Famous People Born In 1821

Discover the most famous people born in 1821. The list includes people like Louis Vuitton, Charles Baudelaire, Nathan Bedford Forrest, Clara Barton, Rudolf Virchow and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, diplomats, military leaders and soldiers born in 1821. This list includes people from United States, France, United Kingdom & Germany and many more countries.
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 1 
Fyodor Dostoevsky
(Best Known for His Novella Notes from The 'Underground')
Fyodor Dostoevsky
19
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 11th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: February 9, 1881
Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky is remembered as one of the pioneers of existentialism. He is best known for psychological and philosophical themes in his works, such as Crime and Punishment and The Idiot. He was arrested for being critical of Tsarist Russia and spent a 4-year prison term in Siberia.
 2 
Clara Barton
(American Nurse Who Founded the American Red Cross)
Clara Barton
10
Listed In: Nurses
Birthdate: 25th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: North Oxford, Oxford, Massachusetts, United States
Died: April 12, 1912

Clara Barton was an American nurse best remembered for founding the American Red Cross. She is renowned for her civil rights advocacy and humanitarian work. She also played an important role in the Civil War, serving as a hospital nurse, a patent clerk, and a teacher. In 1973, Barton was made an inductee of the National Women's Hall of Fame.

 3 
Louis Vuitton
(Businessman)
Louis Vuitton
15
Birthdate: 4th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: France
Died: February 27, 1892

After losing his parents at 10, Louis Vuitton ran away to Paris, where he gained repute as a box-maker/packer, and was even hired by Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie de Montijo. He then founded the iconic French fashion and luxury goods brand Louis Vuitton, which now operates in 50 countries.

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 4 
Charles Baudelaire
(French Poet Known for His Handling of Rhyme & Rhythm and His Book 'Les Fleurs du mal')
Charles Baudelaire
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 9th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: August 31, 1867
French prose poet, essayist, and critic Charles Baudelaire was one of the first translators of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. Best known for his book of poems Les Fleurs du mal, he is believed to have coined the word modernity and was associated with the symbolist and decadent movements.
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 5 
Elizabeth Blackwell
(First Woman Medical Graduate)
Elizabeth Blackwell
5
Birthdate: 3rd February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bristol
Died: May 31, 1910
 6 
Rudolf Virchow
(The Father of Modern Pathology' & the Founder of 'Social Medicine')
Rudolf Virchow
3
Birthdate: 13th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Swidwin, Poland
Died: September 5, 1902

Rudolf Virchow was a German physician, pathologist, anthropologist, biologist, prehistorian, editor, writer, and politician. Nicknamed the Pope of medicine by his colleagues, Virchow is credited with founding the field of social medicine. He is also widely regarded as the father of modern pathology.  Rudolf Virchow was the first person to name diseases, such as thrombosis, leukemia, ochronosis, embolism, and chordoma.

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 7 
Gustave Flaubert
(French Author Best Known for His Novels: ‘Madame Bovary’, ‘Sentimental Education’, ‘Salammbô’ and ‘Three Tales’)
Gustave Flaubert
2
Listed In: Novelists
Birthdate: 12th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rouen, France
Died: May 8, 1880

Gustave Flaubert was a French novelist best remembered for his first novel Madame Bovary, which was later adapted into an opera. One of the most influential French novelists of all time, Flaubert is widely regarded as the main exponent of literary realism in France. His work inspired his protégé and short story writer Guy de Maupassant, who later achieved much acclaim.

 8 
William Henry Vanderbilt
(Businessman)
William Henry Vanderbilt
5
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: 8th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Died: December 8, 1885
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 9 
James Longstreet
(United States Minister to the Ottoman Empire (1880-81))
James Longstreet
10
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 8th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Edgefield, South Carolina, United States
Died: January 2, 1904
 10 
John C. Breckinridge
(14th Vice President of the United States (1857 - 1861))
John C. Breckinridge
17
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 16th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Died: May 17, 1875

From being the youngest vice-president of the United States to joining the Confederate Army during the American civil war, John Breckinridge was a controversial figure in politics. While he was regarded as a shrewd military commander, the former Democratic Congressman was considered a traitor in the northern region. He fled the US after the Civil War but later on returned.

