What are the important events that happened on January 31? Here are historical events, facts, and some myths about this day.
January 31: Facts & Myths About This Day
January 31 is the 31st day of the year 2025 in the Gregorian calendar. There are 334 days remaining until the end of this year. The day of the week is Friday.
Under the Julian calendar, this day is January 18, 2025 – a Friday. Both day of the week are the same but did you notice the difference with the Gregorian calendar?
When this day started, 28,971,360 minutes has elapsed since midnight of January 1, 1970 – the Unix epoch.
Strange as it may, if we name this day after a polygon then it will be called ‘triacontahenagon’ day.
Ready for a new challenge? Try guessing my birthday in just 6 tries with this fun twist on Wordle! Let’s see if you can figure it out. 🎉🎂 Play the Birthday Challenge now! (Sponsored by MyBirthday.Ninja)
Aquarius is the zodiac sign of a person born on this day. Garnet is the modern birthstone for this month. Emerald is the mystical birthstone from Tibetan origin that dates back over a thousand years.
According to the lunisolar Chinese calendar, there are 382 days remaining before the start of the next Chinese New Year.
The ancient Maya civilization believes that the end of the world will happen on December 21, 2012. There are now 4,424 days since this fabled cataclysmic event.
Do people and celebrities interest you? Discover all the January 31 famous birthdays who share your special day. Learn some fun facts about your birthday!
(Sponsored by MyBirthday.Ninja)
January 31 Historical Events
- 314 –Silvester I begins his reign as Pope of the Catholic Church, succeeding Pope Miltiades.
- 1865 –American Civil War: Confederate General Robert E. Lee becomes general-in-chief.
- 1900 –Datu Muhammad Salleh is assassinated in Kampung Teboh, Tambunan, ending the Mat Salleh Rebellion
- 1900 –New Year’s Day in Chinese calendar. Start of the year of the Metal Rat in Chinese astrology.
- 1919 –The Battle of George Square takes place in Glasgow, Scotland.
- 1930 –3M begins marketing Scotch Tape.
- 1957 –Eight people on the ground in Pacoima, California are killed following the mid-air collision between a Douglas DC-7 airliner and a Northrop F-89 Scorpion fighter jet.
- 1990 –The first McDonald’s in the Soviet Union opens in Moscow.
- 1995 –President Bill Clinton authorizes a $20 billion loan to Mexico to stabilize its economy.
- 1996 –An explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka killing at least 86 and injuring 1,400.
Who were born on January 31?
- 1920 –Bert Williams, English footballer
- 1921 –Mario Lanza, American singer (d. 1959)
- 1935 –Kenzaburo Oe, Japanese writer, Nobel laureate
- 1938 –James G. Watt, American politician and 43rd United States Secretary of the Interior
- 1948 –Muneo Suzuki, Japanese politician
- 1967 –Jason Cooper, English musician (The Cure)
- 1968 –Patrick Stevens, Belgian athlete
- 1973 –Portia de Rossi, Australian actress
- 1987 –Kenny McKinley, American football player (d. 2010)
- 1990 –Kota Yabu, Japanese actor and singer
Who died on January 31?
- 1561 –Menno Simons, Dutch Mennonite leader (b. 1496)
- 1686 –Jean Mairet, French dramatist (b. 1604)
- 1794 –Marriott Arbuthnot, British admiral (b. 1711)
- 1844 –Henri Gratien, Comte Bertrand, French general (b. 1773)
- 1892 –Charles Spurgeon, English preacher and evangelist (b. 1834)
- 1942 –Rolf Wenkhaus, German actor (b. 1917)
- 1956 –A. A. Milne, English author (b. 1882)
- 1967 –Eddie Tolan, American athlete (b. 1908)
- 1987 –Yves Allégret, French film director (b. 1907)
- 2008 –Zeltim Odie Peterson, famous pug dog (b. 1997)
🎂 Ready for a little birthday guessing fun? 🎉 Let’s play a game and see if I can figure out your special day in less than 20 tries. 🎮 Accept challenge? (Sponsored by MyBirthday.Ninja)