Famous People Born In 1861

Discover the most famous people born in 1861. The list includes people like Rabindranath Tagore, Jose Rizal, James Naismith, Rudolf Steiner, Madan Mohan Malaviya and many more. This list of celebrities is loosely sorted by popularity. People featured on this list, include philosophers, political leaders, military leaders and novelists born in 1861. This list includes people from United States, United Kingdom, France & India and many more countries.
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 1 
Jose Rizal
(Filipino Nationalist and Writer Who is Considered One of the Greatest Heroes of the Philippines)
Jose Rizal
42
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 19th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Calamba, Laguna
Died: December 30, 1896

Jose Rizal was a Filipino polymath and nationalist. An ophthalmologist by profession, Rizal turned towards writing and inspired the Philippine Revolution through his writings. The revolution eventually led to Philippine independence and Rizal became a national hero. His life has inspired several biographical films and TV series.

 2 
James Naismith
(The Inventor of the Game of 'Basketball')
James Naismith
12
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 6th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Almonte, Mississippi Mills, Canada
Died: November 28, 1939
Canadian-American physician and coach James Naismith is considered as the inventor of basketball. He authored the first basksetball rule book and established the University of Kansas basketball team. He served as the Kansas Jayhawks athletic director and coach, and trained legends such as Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith.
Rabindranath Tagore
78
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 7th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Died: August 7, 1941

Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian polymath who contributed greatly to the fields of literature, art, and philosophy. Referred to as the Bard of Bengal, Tagore is credited with reshaping Bengali literature and music. The first non-European to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, Tagore is also credited with composing the national anthems of India and Bangladesh.

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 4 
Fridtjof Nansen
(Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and the First High Commissioner for Refugees Appointed by the League of Nations)
Fridtjof Nansen
8
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 10th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Oslo, Norway
Died: May 13, 1930

Fridtjof Nansen was a Norwegian polymath who won the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 for his post-war efforts after the First World War. A well-known explorer, humanitarian, and diplomat, Nansen achieved international fame for his attempt to reach the geographical North Pole during his Fram expedition. His techniques and innovations influenced a generation of succeeding Antarctic and Arctic expeditions.

 5 
Rudolf Steiner
( Austrian Occultist, Social Reformer and Founder of 'Anthroposophy' Spiritualist Movement)
Rudolf Steiner
9
Listed In: Philosophers
Birthdate: 27th February
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hungary ,Austrian
Died: March 30, 1925

Austrian philosopher and architect and Rudolf Steiner gained fame as a literary critic and published works such as The Philosophy of Freedom. His interests included esotericism and clairvoyance. He termed his work spiritual science. He designed the Goetheanum and also laid down concepts such as Waldorf education and biodynamic agriculture.

 6 
Nellie Melba
(Opera Singer)
Nellie Melba
69
Listed In: Opera Singers
Birthdate: 19th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Richmond
Died: February 23, 1931

Nellie Melba was an Australian singer. One of the most popular singers of the early 20th century, Melba was the first Australian classical musician to achieve international recognition. Also known for her charity work during the First World War, Nellie Melba was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918.

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 7 
Edith Roosevelt
(Former First Lady of the United States)
Edith Roosevelt
5
Listed In: First Ladies
Birthdate: 6th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Norwich, Connecticut, United States
Died: September 30, 1948
 8 
Nettie Stevens
(American Geneticist Known for Her Discovery of 'X and Y Sex Determining Chromosomes')
Nettie Stevens
5
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 7th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cavendish, Vermont, United States
Died: May 4, 1912

Nettie Stevens was an American geneticist. She is credited with discovering sex chromosomes which later came to be known as the X and Y chromosomes. In 1994, Nettie Stevens was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

 9 
William C. Durant
(Co-founder of the General Motors and Chevrolet)
William C. Durant
5
Birthdate: 8th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: March 18, 1947
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 10 
Alfred North Whitehead
(Mathematician, Philosopher)
Alfred North Whitehead
3
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 15th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Ramsgate, Kent, England
Died: December 30, 1947

Alfred North Whitehead was a British mathematician and philosopher, best known for his collaboration with his student Bertrand Russell on Principal of Mathematics, a three-volume work on the foundations of mathematics. Also known for his pioneering works on process philosophy and metaphysics, he is credited with developing a comprehensive metaphysical system that differs from most Western philosophies.

