Famous People Born In 1838

Discover the most famous people born in 1838. The list includes people like John Wilkes Booth, John Muir, Georges Bizet, Ernst Mach, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include novelists, lawyers, political leaders and composers born in 1838. This list includes people from United States, France, Germany and many more countries.
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 1 
John Muir
(Naturalist)
John Muir
17
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 21st April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dunbar
Died: December 24, 1914

John Muir was a Scottish-American naturalist, environmental philosopher, glaciologist, botanist, zoologist, and author. Nicknamed Father of the National Parks and John of the Mountains, Muir was an influential proponent of the preservation of wilderness in the US. He is credited with co-founding the American conservation organization, The Sierra Club. Muir is considered a hero by many environmentalists around the world.

 2 
Georges Bizet
(French Composer Best Known for His Opera ‘Carmen’)
Georges Bizet
6
Listed In: Composers
Birthdate: 25th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: June 3, 1875

Georges Bizet was a French composer whose career was cut short by his untimely demise at the age of 36. Since his death in 1875, Bizet's final work Carmen has become one of the most frequently performed works in the opera repertoire. Although he couldn’t achieve success during his lifetime, Bizet's death is considered a loss to French musical theatre.

 3 
Liliʻuokalani
(Queen of the Hawaiian Islands (1891-93))
Liliʻuokalani
7
Birthdate: 2nd September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Died: November 11, 1917
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 4 
Victoria Woodhull
(The First Woman to Run for the American Presidency)
Victoria Woodhull
4
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: 23rd September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Homer, Ohio, United States
Died: June 9, 1927

Victoria Woodhull was an American politician, suffragist, and writer who played an important role in the women's suffrage movement. She is credited with founding Woodhull & Claflin's Weekly, America's first newspaper to be founded by a woman. Her life and career inspired the Broadway musical Onward Victoria. In 2001, she was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

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 5 
Max Bruch
(German Romantic Composer, Conductor & Educator)
Max Bruch
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 6th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Cologne, Germany
Died: October 2, 1920

Max Bruch composed his first song at 9 for his mother’s birthday and then earned a scholarship after creating a symphony at the tender age of 14. He worked extensively with the choral societies of Germany and is remembered for his iconic Violin Concerto No. 1 in G Minor.

 6 
Ernst Mach
(Physicist)
Ernst Mach
3
Listed In: Physicists
Birthdate: 18th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brno, Czech Republic
Died: February 19, 1916

Austrian physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach is remembered for his contributions to the study of shock waves. He is also credited for discovering a non-acoustic function of the inner ear that helps control human balance. As a philosopher of science, he is considered a major influence on logical positivism and American pragmatism. 

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 7 
William Henry Perkin
(British Chemist Known for His Serendipitous Discovery of First Commercial Synthetic Organic Dye, 'Mauveine')
William Henry Perkin
0
Birthdate: 12th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: London, England
Died: July 14, 1907

William Henry Perkin is best remembered for his chance discovery of the dye mauveine, made of aniline purple. He had apparently discovered the dye while attempting to synthesize quinine. The Royal Medal-winning British chemist also studied salicyl alcohol and flavoring agents and synthesized the first artificial perfume.

 8 
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
(A Pioneer in Development of Rigid Airship and Founder of Aircraft Manufacturing Company ‘Luftschiffbau Zeppelin’)
Ferdinand von Zeppelin
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 8th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Died: March 8, 1917

German general and inventor Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin is best-remembered for inventing the Zeppelin rigid airships and pioneering development of rigid airships during early 20th century. Zeppelin eventually founded the German aircraft manufacturing company called Luftschiffbau Zeppelin that played an instrumental role in the design and manufacture of rigid airships and emerged as the leading manufacturer of large lighter-than-air vehicles.

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 9 
James J. Hill
(Canadian-American railroad executive, Businessman)
James J. Hill
4
Birthdate: 16th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Eramosa Township, Ontario, Upper Canada
Died: May 29, 1916
 10 
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
(Indian Novelist & Poet Who is Considered as One of the Greatest Writers of Bengali Literature)
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay
8
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 26th June
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: April 8, 1894

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was an Indian poet, novelist, and journalist. He is credited with composing India's national song, Vande Mataram, which personifies India as a mother goddess. The song played a major role in inspiring revolutionaries during India's struggle for independence. Dubbed Emperor of Literature, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote 14 novels alongside several poems.

