- Jan 17 James Hall, Scottish geologist, born in Dunglass, Scotland (d. 1832)
- 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)
- 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)
- 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)
- Jul 25 Charlotte von Kalb, German writer, born in Saal an der Saale, Electorate of Bavaria (d. 1843)
- 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 21 Louis AG baron de Bacler d'Albe, French cartographer/brigadier general
- 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 20 Pius VIII [Francesco Saverio Castiglioni], Italian 253rd Pope (1829-30), born in Cingoli, Marche, Papal States (d. 1830)
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)