- May 15 Gottfried Herrmann, German violinist, organist, Kapellmeister, and composer, born in Sondershausen, Confederation of the Rhine (now Germany) (d. 1878)
- May 15 Michael William Balfe, Irish violinist and composer (The Bohemian Girl), born in Dublin (d. 1870)
- May 17 Charles-Louis-Adolphe Vogel, French composer (Les trois couleurs), born in Lille, France (d. 1892)
20-29
30-39
40-49
50-59
80-89
Over 90