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 11 
Jan Matejko
(Painter)
Jan Matejko
2
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 30th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kraków, Poland
Died: November 1, 1893
 12 
Henry Adams
(Historian Known for His Work 'The History of the United States of America 1801–1817')
Henry Adams
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 16th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: March 27, 1918

Historian Henry Adams was part of the famous Adams political family of the U.S and a typical Boston Brahmin elite. His best-known work remains his posthumously published autobiography, The Education of Henry Adams, which won a Pulitzer Prize. He also taught medieval history at Harvard.

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 13 
Henry Sidgwick
(British Philosopher and Economist Best Known in Philosophy for His Utilitarian Treatise 'The Methods of Ethics')
Henry Sidgwick
0
Birthdate: 31st May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Skipton, Yorkshire, England
Died: August 28, 1900

An influential English ethical philosopher and economist of the Victorian era, Henry Sidgwick is perhaps best known for his utilitarian treatise The Methods of Ethics. He promoted higher education of women and co-founded Newnham College. He remained a member of the Metaphysical Society and co-founded and served as first president of the Society for Psychical Research.

 14 
Dalip Singh
(Sikh maharaja)
Dalip Singh
1
Listed In: Emperors & Kings
Birthdate: 4th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Lahore, Pakistan
Died: October 22, 1893
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 15 
John Hay
(Former United States Secretary of State)
John Hay
2
Birthdate: 8th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Salem, Indiana, United States
Died: July 1, 1905
 16 
Franz Brentano
(German Philosopher, Priest, and Professor Who Founded Intentionalism)
Franz Brentano
0
Birthdate: 16th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Marienberg, Germany
Died: March 17, 1917

Widely regarded as the founder of Intentionalism, or act psychology, German philosopher Franz Brentano was also a Roman Catholic priest. He also taught philosophy at the University of Würzburg and the University of Vienna and penned the iconic works Psychology from an Empirical Standpoint and Inquiry into Sense Psychology.

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 17 
Margaret E. Knight
(Inventor, notably of a machine to produce flat-bottomed paper bags)
Margaret E. Knight
1
Listed In: Inventors
Birthdate: 14th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: York, Maine, United States
Died: October 12, 1914
 18 
Sir Henry Irving
(Actor)
Sir Henry Irving
2
Listed In: Actors
Birthdate: 6th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Keinton Mandeville, United Kingdom
Died: October 13, 1905
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 19 
Jules Brunet
(French Military Officer)
Jules Brunet
0
Listed In: Soldiers
Birthdate: 2nd January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Belfort
Died: August 12, 1911
 20 
Léon Gambetta
(Former republican politician who proclaimed the French Third Republic in 1870 and played a prominent role in its early government)
Léon Gambetta
1
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 2nd April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Cahors, France
Died: December 31, 1882
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 21 
Émile Loubet
(President of France from 1899 to 1906, 45th Prime Minister of France)
Émile Loubet
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 30th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Marsanne, France
Died: December 20, 1929

A qualified lawyer and a skilled orator, Émile Loubet had been the mayor of Montélimar, before becoming the prime minister and then the president of France. He was responsible for improving France’s relationship with Britain. He also accelerated the separation of the Church and the French government.

 22 
Octavia Hill
(British Social Reformer)
Octavia Hill
0
Listed In: Social Reformers
Birthdate: 3rd December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England
Died: August 13, 1912

Social reformer Octavia Hill led the British open-space movement, which eventually led to the formation of the National Trust. Inspired by John Ruskin, she established her first housing project in a London slum. She later devoted her life to developing living conditions of the poor and utilizing open spaces.

