As children of that era were traditionally baptised the day after birth in the Catholic Rhine country, and it is known that Beethoven's family and his teacher Johann Albrechtsberger celebrated his birthday on 16 December, most scholars accept 16 December 1770 as his date of birth.
Da børn i det katolske Rhinland plejede at blive døbt dagen efter fødslen (og Beethovens familie og hans lærer Johann Georg Albrechtsberger fejrede hans fødselsdag den 16. december) sætter de fleste forskere Beethovens fødselsdag til den 16. december 1770.