- Jan 5 Henri Herz, Austrian composer, dies at a day before his 85th birthday
- Jan 14 Stephen Heller, Hungarian composer and pianist, dies at 74
- Jan 21 Stephan Hale Alonzo Marsh, composer, dies at 83
- Jan 23 Eugène Marin Labiche, French playwright (The Italian Straw Hat), dies at 72
- Jan 29 Edward Lear, poet/author, dies at 75
- Jan 30 Asa Gray, American botanist (Flora of North America), dies at 77
- Jan 31 John Bosco, Italian priest, youth worker, educator, founder of the Salesian Society, dies at 72