 11 
William Wrigley, Jr.
(Industrialist)
William Wrigley, Jr.
0
Listed In: CEOs
Birthdate: 30th September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: January 26, 1932
 12 
Edith Cowan
(Social Campaigner)
Edith Cowan
15
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: 2nd August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Geraldton, Australia
Died: June 9, 1932

Edith Cowan was an Australian social reformer best remembered for serving as a member of parliament; she was the first Australian woman to do so. She is also remembered for working for the welfare and rights of children and women. In recognition of her contribution, Cowan has been depicted on Australia's fifty-dollar note since 1995.

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 13 
Solomon Guggenheim
(Businessman)
Solomon Guggenheim
1
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: 2nd February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: November 3, 1949
 14 
Robert Bosch
(Entrepreneur, Inventor, Artisan)
Robert Bosch
1
Birthdate: 23rd September
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Felkirchen
Died: March 12, 1942

The founder of the German engineering and technological MNC Bosch, Robert Bosch was born to a farmer in a south Germany village. He is also remembered as one of the first Germans to introduce 8-hour work days. He also invented the high-voltage spark plug and magneto for automobiles.

 15 
Josephine Earp
(Wyatt Earp's wife)
Josephine Earp
2
Listed In: Family Members
Birthdate: 30th November
Birthplace: New York City, United States
Died: December 19, 1944
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 16 
Isaac Albeniz
(Spanish Catalan Virtuoso Pianist & One of the Foremost Composers of the Post-Romantic Era)
Isaac Albeniz
5
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: 29th May
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Camprodon, Spain
Died: May 18, 1909

Isaac Albeniz was a Spanish composer, conductor, and virtuoso pianist. Widely regarded as one of the most important composers of the Post-Romantic era, Albeniz had a strong influence on younger composers as well as his contemporaries. Many of his personal papers are preserved in several prominent institutions, such as the Library of Catalonia.

 17 
Georges Méliès
(One of the First Filmmakers to Use Storyboards & Fictional Narratives in Movies)
Georges Méliès
3
Birthdate: 8th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: January 21, 1938

Initially a professional illusionist and later a film director, Georges Méliès became interested in motion pictures after watching the first real film made by Lumière brothers. Realizing the potential of film-making as an art, he soon started experimenting, making technical and narrative developments. Among the 400 films he made were Christ Walking on Water, A Trip to the Moon etc

 18 
Helen Herron Taft
(First Lady of the United States (1990-13))
Helen Herron Taft
1
Listed In: First Ladies
Birthdate: 2nd June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Died: May 22, 1943
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 19 
Frederic Remington
(Sculptor, Writer, Painter)
Frederic Remington
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 4th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York
Died: December 26, 1909

Frederic Remington was an American sculptor, painter, illustrator, and writer. Best remembered for his depictions of the Western United States, Remington is a member of several cowboy halls of fame, including the Texas Trail Hall of Fame. Frederic Remington was regarded as one of the most successful and popular Western illustrators during the late 19th century and early 20th century.

 20 
Georgy Lvov
(8th Prime Minister of Russia (March 1917 - July 1917))
Georgy Lvov
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 2nd November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dresden, Germany
Died: March 7, 1925

Russian statesman Georgy Lvov created history by becoming the first prime minister of the Russian provisional government formed during the 1917 February Revolution. A qualified lawyer, he worked in civil service for a few years, before joining the Kadet Party, or the Constitutional Democratic Party.

 21 
William James Mayo
(Physician and Surgeon)
William James Mayo
5
Listed In: Surgeons
Birthdate: 29th June
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Le Sueur
Died: July 28, 1939

Physician and surgeon William James Mayo is best-known as a principal co-founder of the non-profit American academic medical center Mayo Clinic. Son of British-American medical-doctor and chemist William Worrall Mayo, William James and his brother, Charles Horace Mayo, joined the sole-proprietorship medical practice of their father, which developed under them and other doctors intothe Mayo Clinic.

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 22 
Prafulla Chandra Ray
5
Listed In: Chemists
Birthdate: 2nd August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Khulna
Died: June 16, 1944

Indian Bengali chemist Prafulla Chandra Ray founded the country’s first pharma company, Bengal Chemicals. Educated in Calcutta and Edinburgh, he later worked from his home, a room on the first floor of the college where he taught. Knighted for his achievements, he donated generous sums to the Brahmo Samaj initiatives.

