- Jan 4 George Tryon, British admiral (d. 1893)
- Jan 6 Gustave Doré, French painter and sculptor, born in Strasbourg, France (d. 1883)
- Jan 7 James Munro, Scottish-born Australian politician (Premier of Victoria 1890-92), born in Armadale, Scotland (d. 1908)
- Jan 9 Félix-Gabriel Marchand, journalist, author and politician, Premier of Quebec (d. 1900)
- Jan 9 Maurits Adriaan de Savornin Lohman, Dutch governor of Suriname (1889-91), born in Groningen, Netherlands (d. 1899)
- Jan 12 Richard Waterhouse Jr, Brigadier General (Confederate Army), (d. 1876)
- Jan 13 Horatio Alger, American clergyman and author (Disagreeable Woman, Ragged Dick), born in Chelsea, Massachusetts (d. 1899)
- Jan 19 Ferdinand Laub, Czech composer and violinist, born in Prague (d. 1875)
- Jan 19 Salvador Giner y Vidal, Spanish composer, born in Valencia, Spain (d. 1911)
Edouard Manet (1832-1883)
Jan 23 French impressionist painter (Olympia, The Luncheon on the Grass), born in Paris, France
Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)
Jan 27 English author (Alice in Wonderland), born in Daresbury, England
