- Jan 10 Daniel Raap, Dutch porcelain salesman/politician, dies at about 51
- Jan 10 Edward Cave, English editor and publisher (b. 1691)
- Jan 28 Ludvig Holberg, Danish lawyer/writer (Hendrig og Pernille), dies at 69
- Feb 5 Nicolaas S Cruquius, hydraulic engineer, (Haarlemmermeer), dies at 75
- Feb 16 Richard Mead, physician, dies
Henry Pelham
Mar 6 Henry Pelham, British Prime Minister (Whig: 1743-54) who introduced the Gin Acts, dies at about 57
Henry Pelham
- Mar 8 Don Jose de Carvajal bon Lancaster, Sp min of Foreign affairs, dies
- Mar 23 Johann Jakob Wettstein, Swiss theologian (b. 1693)
- Apr 2 Thomas Carte, English historian (b. 1686)
- Apr 9 Christian von Wolff, German philosopher, dies at 75
- Apr 15 Jacopo Riccati, Italian mathematician (b. 1676)
- Apr 28 Giovanni Battista Piazzetta, Italian Rococo painter of religious subjects and genre scenes (Fortune Teller), dies at 72
- May 14 Pierre-Claude Nivelle de La Chaussée, French writer (L’École des Mères), dies at 62
- May 23 John Wood, architect/town planner, dies
- Jun 2 Ebenezer Erskine, Scottish religious dissenter (b. 1680)
- Jun 7 Nikolaj Eigtved, Danish, architect (Amalienborg Square), dies at 52
- Jul 4 Philippe Néricault Destouches, French dramatist and author, dies at 74
- Aug 14 Maria Anna of Austria, Archduchess of Austria and Queen consort of Portugal, dies at 70
- Oct 4 Tanacharison, Catawba Indian chief
- Oct 8 Henry Fielding, English lawyer/author (Tom Jones), dies at 47
- Oct 28 Friedrich von Hagedorn, German poet (Versuch einiger Poem), dies at 46
- Nov 12 Jacob de Wit, Amsterdam painter/decorater, dies at 58
- Nov 27 Abraham de Moivre, French mathematician (De Moivre's theorem), dies at 87
- Dec 12 Wu Jingzi, Chinese writer (b. 1701)
- Dec 14 Mahmud I, Sultan of Ottoman Empire (1730-54) who fought Austria & Russia, dies at 58