16 April

Across recorded history, 1,574 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 16 April. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

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Yasunari Kawabata

1899–1972

Japanese novelist

Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist who received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Alexis de Tocqueville

1805–1859

French political thinker and historian, minister of Foreign Affairs

Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian who served as the minister of Foreign Affairs.

Rosalind Franklin

1920–1958

British chemist, biophysicist, and X-ray crystallographer

Rosalind Franklin was a chemist who contributed to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite.

Bernadette Soubirous

1844–1879

French saint

Bernadette Soubirous was a French nun who reported experiencing visions of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes.

David Lean

1908–1991

British film director

David Lean was a British film director known for his work on epic motion pictures.

Marie Tussaud

1761–1850

French artist

Marie Tussaud was a French sculptor who created wax figures of historical figures and celebrities.

Samuel Smiles

1812–1904

Scottish author

Samuel Smiles was a Scottish author who wrote books promoting the values of self-help and individual character.

Émile Bernard

1868–1941

French painter

Émile Bernard was a French painter associated with the development of Cloisonnism and Synthetism.

Fay Bainter

1893–1968

American actress

Fay Bainter was an American actress who performed in both film and stage productions.

Ralph Ellison

1914–1994

American novelist, literary critic, scholar and writer

Ralph Ellison was a novelist best known for his exploration of social and racial themes in American literature.

Helen McCrory

1968–2021

British actress

Helen McCrory was a British actress known for her extensive work in film and on stage.

Kazuo Imanishi

1941–2026

Japanese association football player and manger

Kazuo Imanishi was a Japanese association football player and coach.

Richard Neutra

1892–1970

Austrian–American architect

Richard Neutra was an architect known for his work in the Austrian–American modernist style.

Henry Fuseli

1741–1825

Swiss born British painter, draughtsman and writer on art

Henry Fuseli was a Swiss-born British painter and writer on art.

Edna Ferber

1885–1968

American novelist, short story writer and playwright

Edna Ferber was an American novelist who authored numerous works of fiction and plays.

Luis Sepúlveda

1949–2020

Chilean writer

Luis Sepúlveda was a Chilean writer known for his novels and short stories.

Edward Norton Lorenz

1917–2008

American mathematician and meteorologist

Edward Norton Lorenz was a mathematician who pioneered the study of chaos theory and the butterfly effect in weather systems.

Philibert Tsiranana

1912–1978

First President of Madagascar

Philibert Tsiranana was a politician who served as the first President of Madagascar.

José Carlos Mariátegui

1894–1930

Peruvian writer and academic

José Carlos Mariátegui was a Peruvian political theorist who authored influential essays on the social and economic conditions of his country.

Ahmad Jamal

1930–2023

American jazz pianist

Ahmad Jamal was an American jazz pianist known for his influential recordings and compositions.

Stanislav Gross

1969–2015

Czech politician

Stanislav Gross was a Czech politician who served as the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic.

Joachim Streich

1951–2022

East German association football player and manager

Joachim Streich was an East German association football player and manager.

Princess Maria Carolina, Duchess of Berry

1798–1870

Two Sicilian Royal

Princess Maria Carolina, Duchess of Berry was a Two Sicilian royal who served as a prominent art collector.

George William Hill

1838–1914

American astronomer and mathematician

George William Hill was an astronomer and mathematician who contributed to the study of celestial mechanics.

Source: Wikidata, released into the public domain under CC0. Snapshot: 2026-07. Names, dates and roles come from Wikidata; summaries are condensed from it. Nothing here is generated to fill a gap.