- Jan 8 John Baskerville, English printer and type designer, dies at 68
- Jan 10 Jemeljan Pugatshov, Russian kosak leader/"Tsar Peter III", dies
- Jan 11 Yemelyan Pugachov, Don Cossack rebel, executed by tsarist Russia
- Jan 11 Prithvi Narayan Shah, began the unification of modern Nepal (b. 1723)
- Jan 13 Johann Georg Walch, German theologian, dies at 81
- Feb 5 Eusebius Amort, German Roman Catholic theologian, dies at 82
- Feb 6 William Dowdeswell, English politician (b. 1721)
- Feb 15 Peter Dens, Flemish Catholic theologian, dies at 84
- May 10 Caroline Matilda of Great Britain, Queen consort of Denmark and Norway, dies at 23
- Jun 17 Major John Pitcairn, British marine (killed in battle) (b. 1722)
- Jun 17 Joseph Warren, American physician and soldier, dies at 34
- Jun 23 Karl Ludwig, Freiherr von Pöllnitz, German adventurer and writer (b. 1692)
- Jul 3 Colonel Thomas Gardner, American heroic political figure and soldier, dies at 51
- Jul 11 Simon Boerum, American Continental Congressman (b. 1724)
- Sep 16 Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl Bathurst, English privy councillor (b. 1684)
- Sep 18 Andrew Foulis, Scottish bookseller and printer, dies at about 63
- Oct 2 Chiyo-ni, Japanese poet (b. 1703)
- Oct 18 Christian August Crusius, German philosopher and theologian (b. 1715)
- Oct 21 Peyton Randolph, American president of the Continental Congress (b. 1721)
- Nov 21 John Hill, British writer
- Nov 24 Lorenzo Ricci, Italian Jesuit leader (18th & last Superior General of the Society of Jesus), dies at 72
- Dec 7 Charles Saunders, British admiral, First Lord of the Admiralty, dies at about 60
- Dec 28 Peter A van de Parra, gov-gen of Neth Indies, dies at 61
- Dec 31 Richard Montgomery, Irish General in Continental Army during American Revolutionary War, dies in attack on Quebec at 37