Famous People Born In 1856

Discover the most famous people born in 1856. The list includes people like Nikola Tesla, Sigmund Freud, Woodrow Wilson, J. J. Thomson, George Bernard Shaw and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include political leaders, inventors, physicists and journalists born in 1856. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, India & Russia and many more countries.
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 1 
Nikola Tesla
(Inventor, Engineer & Futurist, Who Obtained Over 300 Patents)
Nikola Tesla
112
Birthdate: 10th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Smiljan, Croatia
Died: January 7, 1943

Inventor, engineer and futurist, Nikola Tesla, is best remembered for his contribution to the development of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. A prolific inventor, he had around 300 patents for his inventions. Even though he earned a considerable amount of money, he had poor money management skills and died a poor man.

 2 
Sigmund Freud
(Neurologist & the Founder of Psychoanalysis)
Sigmund Freud
57
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: 6th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Příbor, Czechia
Died: September 23, 1939

Regarded as the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud was a neurologist. Despite suffering criticism, psychoanalysis remains influential in the fields of psychology and psychiatry; such is the influence Freud has on humanities. Scholars believe that Freud is one of the most influential personalities of the 20th century and that his impact is comparable to that of Marxism and Darwinism.

 3 
Woodrow Wilson
(28th President of the United States (1913 - 1921))
Woodrow Wilson
55
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 28th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Staunton, Virginia, United States
Died: February 3, 1924

From presidential cabin of Princeton University to presidential office of the White House, Woodrow Wilson ushered a series of progressive reforms that changed the American politics forever. The 28th President of USA, Woodrow Wilson introduced several ground-breaking policies including the Federal Reserve Act. He played a key role in founding the first intergovernmental organisation—the League of Nations—for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

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 4 
Booker T. Washington
(American Educator Who was the Dominant Leader of the African-American Community Between 1890 and 1915)
Booker T. Washington
35
Listed In: Educators
Birthdate: 5th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Westlake Corner, Virginia, United States
Died: November 14, 1915
Booker T. Washington was born into slavery but rose to be an advisor to many U.S. presidents and also became the director of the Tuskegee Institute. His Atlanta Compromise, initially accepted and later rejected by black leaders, urged the blacks to work for their freedom through education and not revolt.
 5 
George Bernard Shaw
(Irish playwright Who Won the 1925 Nobel Prize in Literature)
George Bernard Shaw
27
Listed In: Playwrights
Birthdate: 26th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Portobello, Dublin, Ireland
Died: November 2, 1950

Nobel Prize-winning playwright and author George Bernard Shaw was best known for his realism and his support for women’s rights and socialism. His ideas gave rise to the word “Shavian.” His drama Pygmalion inspired the musical My Fair Lady. His other notable works include Candida and Man and Superman.

 6 
L. Frank Baum
(Best Known for His Children's Books Like 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz' and its Sequels)
L. Frank Baum
7
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 15th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chittenango, New York, United States
Died: May 6, 1919

L. Frank Baum was an author remembered for writing children's books including The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which inspired the 1902 Broadway musical and the 1939 live-action film of the same name. His works anticipated the invention of gadgets like TV that would be invented later. In 2013, Baum was made an inductee of the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame.

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 7 
J. J. Thomson
(British Physicist Who is Credited With the Discovery of the Electron)
J. J. Thomson
19
Listed In: Physicists
Birthdate: 18th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Died: August 30, 1940

J. J. Thomson was a British physicist credited with the discovery of the electron, the first subatomic particle to be discovered. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1906 for his work on the conduction of electricity in gases. In 1884, he was appointed Cavendish Professor of Physics at the University of Cambridge. 

 8 
John Singer Sargent
(American Expatriate Artist and One of the Leading Portrait Painters of His Generation)
John Singer Sargent
6
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 12th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Florence, Italy
Died: April 14, 1925

John Singer Sargent, an artist active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation." Prolific in his output, he created more than 2,000 watercolors and around 900 oil paintings. He also made numerous sketches and charcoal drawings. He painted with remarkable technical acumen and was internationally known for his expertise.   