 23 
Madan Mohan Malaviya
(Politician & Educationist)
Madan Mohan Malaviya
9
Birthdate: 25th December
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Allahabad, India
Died: November 12, 1946

Madan Mohan Malaviya was an Indian educational reformer and politician. He is best remembered for playing an important role in India's freedom struggle. He served as the president of the Indian National Congress on three occasions and founded a political party named Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha. He also co-founded Central Hindu College and worked towards promoting modern education in India.

 24 
John William Godward
(Painter)
John William Godward
1
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 9th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wimbledon
Died: December 13, 1922
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 25 
Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont
(Aristocrat)
Princess Helena of Waldeck and Pyrmont
0
Birthdate: 17th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Arolsen, Germany
Died: September 1, 1922
 26 
Erich von Falkenhayn
(Former Minister of War of Prussia (1913 - 1915))
Erich von Falkenhayn
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 11th September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Białochowo, Poland
Died: April 8, 1922

Erich von Falkenhayn was a war leader who played a major role during World War I where he served as the Chief of the German General Staff from 1914 to 1916. He also served as the Prussian Minister of War from 1913 to 1915. Although his reputation was attacked by certain groups, many regard Falkenhayn as a great German general.

 27 
Henry Gantt
(Engineer)
Henry Gantt
1
Birthdate: 20th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Calvert County
Died: November 23, 1919

Best known for creating the Gantt Chart, a management tool used for scheduling tasks, mechanical engineer Henry Gantt had been a disciple and colleague of Frederick W. Taylor. He also prepared ground for the Human Relations School of management and spoke about the social responsibility of business.

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 28 
Halford Mackinder
(British Geographer, Academic and One of the Founding Fathers of Both 'Geopolitics' and 'Geostrategy')
Halford Mackinder
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 15th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Gainsborough, England
Died: March 6, 1947

Halford Mackinder was an English geographer, politician, and academic. He is considered one of the founding fathers of geostrategy as well as geopolitics. Mackinder’s work helped establish geography as a separate discipline in the UK. An influential academic, Halford Mackinder held important positions in popular universities, including the University Extension College and the London School of Economics.

 29 
Victor Horta
(Belgian Architect and Designer)
Victor Horta
1
Listed In: Designers
Birthdate: 6th January
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ghent, Province of East Flanders, Belgium
Died: September 8, 1947
 30 
Frederick Gowland Hopkins
(English Biochemist Whose Discovery of Vitamins Earned Him 'Nobel Prize in Medicine' in 1929)
Frederick Gowland Hopkins
0
Listed In: Biochemists
Birthdate: 20th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Eastbourne, United Kingdom
Died: May 16, 1947

Frederick Gowland Hopkins was an English biochemist whose discovery of vitamins earned him the prestigious 1929 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He also received other prestigious awards like the Royal Medal and Copley Medal. He is also credited with discovering the amino acid tryptophan. From 1930 to 1935, Frederick Gowland Hopkins served as the President of the Royal Society.

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 31 
Constance Garnett
(English translator)
Constance Garnett
0
Birthdate: 19th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Brighton, England
Died: December 17, 1946
 32 
Italo Svevo
(Best Known for His Classic Modernist Novel 'La Coscienza Di Zeno')
Italo Svevo
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 19th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Trieste, Italy
Died: September 13, 1928

Italo Svevo was an Italian writer, playwright, novelist, short story writer, and businessman. Svevo was regarded as a pioneer of psychological fiction. He is remembered for his work La coscienza di Zeno, which is considered his magnum opus. Svevo is widely regarded as an important writer of the 20th century whose works had an influence on later generations of writers.

 33 
Vazha-Pshavela
(Poet)
Vazha-Pshavela
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: 26th July
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Tiflis Governorate, Russian Empire, now Georgia
Died: July 10, 1915
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 34 
Ralph Modjeski
(Polish-American Civil Engineer)
Ralph Modjeski
0
Listed In: Civil Engineers
Birthdate: 27th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bochnia, Poland
Died: June 26, 1940

Born to actor Helena Modjeska, Polish-American engineer Ralph Modjeski was a talented pianist in his younger days. He later worked on the railroad bridge across the Mississippi and also re-designed the Quebec Bridge after a major disaster. Over his illustrious career, he had designed over 50 major bridges.

