11 January

Across recorded history, 1,710 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 11 January. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

← January 10 January 12 →

Edmund Hillary

1919–2008

New Zealand mountaineer and philanthropist

Edmund Hillary was a mountaineer who achieved the first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest.

Ariel Sharon

1928–2014

Prime Minister of Israel from 2001 to 2006

Ariel Sharon was an Israeli politician who served as the Prime Minister of Israel.

Emanuel Lasker

1868–1941

former World Chess champion

Emanuel Lasker was a chess player who held the title of World Chess champion.

Isidor Isaac Rabi

1898–1988

American physicist

Isidor Isaac Rabi was a physicist who conducted research in nuclear magnetic resonance.

Carl David Anderson

1905–1991

American physicist

Carl David Anderson was an American physicist who conducted research in the field of experimental physics.

Aaron Swartz

1986–2013

American computer programmer and internet-political activist

Aaron Swartz was a computer programmer and internet-political activist who contributed to the development of web technologies and digital advocacy.

Anita Ekberg

1931–2015

Swedish actress

Anita Ekberg was a Swedish actress known for her roles in international cinema.

Friedrich Schlegel

1772–1829

German poet, critic and scholar, editor

Friedrich Schlegel was a German literary critic and scholar who contributed to the development of Romanticism through his work as an editor and writer.

Alberto Giacometti

1901–1966

Swiss sculptor and painter

Alberto Giacometti was a Swiss sculptor and painter known for his distinctive elongated human figures.

Constantine I of Greece

1868–1923

King of Greece (r. 1913–17; 1920–22)

Constantine I of Greece was a sovereign who served as the King of Greece.

Theodor Schwann

1810–1882

German physiologist

Theodor Schwann was a physiologist who formulated the cell theory that all living organisms are composed of cells.

Georges-Eugène Haussmann

1809–1891

French official and politician

Georges-Eugène Haussmann was an urban planner who directed the renovation of Paris.

Galeazzo Ciano

1903–1944

Italian noble, diplomat and politician

Galeazzo Ciano was an Italian diplomat who served as the foreign minister of Italy.

Michael Atiyah

1929–2019

British mathematician

Michael Atiyah was a British mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of topology.

Éric Rohmer

1920–2010

French film director

Éric Rohmer was a French film director known for his contributions to the French New Wave cinema movement.

David Sassoli

1956–2022

President of the European Parliament from 2019 to 2022

David Sassoli was a politician who served as the President of the European Parliament.

Domenico Cimarosa

1749–1801

Italian opera composer of the Neapolitan school

Domenico Cimarosa was an Italian opera composer associated with the Neapolitan school.

Mykola Pidhornyi

1903–1983

Soviet politician

Mykola Pidhornyi was a Soviet politician who served as the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.

Louis E. Brus

1943–2026

American chemist

Louis E. Brus was an American chemist known for his research on colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals.

Rodolfo Graziani

1882–1955

Italian general

Rodolfo Graziani was an Italian general who served as a military officer and politician.

Fabrizio De André

1940–1999

Italian singer-songwriter

Fabrizio De André was an Italian singer-songwriter known for his poetic lyrics and musical compositions.

Miep Gies

1909–2010

Dutch citizen who hid Anne Frank

Miep Gies was a Dutch citizen who provided shelter to Anne Frank and her family during the German occupation of the Netherlands.

John Field

1782–1837

Irish pianist, composer, and teacher

John Field was an Irish pianist and composer who is recognized for his contributions to the development of the nocturne.

Robert Anton Wilson

1932–2007

American author, futurist, and agnostic mystic

Robert Anton Wilson was an American writer and futurist known for his exploration of consciousness and unconventional philosophy.

Source: Wikidata, released into the public domain under CC0. Snapshot: 2026-07. Names, dates and roles come from Wikidata; summaries are condensed from it. Nothing here is generated to fill a gap.