- May 4 Alexander Karađorđević, Prince of Serbia (1842-58), dies at 78
- May 5 Lauro Rossi, Italian composer (I falsi monetari), dies at 73
- May 8 Pavel Křížkovský, Czech choral composer and conductor (Sts. Cyril and Methodius), dies at 65
- May 10 Edward Stephen, Welsh musician and composer, dies at 62
- May 10 Ferdinand Hiller, German pianist, composer and conductor, dies at 73
- May 13 Friedrich Gustav Jakob Henle, German pathologist, dies at 75
- May 13 Juliana Horatia Ewing [Gatty], English children's author (Lob Lie-by-the-Fire), dies at 43
- May 19 Peter W. Barlow, English engineer (b. 1809)
- May 21 Gavril Yakimovich Lomakin, Russian composer and teacher, dies at 73
Victor Hugo (1802-1885)
May 22 French author (Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables), dies at 83
- May 29 Alfred Meissner, Austrian poet (Ziska), dies at 62
Assassination
Car Crash
Hanging
Killed in Action
Plane Crash
Poisoning