- Jan 12 John Horsley, British archaeologist (b. 1685)
- Feb 13 Charles-René d'Hozier, French historian (b. 1640)
- Feb 17 Louis Marchand, French Baroque musician and composer, dies at 63
- Feb 22 Francis Atterbury, English bishop and man of letters (b. 1663)
- Feb 24 Colonel Francis Charteris, known as "The Rape-Master General". (b. 1675)
- Mar 5 Joseph François Salomon, French composer, dies at 82
- Mar 20 Johann Ernst Hanxleden, German philologist (b. 1681)
- Apr 5 Johann Christian Schieferdecker, German composer, dies at 52
- Apr 18 Louis Feuillée, French explorer, dies at 72
- Apr 23 Cajetan Kolberer, German composer, dies at 63
- May 13 Theodor Schwartzkopff, German composer, dies at 72
- May 20 Thomas Boston, Scottish church leader (b. 1676)
- Jun 3 Pieter Vuyst, Dutch GovernorGeneral of Ceylon, executed
- Jul 20 Francesco Bartolomeo Conti, Italian mandolin and theorbo player, and composer, dies at 50 or 51 [birth year duisputed]
- Sep 12 Jean Philippe Eugène de Mérode, Belgian marquis of Westerloo, dies at 58
- Sep 17 Josef Antonín Plánický, Czech composer, dies at 40
- Sep 24 Emperor Reigen, 112th Emperor of Japan, dies at 78
- Oct 31 Victor Amadeus II of Savoy (b. 1666)
- Dec 4 John Gay, English poet and dramatist (The Beggar's Opera), dies at 47
- Dec 14 Johann Philipp Fortsch, German composer, dies at 80
- Dec 18 Johann Valentin Eckelt, German composer, dies at 59