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31 May

Across recorded history, 1,397 notable lives are recorded as having ended on 31 May. Below are the 24 most widely documented — ranked by how many language editions of Wikipedia carry an article about them.

Joseph Haydn

1732–1809

Austrian composer

Joseph Haydn was an Austrian composer who contributed significantly to the development of the classical symphony and string quartet.

Évariste Galois

1811–1832

French mathematician

Évariste Galois was a French mathematician who established the foundations for Galois theory and group theory.

Jacques Monod

1910–1976

French biologist and biochemist, Nobel laureate

Jacques Monod was a molecular biologist who received a Nobel Prize for his research on genetic control mechanisms.

Elizabeth Blackwell

1821–1910

American physician, abolitionist, women's rights activist

Elizabeth Blackwell was a physician who became the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States.

James Rainwater

1917–1986

American physicist

James Rainwater was an American physicist who conducted research in the field of nuclear physics.

Raymond Davis Jr.

1914–2006

American scientist

Raymond Davis Jr. was a physicist who conducted research on solar neutrinos.

Timothy Leary

1920–1996

American psychologist

Timothy Leary was an American psychologist who conducted research on the effects of psychedelic drugs.

Louise Bourgeois

1911–2010

French-American artist

Louise Bourgeois was a French-American sculptor known for her large-scale installation art and spider sculptures.

Jean Lannes

1769–1809

Marshal of France

Jean Lannes was a Marshal of France who served as a military officer.

Millvina Dean

1912–2009

Last remaining survivor of Titanic disaster

Millvina Dean was a cartographer and the last remaining survivor of the Titanic disaster.

Vladimir Tatlin

1885–1953

Russian artist

Vladimir Tatlin was a Russian artist known for his work as a pioneer of the Constructivist movement.

Jack Dempsey

1895–1983

American boxer

Jack Dempsey was an American boxer who competed professionally.

Ama Ata Aidoo

1942–2023

Ghanaian writer, politician, and academic

Ama Ata Aidoo was a Ghanaian writer who explored themes of African identity and the experiences of women in her literary works.

József Bozsik

1925–1978

Hungarian footballer

József Bozsik was a Hungarian association football player who represented his country as a member of the national team.

George Green

1793–1841

British mathematical physicist (*1793 – †1841)

George Green was a British mathematical physicist who contributed to the development of modern mathematical physics.

Tito Puente

1923–2000

American musician

Tito Puente was a musician who gained international recognition as a percussionist, composer, and bandleader.

Tino Insana

1948–2017

American actor

Tino Insana was an American actor who worked as a screenwriter, comedian, and voice actor.

Hannah Höch

1889–1978

German artist

Hannah Höch was a German artist recognized for her pioneering work in the medium of photomontage.

Giuseppe Pella

1902–1981

Italian politician

Giuseppe Pella was an Italian politician who served as a diplomat and economist.

Petar Mladenov

1936–2000

former General Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party

Petar Mladenov was a politician who served as the General Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party.

Stanley Fischer

1943–2025

Israeli-American economist

Stanley Fischer was an economist who served as a central bank governor and university teacher.

Odilo Globočnik

1904–1945

Austrian-German SS officer, SS-Group Leader and Lieutenant General of the Police, temporary leader of Operation Reinhardt

Odilo Globočnik was an SS officer who served as the leader of Operation Reinhardt.

Leonid Pasternak

1862–1945

Russian artist

Leonid Pasternak was a Russian painter known for his work in the visual arts.

Jean Stapleton

1923–2013

American actress

Jean Stapleton was an American actress known for her extensive work in film, television, and stage productions.

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.

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