Famous People Born In 1831

Discover the most famous people born in 1831. The list includes people like James A. Garfield, Sitting Bull, Richard Dedekind, Albert Anker, James Maxwell and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include inventors, military leaders, poets and mathematicians born in 1831. This list includes people from United States and many more countries.
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 1 
James A. Garfield
(20th President of United States (March 1881 - September 1881))
James A. Garfield
32
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 19th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Moreland Hills, Ohio, United States
Died: September 19, 1881

The 20th president of the United States, James A. Garfield began his career as an attorney. Born into poverty, he struggled throughout his childhood and youth to become a respected lawyer. He eventually entered politics and rose through the ranks to be elected the president. Unfortunately, he was assassinated less than seven months after he took office.

 2 
Sitting Bull
(Warrior)
Sitting Bull
9
Listed In: Military Leaders
Birthdate: 30th November
Birthplace: Grand River
Died: December 15, 1890
Hunkpapa Lakota leader Sitting Bull is symbolic of the Native American resistance against the U.S. government. After the Battle of the Little Bighorn, he surrendered and performed at Buffalo Bill's Wild West show. The U.S. government, fearing he might join the Ghost Dance Movement, killed him during an attempted arrest.
 3 
James Maxwell
(Scottish Mathematician and Scientist Who Gave the Classical Theory of Electromagnetic Radiation)
James Maxwell
10
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 13th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: November 5, 1879

Scottish physicist James Maxwell’s contributions included the formulation of the classical theory of electromagnetic radiation and the production of the first light-fast color photograph. His Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution explored the kinetic theory of gases. He has also written poems and was an Elder of the Church of Scotland.

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 4 
Helena Blavatsky
(Russian Writer and Co-Founder of the 'Theosophical Society')
Helena Blavatsky
3
Listed In: Philosophers
Birthdate: 12th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dnipro, Ukraine
Died: May 8, 1891

Russian philosopher Helena Blavatsky, or Madame Blavatsky, was one of the co-founders of the Theosophical Society. She popularized the slogan “There is no religion higher than truth.” She was inspired by the Arya Samaj and later converted to Buddhism. She also wrote books such as The Secret Doctrine.

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 5 
Frederick III, German Emperor
(Former German Emperor and King of Prussia (1888))
Frederick III, German Emperor
4
Listed In: Emperors & Kings
Birthdate: 18th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Potsdam, Germany
Died: June 15, 1888

Frederick III, German Emperor reigned as the king of Prussia and emperor of the German Empire from 9 March 1888 until his death on 15 June 1888. Although he played key roles during the Austro-Prussian, Second Schleswig, and Franco-Prussian wars, Frederick professed hatred for warfare and was willing to make the German Empire more liberal before his untimely death.

 6 
John Bell Hood
(Confederate General)
John Bell Hood
7
Listed In: Military Leaders
Birthdate: 1st June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Owingsville, Kentucky, United States
Died: August 30, 1879
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 7 
John Stith Pemberton
(Inventor of Coca-Cola)
John Stith Pemberton
2
Listed In: Inventors
Birthdate: 8th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Knoxville, Georgia, United States
Died: August 16, 1888

John Pemberton was an American pharmacist best remembered for his invention of Coca-Cola. A Confederate States Army veteran, Pemberton suffered from a wound sustained during the Battle of Columbus. The injury led him to experiment with different kinds of toxins and painkillers, which in turn helped him invent the recipe to make Coca-Cola.

 8 
Philip Sheridan
(Military Officer)
Philip Sheridan
2
Listed In: Military Leaders
Birthdate: 6th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Albany, New York, United States
Died: August 5, 1888
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 9 
Savitribai Phule
(Social Reformer, Poet)
Savitribai Phule
22
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 3rd January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Naigaon, British India (now in Satara district, Maharashtra)
Died: March 10, 1887

Savitribai Phule was a revolutionary social reformer who dedicated her life to educate girls and bring about gender equality in the face of resistance from the conservative Indian society. Phule, who was illiterate till her marriage, went on to become a teacher, a feat considered first by an Indian woman. With her husband, she established schools for girls in Maharashtra.

 10 
Richard Dedekind
(German Mathematician Known for His Important Contributions to Number Theory, Abstract Algebra and Modern Set Theory)
Richard Dedekind
28
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 6th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brunswick, Germany
Died: February 12, 1916

German mathematician Richard Dedekind is best remembered for his ideas on the real number and infinity. Initially interested in subjects such as physics and chemistry, he later deviated to math. He taught at various institutes and was awarded honorary doctorates from universities of Zurich, Oslo, and Braunschweig.

