- Jan 1 Charles Edward Montague, English journalist and author (Fiery Particles), born in Twickenham, England (d. 1928)
- Jan 1 Jeanne Lanvin, French fashion designer and perfumer (Lavin), born in Paris, France (d. 1946)
- Jan 1 Lew Fields [Moses Schoenfeld], Polish-American vaudeville and film comedian (Weber and Fields), and theatrical producer, born in Poland (d. 1941)
- Jan 6 Georges Martin Witkowski, French conductor and composer, born in Mostaganem, Algeria (d. 1943)
- Jan 8 Emily Greene Balch, American sociologist, feminist and pacifist (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom - Nobel Peace Prize 1946), born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1961)
- Jan 9 Jacques Urlus, Dutch dramatic tenor (Opera of Leipzig, 1900-14; Tristan und Isolde; Song of the Earth), born in Hergenrath, Rhine Province (now part of Kelmis, Belgium) (d. 1935)
- Jan 11 Edward B. Titchener, British psychologist. (d. 1927)
- Jan 17 Carl Laemmle, German-born film executive (d. 1939)
- Jan 18 Rubén Darío, Nicaraguan journalist, diplomat and poet, born in Metapa, Nicaragua (d. 1916)
- Jan 20 Yvette Guilbert [Emma Laure Esther Guilbert], French singer and actress, born in Paris, France (d. 1944)
- Jan 21 James Marcus, American actor (The Eagle, The Lonely Trail), born in New York City (d. 1937)
- Jan 21 Ludwig Thoma, German writer (d. 1921)
- Jan 21 Maxime Weygand, French general (head of French armed forces during German Invasion of France WWII), born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1965)
- Jan 21 Willem Royaards, Dutch theater director (Summer Games), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1929)
- Jan 23 Herbert Bedford, English author and composer, born in Holborn, London, England (d. 1945)
- Jan 27 Claude Terrasse, French organist and operetta composer, born in L’Arbresle, Rhône, France (d. 1923)
- Jan 29 Vicente Blasco Ibáñez, Spanish writer (4 Horsemen of Apocalypse), born in Valencia, Spain (d. 1928)
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
80-89
Over 90