- Jan 1 Eugène-Anatole Demarçay, French chemist (d. 1904)
- Jan 8 James Milton Carroll, American pastor and author (d. 1931)
- Jan 11 Konstantin Fehrenbach, German chancellor of Weimar Republic (1920-21), born in Wellendingen, Baden (d. 1926)
- Jan 12 Joseph Joffre, French army Chief of Staff (Indo China, WWI Battle of Marne), born in Rivesaltes, France (d. 1931)
- Jan 26 Frederick Corder, British composer (The Nabob's Pickle), born in Hackney, London, England (d. 1932)
- Jan 26 Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, Italian-French explorer of the Congo (Brazzaville named after him), born in Rome, Papal States (d. 1905)
- Jan 29 Frederic Hymen Cowen, British pianist, conductor, and composer (Thorgrim), born in Kingston, Jamaica (d. 1935)
- Jan 29 Ion Luca Caragiale, Romanian actor and playwright (O Noapte Furtunoasa), born in Haimanalele, Ploiesti, Romania (d. 1912)
- Jan 31 Alfredo Napoleão dos Santos, Portuguese pianist, and composer, born in Porto, Portugal (d. 1917)