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 23 
Prince Philippe, Count of Paris
(French pretender)
Prince Philippe, Count of Paris
2
Listed In: Family Members
Birthdate: 24th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 8, 1894
 24 
Anton Mauve
(Former realist painter whose best-known paintings depict peasants working in the field)
Anton Mauve
1
Birthdate: 18th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Zaandam, Netherlands
Died: February 5, 1888
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 25 
Princess Louise of Prussia
(Politician)
Princess Louise of Prussia
1
Birthdate: 3rd December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: April 23, 1923
 26 
Camille Jordan
(Mathematician, Engineer, Professor)
Camille Jordan
1
Listed In: Mathematicians
Birthdate: 5th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lyon
Died: January 22, 1922

Camille Jordan was a French mathematician best remembered for his influential Cours d'analyse and his foundational work in group theory. He also served as an educator, teaching at prestigious institutions like the Collège de France and École Polytechnique. The asteroid 25593 Camillejordan is named in his honor.

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 27 
Okuma Shigenobu
(Prime Minister)
Okuma Shigenobu
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 11th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Saga
Died: January 10, 1922

Although an important member of the Japanese Meiji oligarchy, Kōshaku (Marquess) Ōkuma Shigenobu was a centrist and a supporter of western ideas and science. His campaign for a parliamentary system of governance led to political reforms in Japan. As a foreign minister, he modernized the country’s fiscal system.  A two-time Prime Minister, he was also the founder of Waseda University

 28 
Edwin Abbott Abbott
(English Schoolmaster, Theologian and Anglican Priest)
Edwin Abbott Abbott
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 20th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Marylebone, London, England
Died: October 12, 1926

Edwin Abbott Abbott was a theologian, schoolmaster, and Anglican priest. He is remembered for writing the 1884 novella Flatland. He served as the principal of the City of London School where he supervised the education of H.H. Asquith, who would go on to serve as the prime minister of the UK. Abbott is also credited with writing educational text books.

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 29 
José Ruiz y Blasco
(Painter)
José Ruiz y Blasco
0
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 12th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Málaga, Spain
Died: May 3, 1913

Spanish painter and art teacher José Ruiz y Blasco was best known as the father of legendary artist Pablo Picasso. Most of his works are depictions of landscapes or doves and pigeons in their natural habitat. He also specialized in still lifes. In his later years, he taught at La Lonja.

 30 
Lawrence Sullivan Ross
(Politician)
Lawrence Sullivan Ross
0
Birthdate: 27th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Bentonsport, Iowa, United States
Died: January 3, 1898
 31 
Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu
(Writer)
Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu
0
Birthdate: 26th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Khotyns'kyi district, Ukraine
Died: September 7, 1907
 32 
Ernest Solvay
(Belgian Chemist Who Developed the 'Ammonia-Soda Process' for Making Soda Ash)
Ernest Solvay
0
Listed In: Chemists
Birthdate: 16th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Rebecq, Belgium
Died: May 26, 1922

Belgian chemist Ernest Solvay began working in his family’s salt-making business soon after finishing school, as his condition of acute pleurisy prevented him from studying any further. He is remembered for developing the ammonia-soda process that produces soda ash, which is crucial to the glass and soap industries.

 33 
Edward W. Morley
(Scientist)
Edward W. Morley
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 29th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: February 24, 1923
 34 
Cleveland Abbe
(US Meteorologist Who Helped Develop the US Weather Bureau)
Cleveland Abbe
0
Listed In: Meteorologists
Birthdate: 3rd December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: October 28, 1916

US meteorologist Cleveland Abbe, who proposed the use of time zones, was also known for his contribution to the development of the US Weather Bureau, or the National Weather Service, through his daily weather maps and forecasts. Initially an astronomer, he also served as the director of the Cincinnati (Ohio) Observatory.

 35 
John Davis Long
(Lawyer, Politician & Writer)
John Davis Long
1
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 27th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Buckfield, Maine
Died: August 28, 1915
 36 
Rufus W. Peckham
(Jurist)
Rufus W. Peckham
0
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 8th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Albany, New York, United States
Died: October 24, 1909
 37 
William Robinson
(Gardener)
William Robinson
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 15th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Ireland
Died: May 17, 1935
 38 
Henry Hobson Richardson
0
Birthdate: 29th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: St. James Parish, Louisiana, United States
Died: April 27, 1886

Architect Henry Hobson Richardson is best remembered for introducing what later came to be known as Richardsonian Romanesque. The great-grandson of scientist Joseph Priestley, he was educated at Harvard. Initially an aspiring civil engineer, he later drifted to architecture. His works included libraries, commercial buildings, and the Trinity Church.

