The invention relates to a high-dispersion type catalyst for liquid phase hydrogenation of an octanol mixture and preparation and application thereof. According to the invention, gamma-Al2O3 is used as a carrier, rare earth element lanthanum is used as a carrier modification auxiliary agent, nickel is used as a main active component, and copper and manganese are used as active auxiliary agents; in terms of mass (100%), the carrier accounts for 40 to 95% of the catalyst, the carrier modification auxiliary agent rare earth element lanthanum accounts for 0.1 to 12% in terms of La2O3, the content of the main active component nickel accounts for 1 to 30% in terms of NiO, the content of the active auxiliary agent Cu is 0.5 to 15% in terms of CuO, and content of the active auxiliary agent Mn is 0.5 to 10% in terms of MnO. According to the invention, through rare earth element surface modification and hydro-thermal deposition, the size and dispersity of active component particles can be effectively controlled, the content of surface active species is increased, and the catalyst has higher catalytic hydrogenation activity and stability on unsaturated components like octenal, isooctanol and isooctenal in the octanol mixture.