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 11 
George Pullman
(American Engineer and Industrialist Known for Designing and Manufacturing the Pullman Sleeping Car)
George Pullman
1
Birthdate: 3rd March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Brocton, New York, United States
Died: October 19, 1897

One of his parents’ 10 children, George Pullman initially took over his father’s carpentry business and secured contracts with New York for the Erie Canal project. The founder of the Pullman sleeping car and a company town, Pullam was criticized for using the military to violently end the 1894 Pullman Strike.

 12 
Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton
(Diplomat)
Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 8th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England
Died: November 24, 1891
Apart from serving as a British viceroy of India, Robert Bulwer-Lytton had also penned poems under the pen-name Owen Meredith. His relief policy in the wake of the Madras famine of 1876-78 was highly criticized and held responsible for aggravating the famine. He also catalyzed the Second Afghan War.
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 13 
Joseph Joachim
(Violinist Known for His Interpretations of Works of Bach, Mozart & Beethoven)
Joseph Joachim
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 28th June
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kittsee, Austria
Died: August 15, 1907

Hungarian violinist and composer Joseph Joachim was trained in Budapest and London before he became the director of the Hochschule für Ausübende Tonkunst in Berlin. He formed the Joachim Quartet and gained fame as a music teacher. He is best known for his versions of works by legends such as Beethoven.

 14 
Lucy Webb Hayes
(American first lady)
Lucy Webb Hayes
0
Listed In: Family Members
Birthdate: 28th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chillicothe, Ohio , United States
Died: June 25, 1889
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 15 
Nikolai Leskov
(Writer Known for His Works 'Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk', 'The Cathedral Folk' & 'The Enchanted Wanderer')
Nikolai Leskov
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 16th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Oryol qəzası, Russia
Died: March 5, 1895

Known for works such as Cathedral Folk and Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, Nikolai Leskov enriched Russian literature with his short stories and novels that mirrored the burning social issues of his time. He had also worked as a journalist. Many of his works bear the pseudonym M. Stebnitsky.

 16 
Ludvig Nobel
(Entrepreneur, Engineer, Philanthropist)
Ludvig Nobel
1
Birthdate: 27th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Stockholm
Died: April 12, 1888

Ludvig Nobel was a Swedish-Russian engineer, humanitarian, and businessman. Along with his brother Robert, Ludvig operated an oil company named Branobel, which produced fifty percent of the world's oil at one point. Best remembered for creating the Russian oil industry, Ludvig Nobel was one of the richest men in the world. Ludvig Nobel is also credited with inventing oil tankers.  

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 17 
Emily Stowe
(First female physician to practise in Canada, the second licensed female physician in Canada)
Emily Stowe
1
Birthdate: 1st May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Norwich, Canada
Died: April 30, 1903

Emily Stowe created history by becoming the first female doctor to practice in Canada and the second to receive a physician’s license in the country. A champion of women’s education, she was also a prominent suffragist and assisted in building the first women’s medical school in Canada.

 18 
Leo von Caprivi
(Former Chancellor of the German Reich (1890 - 1894))
Leo von Caprivi
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 24th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Berlin, Germany
Died: February 6, 1899

German general Leo von Caprivi had been the Chancellor of the German Empire, succeeding Otto von Bismarck. His most significant achievements include the conclusion of the Zanzibar Treaty, though he was criticized for giving up too much control. Mostly keeping to himself, he remained single all his life.

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 19 
Nadezhda von Meck
(Russian Businesswoman who Became an Influential Patron of the Arts)
Nadezhda von Meck
2
Listed In: Business Women
Birthdate: 10th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Znamenskoye, Chechen Republic
Died: January 13, 1894
 20 
Victorien Sardou
(Dramatist)
Victorien Sardou
0
Listed In: Playwrights
Birthdate: 5th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: November 8, 1908
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 21 
Ignatius L. Donnelly
(Politician)
Ignatius L. Donnelly
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 3rd November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: January 1, 1901
 22 
Xianfeng Emperor
(Emperor)
Xianfeng Emperor
4
Listed In: Emperors & Kings
Birthdate: 17th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Yuanmingyuan Park, Beijing, China
Died: August 22, 1861

Qing dynasty Chinese emperor Xianfeng not just faced the invasion of the European powers but also had to deal with the internal Taiping Rebellion. In his bid to prevent the disintegration of his empire, he relied on the militia. He eventually fled his city when the Anglo-French forces advanced into it.