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 11 
Richard Francis Burton
5
Birthdate: 19th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Torquay
Died: October 20, 1890

Richard Francis Burton was a British explorer, soldier, and scholar. He is best remembered for his explorations in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Along with John Hanning Speke, Burton was the first European to witness the Great Lakes of Africa. A prolific writer, Burton wrote several scholarly articles about numerous subjects like sexual practices, falconry, human behavior, travel, and ethnography.

 12 
Hermann von Helmholtz
(Physicist and Physician)
Hermann von Helmholtz
1
Listed In: Physicists
Birthdate: 31st August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Potsdam
Died: September 8, 1894

A descendant of Pennsylvania founder William Penn through his mother, Hermann von Helmholtz studied medicine, pushed by his father, in spite of being interested in the natural sciences. Best known for his law of conservation of energy, he coalesced the fields of medicine, physiology, math, and physics in his studies.

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 13 
Nathan Bedford Forrest
(Confederate General During the American Civil War)
Nathan Bedford Forrest
26
Listed In: Military Leaders
Birthdate: 13th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bedford County, Tennessee, United States
Died: October 29, 1877
Nathan Bedford Forrest, or the "Wizard of the Saddle", served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War. He was charged with war crimes at the Battle of Fort Pillow, where his forces killed Black prisoners of war. He was the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan.
 14 
Collis Potter Huntington
(Industrialist and railway magnate)
Collis Potter Huntington
2
Listed In: Philanthropists
Birthdate: 22nd October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Harwinton, Connecticut, United States
Died: August 13, 1900
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 15 
Arthur Cayley
(Mathematician)
Arthur Cayley
2
Listed In: Mathematicians
Birthdate: 16th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Richmond, Surrey, UK
Died: January 26, 1895
 16 
Marcus Goldman
(American Investment Banker and Founder of the Global Investment Bank 'Goldman Sachs')
Marcus Goldman
0
Listed In: Bankers
Birthdate: 9th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Trappstadt, Germany
Died: July 20, 1904

Legendary American investment banker Marcus Goldman was born into a German Jewish family of farmers and was part of the first wave of Jewish immigration to America. He went from being a peddler to founding Goldman Sachs, which is now one of the largest investment banks of the world.

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 17 
Lola Montez
(Spanish Dancer, Courtesan, and Mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria)
Lola Montez
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 17th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Grange, Ireland
Died: January 17, 1861

Lola Montez was an Irish actress and dancer. She achieved popularity as a Spanish courtesan, dancer, and mistress of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The German revolutions of 1848–1849 forced her to flee to the United States, where she established herself as an actress and dancer. Lola Montez has been portrayed in many films, including Lola Montez, the King's Dancer.

 18 
Alexander Gardner
(Scottish Photographer)
Alexander Gardner
0
Birthdate: 17th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Died: December 10, 1882
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 19 
Ford Madox Brown
(Painter)
Ford Madox Brown
0
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 16th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Calais
Died: October 6, 1893
 20 
Edmund Pettus
(Politician)
Edmund Pettus
0
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 6th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Athens, Alabama, United States
Died: July 27, 1907
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 21 
Andrew Kim Taegon
(Saint)
Andrew Kim Taegon
2
Listed In: Priests
Birthdate: 21st August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dangjin-si, South Korea
Died: September 16, 1846
 22 
Archduke Ferdinand Karl Viktor of Austria-Este
(Politician)
Archduke Ferdinand Karl Viktor of Austria-Este
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 20th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Modena, Italy
Died: December 15, 1849
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 23 
Pauline Viardot
(One of the Best 19th-Century French Mezzo-Sopranos)
Pauline Viardot
0
Listed In: Soprano Singers
Birthdate: 18th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: May 18, 1910

Pauline Viardot was a noted French operatic Mezzo-soprano, music-pedagogue and composer of nineteenth century considered a star performer of her time. She hailed from a musical family. During her illustrious career that spanned over several decades, Viardot thrived as a remarkable pianist and as a complete all-around professional musician. Her notable works include the operas Le dernier sorcier and Cendrillon.