 9 
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
(Indian Independence Activist and One Third of the 'Lal Bal Pal' Triumvirate)
Bal Gangadhar Tilak
10
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 23rd July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Maharashtra, India
Died: September 1, 1920
Indian nationalist and freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak, also known as Lokmanya Tilak, promoted the concept of Swaraj, or self-rule. He was part of the freedom-fighter trio know as Lal Bal Pal, along with fellow Indian National Congress members Lala Lajpat Rai and Bipin Chandra Pal.
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 10 
Frederick Winslow Taylor
(American Mechanical Engineer Known for His Methods to Improve Industrial Efficiency)
Frederick Winslow Taylor
4
Birthdate: 20th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: March 21, 1915

American inventor, mechanical engineer and an accomplished tennis and golf player, Frederick Winslow Taylor, regarded as the father of scientific management, sought to improve industrial efficiency. His approach on scientific management, referred to as Taylorism, has significantly influenced development of industrial engineering and production management. His monograph, The Principles of Scientific Management, laid out his views on principles of scientific management.

 11 
Robert Peary
(Explorer)
Robert Peary
6
Listed In: Explorers
Birthdate: 6th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Cresson, Pennsylvania
Died: February 20, 1920

US naval officer Robert Peary is credited with discovering the North Pole, with explorer Matthew Henson as his attendant, though he was challenged by Frederick A. Cook, who claimed to have achieved the feat independently before him. Later, diary entries revealed Peary may have been 100km short of the pole.

 12 
Louis Sullivan
(Pioneering Architect)
Louis Sullivan
2
Birthdate: 3rd September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Boston
Died: April 14, 1924

Louis Sullivan was an architect who became only the second person to be honored with a posthumous AIA Gold Medal. Dubbed the father of modernism and the father of skyscrapers, Sullivan contributed immensely to the Chicago School of architecture. He is also credited with mentoring Frank Lloyd Wright who went on to become a respected architect in his own right.

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 13 
Alfred Deakin
(Former Prime Minister of Australia)
Alfred Deakin
10
Listed In: Prime Ministers
Birthdate: 3rd August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Melbourne
Died: October 7, 1919

The second prime minister of Australia and Federation movement leader Alfred Deakin had developed an interest in literature and philosophy and had written several pieces of drama and poetry while studying to be a barrister. He later joined the Liberal Party. He spent his final years struggling with memory loss.

 14 
Louis Brandeis
(Former Lawyer & US Supreme Court Associate Justice)
Louis Brandeis
4
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: 13th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Died: October 5, 1941
 15 
Daniel Hale Williams
8
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: 18th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: August 4, 1931

Daniel Hale Williams was a general surgeon known for performing the first documented, successful pericardium surgery in the US in 1893. Born to interracial parents, he faced numerous struggles in his journey to become a physician. He later founded the first non-segregated hospital in the United States, Chicago's Provident Hospital. He also founded a nursing school for African Americans. 

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 16 
Harry Gordon Selfridge
(business magnate)
Harry Gordon Selfridge
3
Birthdate: 11th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ripon
Died: May 8, 1947
 17 
Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi
(Islamic Scholar, Reformer)
Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi
80
Birthdate: 14th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bareilly
Died: October 28, 1921

Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi, also known as Ala-Hazrat, was a renowned Islamic scholar and an Urdu poet. Born in Bareilly, British India, he belonged to a family of Rohilla Pushtuns who had migrated from Qandahar. He wrote about various subjects such as philosophy, science, and astronomy.

 18 
Granville Woods
(Inventor)
Granville Woods
3
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: 23rd April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Died: January 30, 1910

Granville Woods was 10 when he began working at a machine shop, while continuing his studies at a night school. He grew up to become a steam locomotive engineer and earned the nickname the Black Edison for his countless inventions, most of which were related to electrical systems for railways.

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 19 
H. Rider Haggard
2
Listed In: Novelists
Birthdate: 22nd June
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bradenham, England
Died: May 14, 1925
 20 
Moses Fleetwood Walker
(Baseball player)
Moses Fleetwood Walker
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: 7th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Mount Pleasant, Ohio, United States
Died: May 11, 1924
 21 
Tongzhi Emperor
(9th Emperor of the Qing dynasty)
Tongzhi Emperor
2
Listed In: Emperors & Kings
Birthdate: 27th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Forbidden City, Beijing, China
Died: January 12, 1875

Tongzhi Emperor was the Emperor of the Qing dynasty who reigned from 1861 to 1875. The predecessor of Xianfeng Emperor, Tongzhi was the eighth Qing emperor to reign over the Eighteen Provinces. Tongzhi was a puppet emperor whose reign was overshadowed by the influence of his mother Empress Dowager Cixi over state affairs.

