet and publisher († 1920)
• 1885 » Princess Sophie of Albania, (Princess Sophie of Schönburg-Waldenburg) († 1936)

• 1844 » Giuseppe Baini, Italian priest and composer (b. 1775)
• 1858 » José de la Riva Agüero, Peruvian soldier and politician, 1st President of Peru and 2nd President of North Peru (b. 1783)
• 1862 » John Drew, Irish-American actor and manager (b. 1827)
• 1879 » Arturo Prat, Chilean lawyer and commander (b. 1848)
• 1894 » Émile Henry, French anarchist (b. 1872)
• 1894 » August Kundt, German physicist and academic (b. 1839)
• 1895 » Franz von Suppé, Austrian composer and conductor (b. 1819)
• 1901 » Joseph Olivier, French rugby player (b. 1874)
• 1911 » Williamina Fleming, Scottish-American astronomer and academic (b. 1857)
• 1915 » Leonid Gobyato, Russian general and engineer (b. 1875)

• Koning Willem III (Huis van Oranje-Nassau) was from 1849 till 1890 sovereign of the Netherlands (also known as Koninkrijk der Nederlanden)
• From July 6, 1872 till August 27, 1874 the Netherlands had a cabinet De Vries - Fransen van de Putte with the prime ministers Mr. G. de Vries Azn. (liberaal) and I.D. Fransen van de Putte (liberaal).
• From August 27, 1874 till November 3, 1877 the Netherlands had a cabinet Heemskerk - Van Lijnden van Sandenburg with the prime ministers Mr. J. Heemskerk Azn. (conservatief) and Mr. C.Th. baron Van Lijnden van Sandenburg (AR).
• The Netherlands had about 4.0 million citizens.
• February 21 » The Oakland Daily Tribune publishes its first edition.
• May 9 » The first horsebus makes its début in the city of Mumbai, traveling two routes.
• July 8 » The Mounties begin their March West.
• August 5 » Japan launches its postal savings system, modeled after a similar system in the United Kingdom.
• November 7 » A cartoon by Thomas Nast in Harper's Weekly, is considered the first important use of an elephant as a symbol for the United States Republican Party.
• December 29 » The military coup of Gen. Martinez Campos in Sagunto ends the failed First Spanish Republic and the monarchy is restored as Prince Alfonso is proclaimed King of Spain.

The temperature on May 21, 1874 was about 17.7 °C. The air pressure was 6 kgf/m² and came mainly from the north-northeast. The airpressure was 76 cm mercury. The atmospheric humidity was 48%.