25 February

Across recorded history, 1,656 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 25 February. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

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Glenn Theodore Seaborg

1912–1999

American chemist

Glenn Theodore Seaborg was a chemist who contributed to the discovery and isolation of ten transuranium elements.

Thomas Moore

1779–1852

Irish poet, singer and songwriter

Thomas Moore was an Irish songwriter and poet known for his lyrical compositions.

Paco de Lucía

1947–2014

Spanish flamenco, classical, jazz guitarist & musician

Paco de Lucía was a Spanish guitarist who performed flamenco, classical, and jazz music.

Theodor Svedberg

1884–1971

Swedish chemist

Theodor Svedberg was a chemist who conducted research on colloids and proteins.

Bill Paxton

1955–2017

American actor and filmmaker

Bill Paxton was an American actor and filmmaker who appeared in numerous motion pictures and television programs.

George Minot

1885–1950

American physician

George Minot was an American physician who conducted research on the treatment of pernicious anemia.

Don Bradman

1908–2001

Australian cricketer

Don Bradman was an Australian cricketer widely recognized for his exceptional batting performance.

Dmitry Yazov

1924–2020

Soviet minister of defence

Dmitry Yazov was a Soviet military officer who served as the Minister of Defence.

Daoguang Emperor

1782–1850

Qing-dynasty Chinese emperor

Daoguang Emperor was a Qing-dynasty Chinese monarch who ruled during a period of significant internal and external challenges for the empire.

Peter Benenson

1921–2005

English human rights activist

Peter Benenson was a human rights activist who founded the organization Amnesty International.

Haing S. Ngor

1940–1996

Cambodian-American physician and actor

Haing S. Ngor was a Cambodian-American physician and actor who appeared in film and television productions.

Friedrich Maximilian Klinger

1752–1831

German dramatist and novelist

Friedrich Maximilian Klinger was a German dramatist and novelist who authored the play Sturm und Drang.

Michael Somare

1936–2021

Papua New Guinean political figure, former prime minister

Michael Somare was a Papua New Guinean politician who served as the country's prime minister.

Hugo Steinhaus

1887–1972

Polish mathematician

Hugo Steinhaus was a Polish mathematician who served as a university teacher.

William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg

1852–1912

Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1905 to 1912

William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, served as the ruler of Luxembourg.

Mário de Andrade

1893–1945

Brazilian writer, musicologist and photographer

Mário de Andrade was a Brazilian writer who contributed significantly to the development of modernism in national literature and musicology.

Philip José Farmer

1918–2009

American writer

Philip José Farmer was an American science fiction writer known for his imaginative works of speculative fiction.

Paul Reuter

1816–1899

German-Jewish-born British entrepreneur and news agency founder

Paul Reuter was a British entrepreneur who founded a news agency.

Auguste Perret

1874–1954

French architect

Auguste Perret was a French architect known for his pioneering use of reinforced concrete in building design and construction.

Erland Josephson

1923–2012

Swedish actor, film director and author

Erland Josephson was a Swedish actor who appeared in numerous films and stage productions throughout his career.

Mario Bunge

1919–2020

Argentine-Canadian philosopher

Mario Bunge was an Argentine-Canadian philosopher who authored numerous works on epistemology and the philosophy of science.

Gino Severini

1883–1966

Italian painter

Gino Severini was an Italian painter who contributed to the development of the Futurist movement.

Ludwig Scotty

1948–2026

Nauruan politician, president

Ludwig Scotty is a Nauruan politician who served as the president of Nauru.

Elijah Muhammad

1897–1975

American religious leader

Elijah Muhammad was an American religious leader who served as the longtime head of the Nation of Islam.

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.