- Feb 8 Louis d'Affry, French general, military governor of Switzerland and mayor of Freiburg, born in Freiburg im Üechtland, Switzerland (d. 1810)
Joseph Banks (1743-1820)
Feb 13 English botanist and naturalist who accompanied James Cook on board the Endeavour, born in London
- Feb 19 (Ridolfo) Luigi Boccherini, Italian cellist and composer, who worked in the Spanish court, born in Lucca, Republic of Lucca (d. 1803)