Hydrogen was first recognized as a distinct element by Henry Cavendish (1731-1810), who discovered it in 1766. The name “hydrogen” was later offered by Antoine Lavoisier (1743 – 1794). Jan Rudolph Deiman and Adriaan Paets van Troostwijk first used an electrostatic machine and a Leyden jar for the first electrolysis of water. (c) Wikipedia