42 historically significant individuals born on January 4. January 4 is the birth date of several notable figures. Born on this day are Tanzanian politician Cleopa Msuya (1931), Georgian Patriarch Ilia II (1933), former Slovak President Rudolf Schuster (1934), Nobel Prize-winning author Gao Xingjian (1940), and German footballer Toni Kroos (1990). These individuals have achieved in politics, religion, literature, and sports.
Total Born
42
Countries
27
Top Century
19th· 15
Top Field
journalist
9 individuals
Headline Figures
Birth Distribution by Century
20th (13)
19th (15)
18th (11)
14th C.20th C.
20th Century
13Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Richard R. Schrock
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Chemistry (2005)
Brian D. Josephson
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physics (1973)
May-Britt Moser
scientist
Nobel laureate: Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2014)
Toni Kroos
association football playerpodcaster
German former football player
Gao Xingjian
film directorliterary critic
Chinese-French novelist and playwright who became the first Chinese-language writer to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000. His works explore themes of exile and cultural identity, including the novel Soul Mountain and plays like The Other Shore.
Ilia II of Georgia
patriarchreligious leader
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia since 1977, the spiritual leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church for over four decades.
Cleopa Msuya
ministerpolitician
Prime Minister of Tanzania (1980–1983, 1994-1995)
Tito Stagno
journalisttelevision presenter
Italian journalist and television presenter
Nora Iuga
journalistpoet
Romanian poet, writer and translator
Rudolf Schuster
diplomatpolitician
Slovak politician and diplomat who served as the 2nd President of Slovakia from 1999 to 2004. He previously held the position of Speaker of the Slovak National Council and served as mayor of Košice.
MK
Menis Koumandareas
translatorwriter
Greek writer (1931–2014)
JT
José Triana
playwrightpoet
Cuban playwright (1931–2018)
FO
Faustino Oramas
composerguitarist
Cuban musician
19th Century
15Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Tytus Maksymilian Huber
engineermechanical engineer
Polish mechanical engineer (1872–1950)
Edmund Rumpler
aerospace engineerengineer
Austrian automobile and aircraft designer (1872-1940)
Heinrich Suter
historian of mathematicsmathematician
Historian of science (1848-1922)
Carolina Freyre
journalistpoet
Peruvian poet
Casimiro de Abreu
poetwriter
Brazilian poet, novelist and playwright (1839–1860)
Teresa Flores
directorjournalist
Chilean trade unionist (1890-1952)
Weyler Hildebrand
actordirector
Swedish actor, director and screenwriter (1890–1944)
Frans de Potter
deputy curatorediting staff
Belgian journalist and writer (1834-1904)
Milan Bogdanović
literary criticliterary historian
Serbian literary critic (1892-1964)
Ernesto Palacio
historianjournalist
Argentine politician and academic
Petru Poni
chemist
Romanian chemist (1841-1925)
George Edgecumbe
writer
Newspaper proprietor, businessman
Gunnar Lönnqvist
photographer
Finnish photographer and businessman (1891-1978)
MB
Margaret Bullock
journalistpainter
New Zealand journalist, writer, feminist, social reformer and artist (1845-1903)
HH
Henry Hanna
barristerjudge
Irish barrister, serjeant-at-law, and judge (1871-1946)
18th Century
11Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Aaron Burr Sr.
educatorminister
Father of Aaron Burr and President of the College of New Jersey (1716-1757)
Benjamin Rush
chemistphysician
American physician, educator, and author (1746-1813)
Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau
balloonistchemist
French chemist and politician (1737-1816)
Johan August Arfwedson
chemistnotary
Swedish chemist (1792-1841)
Johann Rudolph Schellenberg
botanistcaricaturist
Swiss artist and scientist (1740-1806)
Gerhard Munthe
cartographerfarmer
Norwegian historian and cartographer (1795-1876)
Benjamin Lundy
abolitionistjournalist
American Quaker abolitionist (1789-1839)
Anne Mary Perceval
botanical collectorbotanist
British born Canadian botanist, collector and author (1790-1876)
John Hampden Pleasants
editorjournalist
American journalist and businessman (1797-1846)
JL
Jacques Labrie
historianjournalist
Canadian politician
BM
Balthasar Ferdinand Moll
carvercopper engraver
Austrian sculptor (1717-1785)
17th Century
2Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Jakob Balde
poetuniversity teacher
German scholar (1604-1668)
Hugh Boulter
Anglican priestwriter
Anglican bishop (1672-1742)
14th Century
1Figure
Lifespan
Notes
Origin
Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy
monarch
Count of Savoy 1343-1383
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the most famous person born on January 4?
Toni Kroos, the German professional footballer born on January 4, 1990, has achieved international recognition. He has won multiple Champions League titles with Real Madrid and the World Cup with Germany in 2014.
Are there any Nobel Prize winners born on January 4?
Yes, Gao Xingjian, a Chinese-French novelist and playwright born on January 4, 1940, won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000 for his insights into the human condition.
What political leaders were born on January 4?
Rudolf Schuster, who was President of Slovakia from 1999 to 2004, was born on January 4, 1934. Ilia II of Georgia, the current Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, was born on January 4, 1933.