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 22 
Emil Kraepelin
(Psychiatrist)
Emil Kraepelin
1
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: 15th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Neustrelitz, Germany
Died: October 7, 1926

The son of a musician, Emil Kraepelin, remembered as the founder of psychiatry, was the first to differentiate between dementia praecox, now known as schizophrenia, and manic-depressive psychosis. His classification of mental illnesses influenced much of the research on the subject in the 20th century.

 23 
Keir Hardie
(Former Leader of the Labour Party of the United Kingdom (1906 - 1908))
Keir Hardie
0
Birthdate: 15th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Newhouse, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Died: September 26, 1915

Scottish-born labor leader and trade unionist J. Keir Hardie is best remembered for establishing the Labour Party of the UK. He also supported the suffragist revolt organized by activist Emmeline Pankhurst. A pacifist, he objected to Britain’s participation in World War I but eventually ended up being sidelined by his party.

 24 
Henry Ossian Flipper
(Military Leader)
Henry Ossian Flipper
12
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 21st March
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Thomasville, Georgia, United States
Died: April 26, 1940

Then first Black to have graduated from West Point’s Military Academy, Henry Ossian Flipper was born to slave parents. He also became the first African-American to command US Army troops. He was dismissed unjustly on embezzlement charges and later worked as a civil engineer. His name was cleared posthumously.

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 25 
Diamond Jim Brady
(Businessman)
Diamond Jim Brady
2
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: 12th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Died: April 13, 1917
 26 
Andrew Watson
(One of the First Black People to Play Association Football at the International Level)
Andrew Watson
3
Listed In: Football Players
Birthdate: 24th May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Demerara, Guyana
Died: March 8, 1921

Widely known as Scotland’s first Black footballer, Andrew Watson was also the first Black player to play international association football. The son of a Guyanese woman and a Scottish plantation owner, he moved to Britain with his father as a child. He was also an engineer and a wholesale business owner.

 27 
Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia
(General)
Grand Duke Nicholas Nikolaevich of Russia
0
Listed In: Military Leaders
Birthdate: 18th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: January 5, 1929
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 28 
Elbert Hubbard
(Writer)
Elbert Hubbard
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 19th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bloomington, Illinois, United States
Died: May 7, 1915
 29 
Ivan Franko
(Poet)
Ivan Franko
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 27th August
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Nahuievychi, Ukraine
Died: May 28, 1916
 30 
Frank B. Kellogg
(Lawyer, Politician)
Frank B. Kellogg
1
Birthdate: 22nd December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Potsdam
Died: December 21, 1937
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 31 
Andrey Markov
(Mathematician)
Andrey Markov
2
Listed In: Mathematicians
Birthdate: 14th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Ryazan, Russia
Died: July 20, 1922
 32 
Napoleon, Prince Imperial
(Prince)
Napoleon, Prince Imperial
1
Listed In: Emperors & Kings
Birthdate: 16th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Paris, French Empire
Died: June 1, 1879
 33 
Eduard Freiherr von Böhm-Ermolli
(Austrian general during World War I who rose to the rank of field marshal in the Austro-Hungarian Army)
Eduard Freiherr von Böhm-Ermolli
1
Listed In: Military Leaders
Birthdate: 12th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ancona, Italy
Died: December 9, 1941
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 34 
Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata
(Aviator)
Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata
0
Listed In: Aviators
Birthdate: 30th November
Birthplace: Navsari, India
Died: 1926 AD
 35 
John Lavery
(Painter)
John Lavery
0
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 20th March
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Belfast, Ireland
Died: January 10, 1941

A major figure of the Glasgow school of painting, Irish painter John Lavery is remembered for his realism in his portraits, landscapes, and war paintings. Though made the official artist for World War I, health issues prevented him from fulfilling the role. He was, nevertheless, knighted for his achievements.