 24 
Joseph E. Brown
(Governor of Georgia, United States)
Joseph E. Brown
0
Birthdate: 15th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pickens, South Carolina, United States
Died: November 30, 1894
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 25 
Vasile Alecsandri
(Poet)
Vasile Alecsandri
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 21st July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bacău, Principality of Moldavia
Died: August 22, 1890
 26 
Nikolay Nekrasov
(Poet who Introduced Ternary Meters and the Technique of Dramatic Monologue into Russian Poetry)
Nikolay Nekrasov
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 10th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Nemyriv, Ukraine
Died: January 8, 1878

Russian poet Nikolay Nekrasov established himself as a successful businessman before stepping into writing. He bought and developed the magazine Sovremennik, or The Contemporary. Most of his poems, such as Red-Nosed Frost, spoke about the misery of the peasant class. He also introduced the dramatic monologue to Russian literature.

 

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 27 
Bartolomé Mitre
(Soldier, Linguist, Journalist, Historian, Politician, Translator)
Bartolomé Mitre
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 26th June
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Buenos Aires
Died: January 19, 1906

Bartolomé Mitre was an Argentine soldier, statesman, and author. He is best remembered for his service as the President of Argentina from 12 October 1862 to 12 October 1868. A major political figure that best characterized liberalism in 19th century Argentina, Bartolomé Mitre was also a historian, journalist, writer, and poet.

 28 
John Abbott
(Politician, Lawyer)
John Abbott
0
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 12th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: St.-André-Est, Canada
Died: October 30, 1893
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 29 
James Croll
(Geographer, Geologist)
James Croll
0
Birthdate: 2nd January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Little Whitefield, Perthshire, Scotland
Died: December 15, 1890
 30 
Arthur Saint-Léon
(French Ballet Dancer Who Is Famous for Creating the Choreography of the Ballet 'Coppélia')
Arthur Saint-Léon
0
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: 17th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 2, 1870

Arthur Saint-Léon was a ballet master who worked with the Imperial Russian Ballet from 1859 to 1869. He is remembered for choreographing a popular ballet named Coppélia. He is also remembered for inventing a method of choreographic notation, which was the first notation to document the movements of the torso, head, and arms apart from the movements of the feet.  

 31 
Ned Buntline
(Publisher)
Ned Buntline
0
Birthdate: 20th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Harpersfield, New York, United States
Died: July 18, 1886
 32 
Ernst Engel
(German Statistician and Economist Who Is Famous for the 'Engel Curve' and 'Engel’s Law')
Ernst Engel
0
Birthdate: 26th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Dresden, Germany
Died: December 8, 1896

German statistician Ernst Engel conducted an interesting study on over 150 Belgian families to come to the conclusion that the lower a family’s income, the greater is their expense on food. His revelation came to be known as the Engel curve, or the Engel’s law. He was also part of various statistical departments.

 33 
Napoleon Sarony
(Former lithographer, photographer best known for his portraits of the stars of late-19th-century American theater)
Napoleon Sarony
0
Birthdate: 9th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Quebec City, Canada
Died: November 9, 1896
 34 
Linus Yale Jr.
(Inventor)
Linus Yale Jr.
0
Birthdate: 4th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Salisbury, New York, United States
Died: December 25, 1868

Best known for inventing the cylinder lock named after him, Linus Yale Jr. was a descendant of the benefactor of Yale University. While working in his father’s lock shop, Yale introduced many innovative designs for bank locks. He also put to use his painting skills in drawing lock designs.

