27 March

Across recorded history, 1,570 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 27 March. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

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Yuri Gagarin

1934–1968

Soviet pilot and cosmonaut, first human in space

Yuri Gagarin was a Soviet cosmonaut who became the first human to travel into space.

Stanisław Lem

1921–2006

Polish science fiction author, philosopher and futurologist, studied medical doctor

Stanisław Lem was a Polish science fiction author and philosopher who also studied medicine.

M. C. Escher

1898–1972

Dutch graphic artist

M. C. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist known for his mathematically inspired prints and woodcuts.

Billy Wilder

1906–2002

Austrian-born American filmmaker and screenwriter

Billy Wilder was an Austrian-born American filmmaker and screenwriter.

Daniel Kahneman

1934–2024

Israeli-American psychologist and economist

Daniel Kahneman was a psychologist and economist recognized for his research on the psychology of judgment and decision-making.

Jaroslav Heyrovský

1890–1967

Czech chemist

Jaroslav Heyrovský was a chemist who invented the polarographic method of chemical analysis.

Vasily Smyslov

1921–2010

Soviet chess grandmaster

Vasily Smyslov was a Soviet chess grandmaster who held the title of World Chess Champion.

Henry Adams

1838–1918

American journalist, historian, academic, novelist

Henry Adams was an American historian and writer known for his work on the Modern Age.

James Dewar

1842–1923

Scottish chemist and physicist

James Dewar was a chemist and physicist who invented the vacuum flask.

Paul Lauterbur

1929–2007

American chemist

Paul Lauterbur was a chemist who developed the use of magnetic resonance gradients to create images of the human body.

Syed Ahmed Khan

1817–1898

Indian Muslim reformer and social activist

Syed Ahmed Khan was an Indian Muslim reformer who promoted modern education and social progress within the Muslim community.

Adrienne Rich

1929–2012

American poet, essayist and feminist

Adrienne Rich was an American poet whose writing explored themes of feminism and social justice.

Arnold Bennett

1867–1931

English writer

Arnold Bennett was an English writer known for his novels and literary criticism.

Dudley Moore

1935–2002

British actor, comedian, composer and musician

Dudley Moore was a British actor and musician who gained international recognition for his work in film and comedy.

Stéphane Audran

1932–2018

French actress

Stéphane Audran was a French actress known for her work in film and as an audiobook narrator.

Ayaz Mutallibov

1938–2022

President of Azerbaijan from 1990 to 1992

Ayaz Mutallibov was a politician who served as the President of Azerbaijan.

Valery Bykovsky

1934–2019

Soviet cosmonaut

Valery Bykovsky was a Soviet cosmonaut who completed three spaceflights during his career.

James E. Webb

1906–1992

administrator of NASA in 1961–1968

James E. Webb served as the administrator of NASA during the nineteen sixties.

Joe Lieberman

1942–2024

American politician

Joe Lieberman was an American politician who served as a United States Senator.

Ettore Majorana

1906–1938

Italian physicist (1906-1938?)

Ettore Majorana was an Italian physicist who conducted theoretical research on neutrino masses.

Milton Berle

1908–2002

American comedian and actor

Milton Berle was an American comedian and actor who gained widespread recognition for his work in television.

Robert Merle

1908–2004

French writer

Robert Merle was a French writer known for his novels, biographies, and translations.

Farley Granger

1925–2011

American actor

Farley Granger was an American actor known for his performances in film, television, and stage productions.

Jørgen Moe

1813–1882

Norwegian folklorist, poet and bishop

Jørgen Moe was a Norwegian folklorist who is primarily known for his extensive collection of traditional fairy tales.

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.