 39 
John Morley
(Statesman)
John Morley
0
Birthdate: 24th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Blackburn, England
Died: September 23, 1923

John Morley was a British writer, newspaper editor, and politician. Morley served as the Chief Secretary for Ireland from February to July 1886. Between 1905 and 1910, he was the Secretary of State for India. John Morley is best remembered for his writings, many of which have been published. Morley is credited with inspiring influential figures like Mahomed Ali Jinnah.

 40 
William Edward Hartpole Lecky
(Irish Historian and Political Theorist Who Specialized in Georgian England)
William Edward Hartpole Lecky
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 26th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Dublin, Ireland
Died: October 22, 1903
 41 
Keshab Chunder Sen
(Indian Philosopher and Social Reformer Known for Incorporating Christian Theology in Hindu Framework)
Keshab Chunder Sen
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 19th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: January 8, 1884

Keshab Chunder Sen was an Indian social reformer and philosopher. Although he was born a Hindu, Sen thought highly of Christian theology and wanted to incorporate the theology of Christian practice into the framework of Hindu thought. By the use of Christian missionary methods, Keshab Chunder Sen effected several social reforms in India.

 42 
Jules Dalou
(French Sculptor)
Jules Dalou
0
Listed In: Sculptors
Birthdate: 31st December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: April 15, 1902

Nineteenth-century French sculptor Jules Dalou, who excelled in bronze art, was initially trained by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux. He spent a few years in exile in England after the French government convicted him for participating in the Paris Commune. The Triumph of the Republic remains one of his best-known works.

 43 
Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam
(Writer)
Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 7th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Saint-Brieuc, France
Died: August 19, 1889

Part of the symbolist movement, French author Auguste Villiers de l'Isle-Adam is best remembered for his drama Axël and his short story collection Cruel Tales. His works often dealt with themes of horror and sadism. He spent all his life in poverty and married his mistress on his deathbed.

 44 
Alice Cunningham Fletcher
(Anthropologist)
Alice Cunningham Fletcher
0
Birthdate: 15th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Havana, Cuba
Died: April 6, 1923
 45 
August Šenoa
(Croatian Novelist)
August Šenoa
0
Listed In: Novelists
Birthdate: 14th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Zagreb, Croatia
Died: December 13, 1881

Author August Šenoa is credited with leading Croatian literature from Romanticism to Realism. Also considered the "father of the Croatian novel," he studied law but later deviated to writing. He introduced the genre of the historical novel in Croatia and penned iconic works such as Pirates of Senj.

 46 
Charlotte Emerson Brown
(Women's Activist)
Charlotte Emerson Brown
0
Birthdate: 21st April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Andover, Massachusetts, United States
Died: February 5, 1895
 47 
Sir George Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet
(Statesman)
Sir George Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet
0
Birthdate: 20th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Rothley Temple, England
Died: August 17, 1928
 48 
George William Hill
(American Astronomer and Mathematician)
George William Hill
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 3rd March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: April 16, 1914

Considered one of the pioneers of celestial mechanics, George William Hill is best remembered for his study on the motions of the Moon. He also studied the motion of Jupiter and Saturn. The Copley Medal-winning mathematician and astronomer also laid down the theory of ordinary differential equations.

 49 
William Keith
(Painter)
William Keith
0
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 18th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Oldmeldrum, Scotland
Died: April 13, 1911
 50 
General Tom Thumb
(American Dwarf Who Achieved Great Fame as a Performer Under Circus Pioneer P. T. Barnum)
General Tom Thumb
51
Listed In: Entertainers
Birthdate: 4th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States
Died: July 15, 1883

General Tom Thumb was a dwarf best remembered as a performer in P. T. Barnum's circus. He achieved significant fame as a performer and has been portrayed by several actors in films, such as The Mighty Barnum and Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon. In the 2017 movie The Greatest Showman, General Tom Thumb was played by Sam Humphrey.