 35 
Ion C. Brătianu
(Politician)
Ion C. Brătianu
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 2nd June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Argeș County, Romania
Died: May 16, 1891
 36 
Pafnuty Chebyshev
(Considered to Be the Founding Father of Russian Mathematics)
Pafnuty Chebyshev
1
Listed In: Mathematicians
Birthdate: 16th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Zhukovsky District, Russia
Died: December 8, 1894
 37 
Francis Preston Blair, Jr.
(Politician)
Francis Preston Blair, Jr.
0
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 19th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Lexington, Kentucky, United States
Died: July 8, 1875
 38 
August Schleicher
(German linguist)
August Schleicher
0
Listed In: Linguists
Birthdate: 19th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Meiningen
Died: December 6, 1868
 39 
Henry Willis
(Organ maker)
Henry Willis
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 27th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
Died: February 11, 1901
 40 
Cyprian Norwid
(Poet Known for His Work 'Vade-mecum' & 'Promethidion')
Cyprian Norwid
0
Birthdate: 24th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Głuchy, Poland
Died: May 23, 1883

Cyprian Norwid was a Polish poet, painter, dramatist, and sculptor. Although he did not find much success and monetary gains during his lifetime, Norwid is now regarded as a nationally esteemed poet. His works were rediscovered and popularized by the members of the Young Poland art movement. Cyprian Norwid is now counted among the four most prominent Polish Romantic poets.

 41 
Charles Francis Hall
(Explorer)
Charles Francis Hall
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 30th November
Birthplace: Rochester, New Hampshire, United States
Died: November 8, 1871
 42 
Georgi Sava Rakovski
(Bulgarian Revolutionary and Writer Who Took an Active Part in the Resistance Against Ottoman Rule in Bulgaria)
Georgi Sava Rakovski
1
Listed In: Revolutionaries
Birthdate: 14th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kotel, Bulgaria
Died: October 9, 1867

Georgi Sava Rakovski was a Bulgarian revolutionary, writer, and freemason. He played an important role during the Bulgarian National Revival and took an active part in the resistance against Ottoman rule in Bulgaria. Georgi Sava Rakovski is best remembered for his work Gorski Patnik, which he wrote while hiding from Turkish authorities during the Crimean War.

 43 
Jay Cooke
(Financier)
Jay Cooke
2
Listed In: Investors
Birthdate: 10th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Sandusky, Ohio, United States
Died: February 16, 1905
 44 
Sir Samuel White Baker
(English Explorer)
Sir Samuel White Baker
0
Birthdate: 8th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London, England
Died: December 30, 1893
 45 
Giovanni Bottesini
(Composer)
Giovanni Bottesini
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 22nd December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Crema, Italy
Died: July 7, 1889
 46 
Robert O'Hara Burke
(Explorer)
Robert O'Hara Burke
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 6th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: St. Clerah’s, Ireland
Died: June 28, 1861
 47 
Mathilde Marchesi
(Soprano)
Mathilde Marchesi
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: 24th March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
Died: November 17, 1913
 48 
Louise Juta
(Bookseller)
Louise Juta
0
Listed In: Family Members
Birthdate: 14th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Trier, Germany
Died: July 3, 1893
 49 
Frederick Temple
(Former Archbishop of Canterbury (1896 - 1902))
Frederick Temple
1
Listed In: Priests
Birthdate: 30th November
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Lefkada, Greece
Died: December 23, 1902

Frederick Temple was an English churchman, teacher, and academic. He served successively as the Bishop of Exeter, Bishop of London, and Archbishop of Canterbury. From 1871 to 1902, he also served as the governor at Sherborne School, where his bust is currently located.

 50 
Rachel Félix
(Actress)
Rachel Félix
0
Listed In: Actresses
Birthdate: 21st February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Mumpf, Switzerland
Died: January 3, 1858