- Jan 17 James Hall, Scottish geologist, born in Dunglass, Scotland (d. 1832)
- Jan 20 Giovanni Domenico Perotti, Italian composer, born in Vercelli (d. 1855)
- Jan 23 Friedrich von Matthison, German poet (Adelaide), born in Hohendodeleben, Germany (d. 1831)
- Jan 29 Albert Gallatin, Swiss-American politician, Secretary of the Treasury (1801-14), born in Geneva, Switzerland (d. 1849)
- Feb 1 Christian Hendrik Persoon, South African mycologist (d. 1836)
- Feb 16 Charles Pichegru, French army general and royalist who plotted to overthrow Napoleon, born in Arbois, Franche-Comté (now France) (d. 1804)
- Feb 22 Erik Tulindberg, Finland's first known classical composer, born in Vähäkyrö, Finland (d. 1814)
- Feb 22 Jacob Kimball, American pioneering composer and musician, bornin Topsfield, Massachusetts (d. 1826)
- Mar 6 Antoine-Francois Andreossy, French General and diplomat (d. 1828)
- Mar 23 Jan Willem de Winter, Dutch admiral (commanded Dutch navy in Battle at Campertown), born in Kampen, Dutch Republic (d. 1812)
- Apr 5 Sybil Ludington, American revolutionary heroine (rode to alert militia), born in Kent, New York (d. 1839)
- Apr 20 Johann Gottlieb Karl Spazier, German composer, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1805)
- May 3 August von Kotzebue, German dramatist, born in Weimar, Germany (d. 1819)
- May 13 Adrian Loosjes, Dutch botanist, publisher and writer (Mauritius Lijnslager), born in Den Hoor, Netherlands (d. 1818)
- May 16 John Opie, English painter, born in Trevellas, Cornwall (d. 1807)
- Jun 3 Henry Shrapnel, English Army officer and inventor (created the shrapnel shell), born in Wiltshire, England (d. 1842)
- Jun 7 John Rennie, Scottish engineer, born in East Linton, East Lothian, Scotland (d. 1821)
- Jun 13 Antonín Vranický, Czech violinist and composer, born in Nová Říše, Czech Republic (d. 1820)
- Jul 20 Joseph Lefèbvre, French composer, born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1822?)
- Jul 25 Charlotte von Kalb, German writer, born in Saal an der Saale, Electorate of Bavaria (d. 1843)
- Aug 16 Yevstigney Fomin, Russian opera composer, born in St. Petersburg, Russia (d. 1800)
- Sep 14 Pavel Lambert Mašek, Czech composer, born in Zvíkovec, Czech Republic (d. 1826)
- Sep 24 Friedrich Ludwig Æmilius Kunzen, German composer, born in Free Imperial City of Lübeck (d. 1817)
- Sep 28 François Budan de Boislaurent, French mathematician, born in Limonade, Cap-Français, Saint-Domingue (d. 1840)
- Oct 13 Dirk van Hogendorp, Dutch minister of War, born in Heenvliet, Netherlands (d. 1822)
- Oct 15 Peter Grønland, Danish composer, born in Wilster, Germany (d. 1825)
- Oct 21 Louis Albert Guislain Bacler d'Albe, French cartographer and general (head of Napoleon's topographical department), born in Saint-Pol, France (d. 1824)
- Oct 22 Johann Christian Gottlob Eidenbenz, German composer, born in Owen, Kirchheim unter Teck, Germany (d. 1799)
- Oct 27 Matthew Baillie, Scottish Physician (first systematic study of pathology in 1793), born in Shotts Manse, Lanarkshire (d. 1823)
- Oct 31 Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck, Dutch politician (Grand Pensionary of Batavia), born in Deventer, Overijssel, United Provinces (d. 1825)
- Nov 1 Antonín Volánek, Czech organist and composer, born in Jaroměř, Czech Republic (d. 1817)
- Nov 20 Pius VIII [Francesco Saverio Castiglioni], Italian 253rd Pope (1829-30), born in Cingoli, Marche, Papal States (d. 1830)
- Nov 22 Dorothy Jordan, Irish-English actress, courtesan, mistress of future King William IV of the United Kingdom, born in Waterford, Ireland (d. 1816)
- Nov 29 Fridolin Weber, German composer (d. 1833)
Madame Tussaud (1761-1850)
Dec 1 French founder of Madame Tussaud's wax museum, born in Strasbourg
- Dec 11 Gian Domenico Romagnosi, Italian philosopher and physicist, born in Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy (d. 1835)
- Dec 24 Jean-Louis Pons, French astronomer (greatest visual comet discoverer of all time), born in Peyre, Hautes-Alpes (d. 1831)
- Dec 24 Selim III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1789-1808), born in Topkapı Palace, Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (d. 1808)
- Dec 27 Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly, Russian fieldmarshal (Minister of War during Napoleonic invasion), born in Pomautsch, Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (d. 1818)
Year of the Rat
Year of the Ox
Year of the Tiger
Year of the Rabbit
Year of the Dragon
Year of the Snake