John Montagu , 4th Earl of Sandwich was born on November 3 , 1718 and died on April 30 , 1792 in Great Britain . He is known as the person the sandwich is named after . John Montagu , 4th Earl of Sandwich , PC , FRS ( 3 November 1718 -- 30 April 1792 ) was a British statesman who succeeded his grandfather , Edward Montagu , 3rd Earl of Sandwich , as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729 , at the age of ten .