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 23 
Princess Helena of Nassau
(Princess)
Princess Helena of Nassau
0
Birthdate: 18th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wiesbaden, Duchy of Nassau, German Confederation
Died: October 28, 1888
 24 
Emperor Komei
(Emperor)
Emperor Komei
2
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 22nd July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kyoto
Died: January 30, 1867

The 121st tennō, or emperor, of Japan, Emperor Kōmei, had a tumultuous reign, which witnessed Japan being pushed to open to the Western world. He was the last Japanese emperor with multiple nengō, or era names. He was known for imposing an order of killing and persecuting foreign traders and officials.

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 25 
Siegfried Marcus
(German Inventor Who Made the First Petrol-Powered Vehicle in 1864)
Siegfried Marcus
1
Birthdate: 18th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Malchin, Germany
Died: July 1, 1898

Starting his career as a mechanic at age 12, Siegfried Marcus grew up to be one of the most legendary engineers and manufacturers of his time. His experimental creation, known as Marcus's second car, was the first automobile with a four-cycle engine and the first that used gasoline as fuel.

 26 
Frederic Farrar
(British Cleric, Religious Writer and Author)
Frederic Farrar
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 7th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Mumbai, India
Died: March 22, 1903

Anglican cleric Frederic Farrar is best remembered for the tales of school life that he had penned in the novel Eric, or, Little by Little. As a philologist, he applied Charles Darwin’s theory to the evolution of languages. He had even been a pallbearer at Darwin’s funeral.

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 27 
Clement Studebaker
(Manufacturer)
Clement Studebaker
0
Birthdate: 12th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: United States
Died: November 27, 1901
 28 
Albert Anker
(Swiss Painter and Illustrator Known for His Popular Depictions of Village Life)
Albert Anker
0
Birthdate: 1st April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Ins, Switzerland
Died: July 16, 1910

Best remembered for his still lifes, Swiss painter Albert Anker is regarded as Switzerland’s national painter. While he initially studied theology, he later deviated toward art. Sleeping Girl in Walde and Still Life: Tea Set remain 2 of his best-known works. He also became a knight of the Légion d'honneur.

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 29 
Richard Norman Shaw
(Architect)
Richard Norman Shaw
0
Birthdate: 7th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: November 17, 1912

One of the greatest British architects of all time, Richard Norman Shaw contributed immensely to the English Domestic Revival movement and is best remembered for his country houses. The Bedford Park in London remains one of his best suburban planning projects. His works reflected Queen Anne Revival, Neo-Baroque, and Gothic Revival elements.

 30 
Frederick Townsend Ward
(Sailor)
Frederick Townsend Ward
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 29th November
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Salem, Massachusetts, United States
Died: September 22, 1862
 31 
Heinrich Anton de Bary
(German Surgeon, Botanist, Microbiologist, and Mycologist Known for Demonstrating Sexual Life Cycle of Fungi)
Heinrich Anton de Bary
0
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: 26th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Died: January 19, 1888

German surgeon and botanist Heinrich Anton de Bary is regarded as the pioneer of plant pathology and mycology. Apart from teaching botany, he chalked the life cycles of many fungi and also coined the term symbiosis to explain the mutually beneficial co-existence of many orgnanisms, such as fungi and algae.

 32 
Adelaide of Lowenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
(Nun)
Adelaide of Lowenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
0
Listed In: Saints
Birthdate: 3rd April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kleinheubach, Germany
Died: December 16, 1909
 33 
Konstantin Leontiev
(Philosopher)
Konstantin Leontiev
0
Listed In: Philosophers
Birthdate: 25th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Meshtshovskij County, Russia
Died: November 24, 1891
 34 
Grenville M. Dodge
(Officer)
Grenville M. Dodge
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 12th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Danvers, Massachusetts,United States
Died: January 3, 1916
 35 
Shi Dakai
(Chinese Poet and Revolutionary Who Led the 'Taiping Rebellion')
Shi Dakai
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 1st March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Guigang, China
Died: June 26, 1863

Shi Dakai was a Chinese poet and one of the most important leaders in the Taiping Rebellion. Shi Dakai's heroics as a magnificent general inspired his fellow clansman Zhu De who went on to establish the Red Army, which came to be known as the People's Liberation Army.