 36 
Émile Picard
(Mathematician)
Émile Picard
0
Listed In: Mathematicians
Birthdate: 24th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: December 11, 1941
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 37 
William Rainey Harper
(Academic Leader)
William Rainey Harper
0
Listed In: Educators
Birthdate: 24th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New Concord, Ohio, United States
Died: January 10, 1906
 38 
Narayana Guru
(Spiritual Leader, Social Reformer)
Narayana Guru
10
Birthdate: 20th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Chempazhanthy, Thiruvananthapuram, India
Died: September 20, 1928

Born in Travancore in India, Narayana Guru was the son of a teacher and studied in a gurukula. He grew up to lead a social reform movement against the caste system that he saw in erstwhile Kerala. He believed in the motto One Caste, One Religion, One God for All.

 39 
Sergei Winogradsky
(Russian Microbiologist and Ecologist Who Pioneered the Concept of the Cycle of Life)
Sergei Winogradsky
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 1st September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kiev, Ukraine
Died: February 25, 1953

Russian microbiologist Sergei Winogradsky was the first to suggest the concept of the cycle of life. Born into a family of lawyers, he initially aspired to be a lawyer and also studied music, before switching to chemistry and then botany. His research covered sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and the nitrogen cycle.

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 40 
Vernon Lee
(British Writer Known for Her Supernatural Fiction and Her Work on Aesthetics)
Vernon Lee
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 14th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Boulogne-sur-Mer, France
Died: February 13, 1935

British author Violet Page wrote under the pseudonym Vernon Lee and dressed without inhibitions. Rumors claimed she was a lesbian, though she never stated so. The poet and critic is best remembered for her work on aesthetics, Belcaro. She was also a skilled harpsichord player and a true-blue feminist.

 41 
Henry Croft
(Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for Cowichan)
Henry Croft
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: 15th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Darling Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Died: July 28, 1917
 42 
José Batlle y Ordóñez
(Former President of Uruguay Who Served for Three-Terms Between 1899 and 1911)
José Batlle y Ordóñez
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 21st May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Montevideo, Uruguay
Died: October 20, 1929

José Batlle y Ordóñez was a Uruguayan politician best remembered for his service as the President of Uruguay on two occasions. He held the president's office from 1903 to 1907 and again from 1911 to 1915. He was also appointed as the acting president in 1899. Batlle is credited with modernizing the country by introducing extensive welfare state reforms.

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 43 
Harriot Stanton Blatch
(Writer)
Harriot Stanton Blatch
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 20th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: November 20, 1940
 44 
Doane Robinson
(Historian)
Doane Robinson
0
Listed In: Historians
Birthdate: 19th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Sparta, USA
Died: November 27, 1946
 45 
Hendrik Petrus Berlage
(Architect)
Hendrik Petrus Berlage
0
Birthdate: 21st February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Died: August 12, 1934
 46 
Joseph Ward
(17th Prime Minister of New Zealand)
Joseph Ward
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 26th April
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia
Died: July 8, 1930

New Zealand politician Joseph Ward was a major figure of both the Liberal and United parties. The Australian-born was initially a grain trader and stepped into local politics later. He not only served as the prime minister of New Zealand but also established the world’s first public health ministry.

 47 
Samuel Maharero
(Chief)
Samuel Maharero
0
Listed In: Revolutionaries
Birthdate: 30th November
Birthplace: Namibia
Died: March 14, 1923
 48 
Robert Kajanus
(Finnish Conductor, Composer, and Founder of 'Helsinki Orchestral Society')
Robert Kajanus
0
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 2nd December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Helsinki, Finland
Died: July 6, 1933

Finnish conductor-composer-teacher Robert Kajanus, recipient of French Légion d'honneur, founded Finland’s first permanent orchestra the Helsinki Orchestral Society (now Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra) and brought it to a high performance standard serving as its chief-conductor for around five-decades. He composed popular pieces like Aino, served as director of music at University of Helsinki, and became first president of Finnish Musicians' Union.

 49 
Abdullah Quilliam
(Jurist, Writer)
Abdullah Quilliam
0
Birthdate: 10th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Liverpool, United Kingdom
Died: April 23, 1932
 50 
Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray
(Engineer)
Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray
1
Birthdate: 15th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Yorkshire, England
Died: May 1, 1927