Józef Bohdan Zaleski was a Polish Romantic poet. A friend of Adam Mickiewicz, Zaleski founded the "Ukrainian poetic school."

Jozef Cíger-Hronský was a Slovak writer, teacher, publicist, later secretary and manager of the Matica slovenská.

Józef Wojciech Gołuchowski was a Polish philosopher.

Jozef Gregor, better known as Jozef Gregor-Tajovský, was a Slovak novelist, playwright, poet, teacher, and politician. As a novelist, he is considered to be a leading figure of the second wave of Slovak literary realism and as a playwright, he is the founder of Slovak realistic drama. His plays are still part of the core repertoire of Slovak professional theatres, including the Slovak National Theatre, as well as various other domestic and foreign stages.

Jozef Ignác Bajza was an ethnically Slovak writer, satirist and Catholic priest in the Kingdom of Hungary.

Józef Ignacy Kraszewski was a Polish writer, publisher, historian, journalist, scholar, painter, and author who produced more than 200 novels and 150 novellas, short stories, and art reviews, which makes him the most prolific writer in the history of Polish literature. He is best known for his epic series on the history of Poland, comprising twenty-nine novels in seventy-nine parts.

Józef Henryk Kallenbach, born in Kamianets-Podilskyi, was a Polish historian of literature.

Józef Kościelski was a Polish poet, politician and parliamentarian, co-founder of the Straż (Guard) society.

Józef Kowalewski was a Polish orientalist. Founder of the Philomatic Association, in 1824 convicted by the Russian authorities for pro-independence Polish activity and exiled into Russia. Allowed to study at the Kazan University, he studied Mongolia, particularly Mongolian language and Tibetan Buddhism. In 1833 he founded the Department of Mongolian Studies at Kazan University - the first in Europe. In the years 1844-1849 he published his major work - a Mongolian - Russian - French dictionary. In 1862 he was allowed to return to Poland ; he refused to support the January Uprising and did not oppose Russification of Polish education, for which he became the dean of the Philological and Historical Faculty of the University of Warsaw.

Józef Mackiewicz was a Polish writer, novelist and political commentator; best known for his documentary novels Nie trzeba głośno mówić, and Droga donikąd. He staunchly opposed communism, referring to himself as an "anticommunist by nationality". Mackiewicz died in exile. His older brother Stanisław Mackiewicz was also a writer.