 35 
Albert Bacon Fall
(United States Senator)
Albert Bacon Fall
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 26th November
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kentucky, United States
Died: November 30, 1944
 36 
Antoine Bourdelle
(French Sculptor, Teacher and an Key Figure in the 'Art Deco Movement')
Antoine Bourdelle
0
Birthdate: 30th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Montauban, Tarn-et-Garonne, France
Died: October 1, 1929

Antoine Bourdelle was a French sculptor and teacher. A prominent personality in the Art Deco movement, Bourdelle played a major role during the transition to modern sculpture from the Beaux-Arts style. A prolific and influential teacher, Antoine Bourdelle is credited with mentoring several future sculptors like Alberto Giacometti, Athanase Apartis, and Josefina de Vasconcellos.

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 37 
Dorothy Dix
(Journalist)
Dorothy Dix
0
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: 18th November
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States
Died: December 16, 1951
 38 
Zinaida Yusupova
(Lady in waiting)
Zinaida Yusupova
1
Listed In: Noblewomen
Birthdate: 2nd September
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: November 24, 1939
 39 
Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia
(Grand Duke)
Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia
1
Birthdate: 16th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Peterhof, Saint Petersburg, Russia
Died: April 26, 1929
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 40 
Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
(3rd President of Finland)
Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: 15th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Sääksmäki, Finland
Died: February 29, 1944

The 3rd president of Finland, Pehr Evind Svinhufvud had also previously been the country’s prime minister twice. A rightist politician and a National Coalition Party member, he had a huge role in crushing Finland’s Communist Party. Initially a lawyer and judge, he later led the Finnish independence movement.

 41 
William Bateson
(Biologist who was the first person to use the term genetics to describe the study of heredity)
William Bateson
0
Listed In: Biologists
Birthdate: 8th August
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Whitby, Yorkshire, England
Died: February 8, 1926
 42 
Richard Dudley Sears
(Tennis player)
Richard Dudley Sears
0
Listed In: Tennis Players
Birthdate: 26th October
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: April 8, 1943
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 43 
George Dunton Widener
(Businessman)
George Dunton Widener
0
Birthdate: 16th June
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: April 15, 1912
 44 
Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal
(Noblewomen)
Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 13th July
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kloster Bronnbach, Wertheim am Main, Germany
Died: July 31, 1942
 45 
Peter Cooper Hewitt
(Electrical Engineer)
Peter Cooper Hewitt
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: 5th May
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: August 25, 1921
 46 
Louis Anquetin
(Was a French Painter)
Louis Anquetin
0
Listed In: Artists
Birthdate: 26th January
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Étrépagny, France
Died: August 19, 1932
 47 
Charles Édouard Guillaume
(Discoverer of Invar and Elinvar)
Charles Édouard Guillaume
0
Listed In: Physicists
Birthdate: 15th February
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fleurier
Died: May 13, 1938

Born in Switzerland, Charles Édouard Guillaume grew up to win the Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the nickel-steel alloys invar and elinva. He also served the International Bureau of Weights and Measures as its director, while his research covered horology and space radiation, too.

 48 
Walter Rauschenbusch
(American Theologian and Baptist Pastor)
Walter Rauschenbusch
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: 4th October
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Rochester, New York, United States
Died: July 25, 1918

Walter Rauschenbusch was an American Baptist pastor and theologian. He played an important role in the single tax and Social Gospel movements by propagating the importance of theology through his book A Theology for the Social Gospel which he published in 1917. Walter Rauschenbusch's work influenced prominent personalities like Martin Luther King Jr., Norman Thomas, Desmond Tutu, and James McClendon.

 49 
Aristide Maillol
(French Sculptor, Painter, and Printmaker)
Aristide Maillol
0
Listed In: Sculptors
Birthdate: 8th December
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Banyuls-sur-Mer, France
Died: September 27, 1944

Best known for his female nude statues, Aristide Maillol had started his career as a tapestry painter. He was 40 when failing eyesight forced him to quit painting and take to sculpting. He was influenced by the French group of artists named the Nabis. Many of his artworks were later looted by the Nazis.

 50 
Stanislas de Guaita
(Poet)
Stanislas de Guaita
0
Listed In: Poets
Birthdate: 6th April
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Moselle, France
Died: December 19, 1897