- Jan 2 František "Franz" Xaver Brixi, Czech classical composer and kapellmeister, born in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1771)
- Jan 6 Matija A Reljkovic, Habsburg military officer & Croatian writer (Satir iliti divji covic), born in Davor, Croatia (d. 1798)
- Jan 17 Stanislaw II August Poniatowski, last King of Poland (1764-95), born in Wołczyn, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (d. 1795)
- Jan 18 Jean-Guillain Cardon, French harpist, teacher, and composer, born in Mons, South Netherlands (d. 1803)
- Jan 20 Richard Henry Lee, American farmer (signed US Declaration of Independence), born in Westmoreland county, Virginia (d. 1794)
- Jan 24 Pierre de Beaumarchais, French polymath and dramatist (The Marriage of Figaro, Barber of Seville), born in Paris, France (d. 1799)