31 July

Across recorded history, 1,407 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 31 July. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

← July 30 August 1 →

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

1900–1944

French writer and aviator

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was a French writer and aviator known for his literary works and experiences as a pilot.

Franz Liszt

1811–1886

Hungarian romantic composer and virtuoso pianist

Franz Liszt was a Hungarian composer and virtuoso pianist known for his significant contributions to the Romantic era of classical music.

Sándor Petőfi

1822–1849

Hungarian poet and liberal revolutionary

Sándor Petőfi was a Hungarian poet who participated in the Hungarian Revolution.

Gore Vidal

1925–2012

American writer

Gore Vidal was an American writer known for his novels, essays, and screenplays.

Jeanne Moreau

1928–2017

French actress, singer, screenwriter and director

Jeanne Moreau was a French actress who worked extensively in film, stage, and music throughout her career.

Jean Jaurès

1859–1914

French / Occitan Socialist leader

Jean Jaurès was a French socialist politician who served as a member of parliament and advocated for pacifism.

Baudouin I of Belgium

1930–1993

fifth king of the Belgians

Baudouin I of Belgium served as the fifth king of the Belgians.

Bill Russell

1934–2022

American basketball player

Bill Russell was an American basketball player who played for the Boston Celtics.

Richard Kuhn

1900–1967

Austrian-German biochemist

Richard Kuhn was a biochemist who conducted extensive research on carotenoids and vitamins.

Alan Parker

1944–2020

British filmmaker

Alan Parker was a British filmmaker known for directing a variety of feature films.

Bobby Robson

1933–2009

English association football player and manager

Bobby Robson was an English association football player and manager.

Paul-Henri Spaak

1899–1972

Belgian politician

Paul-Henri Spaak was a Belgian diplomat who served as a prominent figure in the development of European integration.

Mohammed Rafi

1924–1980

Indian playback singer

Mohammed Rafi was an Indian playback singer who recorded songs for numerous films.

Chiune Sugihara

1900–1986

Japanese diplomat, Righteous Among the Nations

Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat who issued transit visas to refugees fleeing Europe during the Second World War.

Omar Torrijos

1929–1981

Panamanian dictator who ruled Panama 1968–1981

Omar Torrijos was a Panamanian military leader who governed Panama.

Allan Hume

1829–1912

British Ornithologist and Founder of the Indian National Congress

Allan Hume was an ornithologist who served as a founder of the Indian National Congress.

Fazil Iskander

1929–2016

Soviet and Russian writer

Fazil Iskander was a writer known for his contributions to Soviet and Russian literature.

Michael Ansara

1922–2013

American stage, screen, and voice actor

Michael Ansara was an American actor who performed in numerous stage, screen, and voice roles throughout his career.

Seymour Papert

1928–2016

MIT mathematician, computer scientist, and educator

Seymour Papert was a mathematician who developed the Logo programming language and pioneered the use of computers in education.

Pascual Jordan

1902–1980

German physicist and politician

Pascual Jordan was a physicist who contributed to the development of quantum mechanics.

Wim Duisenberg

1935–2005

Dutch politician and economist

Wim Duisenberg was an economist who served as the first president of the European Central Bank.

Roddy Piper

1954–2015

Canadian professional wrestler

Roddy Piper was a professional wrestler who also appeared in various film roles.

Francis Younghusband

1863–1942

British army explorer

Francis Younghusband was an explorer who led the British expedition to Lhasa.

Mykola Zelinsky

1861–1953

Ukrainian chemist

Mykola Zelinsky was a chemist who developed the first effective activated charcoal gas mask.

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.