- Jan 1 Sydney Nelson, English song composer (Rose of Allendale), born in London, England (d. 1862)
- Jan 1 Václav Emanuel Horák, Czech composer, chiefly of liturgical music, organist, and kapellmeister, born in Lobeč, Kingdom of Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1871)
- Jan 6 Willem A. Schimmelpenninck van der Oye, Dutch politician, born in Doesburg, Netherlands (d. 1872)
Millard Fillmore (1800-1874)
Jan 7 13th President of the United States (Whig: 1850-53), born in Moravia, New York
- Jan 10 Lars Levi Laestadius, Swedish botanist and founder of Laestadianism, born in Jäckvik, Arjeplog, Sweden (d. 1861)
- Jan 11 Ányos Jedlik, Hungarian physicist (d. 1895)
- Jan 14 Ludwig Ritter von Köchel, Austrian musicologist (Köchel catalogue of Mozart's works), born in Krems an der Donau, Austria (d. 1877)
- Jan 24 Edwin Chadwick, British social reformer (Poor law reform, sanitation movement), born in Manchester, England (d. 1890)
Jane Johnston Schoolcraft (1800-1842)
Jan 31 Native American poet, born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
80-89
Over 90