- 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 Eriksson Tulindberg, composer
- Feb 22 Jacob Kimball, composer
- Mar 6 Antoine-Francois Andreossy, French General and diplomat (d. 1828)
- Mar 23 John W de Winter, Dutch vice-admiral (Battle at Kamperduin)
- 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 Pzn, publisher/writer (Mauritius Lijnslager)
- 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 Lübeck, Germany (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 AG baron de Bacler d'Albe, French cartographer/brigadier general
- 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
Madame Tussaud
Dec 1 Marie Tussaud, French founder of Madame Tussaud's wax museum, born in Strasbourg (d. 1850)
- Dec 11 Gian Domenico Romagnosi, Italian philosopher and physicist, born in Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy (d. 1835)
- Dec 24 Selim III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1789-1808), born in Topkapı Palace, Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (d. 1808)
- Dec 24 Jean-Louis Pons, French astronomer (greatest visual comet discoverer of all time), born in Peyre, Hautes-Alpes (d. 1831)
- Dec 27 Michael A Barclay de Tolly, Scottish-Russian Minister of War