 36 
Alexandre Falguiere
(Sculptor)
Alexandre Falguiere
1
Birthdate: 7th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Toulouse, France
Died: April 19, 1900
 37 
Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
(Statesman)
Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon
1
Birthdate: 24th June
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London, England
Died: June 29, 1890
 38 
Othniel Charles Marsh
(Paleontologist)
Othniel Charles Marsh
1
Listed In: Archaeologists
Birthdate: 29th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Lockport
Died: March 18, 1899
 39 
Piet Joubert
(General)
Piet Joubert
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 20th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Oudtshoorn, South Africa
Died: March 28, 1900
 40 
Albert Schäffle
(Sociologist)
Albert Schäffle
0
Birthdate: 24th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Nürtingen, Germany
Died: December 25, 1903
 41 
Fran Levstik
(Slovene Writer and Political Activist Know for His Short Tale ‘Martin Krpan From Vrh’)
Fran Levstik
0
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: 28th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Dolnje Retje, Slovenia
Died: November 16, 1887

Fran Levstik was a Slovene writer, playwright, political activist, and critic. He is best remembered for his itinerary and contributions to Slovene literature. Fran Levstik's works had a significant influence on future Slovene authors like Josip Jurčič, Josip Stritar, Janez Trdina, and Janko Kersnik. There is a literary award named in his honor.

 42 
Maurice de Hirsch
(Financier)
Maurice de Hirsch
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: 9th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Munich, Germany
Died: April 21, 1896

German philanthropist and businessman Maurice de Hirsch was born into an affluent family of bankers and was later associated with Bischoffsheim & Goldschmidt. He is remembered for his remarkable charitable contribution to various educational initiatives and for the settlement of Jewish refugees, the most notable being the fund for Russian Jews.

 43 
Sir Andrew Noble, 1st Baronet
(Scottish Physicist Known for His Work on Ballistics and Gunnery)
Sir Andrew Noble, 1st Baronet
0
Listed In: Physicists
Birthdate: 13th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Greenock, Scotland
Died: October 22, 1915

Scottish physicist Sir Andrew Noble, 1st Baronet is best remembered for his research on gunnery and gunpowder and is credited with establishing ballistics as a domain of science. His studies also introduced new types of gunpowder and methods of loading. He was eventually knighted and made a baronet, too.

 44 
Marija Obrenović
(Former Moldavian and Romanian boyaress)
Marija Obrenović
0
Listed In: Noblewomen
Birthdate: 30th November
Birthplace: Iași, Romania
Died: 1879 AD
 45 
Ebenezer Cobb Morley
(One of the Fathers of the Football Association)
Ebenezer Cobb Morley
2
Listed In: Football Players
Birthdate: 16th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died: November 20, 1924
 46 
Daniel Coit Gilman
(Educator)
Daniel Coit Gilman
0
Listed In: Educators
Birthdate: 6th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Norwich, Connecticut, United States
Died: October 13, 1908
 47 
Peter Tait
(Scottish Mathematical Physicist Best Known for the Mathematical Physics Textbook 'Treatise on Natural Philosophy')
Peter Tait
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 28th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Dalkeith, Scotland
Died: July 4, 1901

Peter Tait was a Scottish mathematical physicist best remembered for co-authoring Treatise on Natural Philosophy, a mathematical physics textbook. Tait is also known for his work on knot theory, which helped establish topology as a mathematical discipline. He is also credited with developing the Tait–Kneser theorem. An early pioneer in thermodynamics, Tait also produced original work in experimental physics.

 48 
John Morrissey
(Politician)
John Morrissey
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: 12th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Templemore, Ireland
Died: May 1, 1878
 49 
Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
(Prince)
Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
1
Birthdate: 22nd January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Augustenborg, Denmark
Died: October 28, 1917
 50 
Constantin Meunier
(Belgian Painter and Sculptor)
Constantin Meunier
0
Birthdate: 12th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Etterbeek, Belgium
Died: April 4, 1905

Constantin Meunier was a Belgian sculptor and painter. He is best remembered for using common man as his subject; his depiction of industrial workers, miners, and dockers played an important role in the development of modern art. Meunier's work, some of which are displayed in Belgian museums, is a reflection of the social, industrial, and political developments of his time.