Jan 3 Alexander Ewing, Scottish composer (Jerusalem the Golden), born in Aberdeen, Scotland (d. 1895)
Jan 8 Hans von Bülow, German pianist and composer, born in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony (d. 1894)
Jan 27 Georg Hellmesberger Jr, Austrian violinist and composer, born in Vienna, Austrian Empire (d. 1852)
Feb 11 Hans Bronsart von Schellendorf, Prussian pianist, composer and music director (Royal Theatre of Hanover, 1867-87), born in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1913)
Feb 11 Peter Arnold Heise, Danish organist, composer (Drot og Marsk (King and Marshal); Jylland mellem tvende), and teacher, born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1879)
Mar 26 John Rogers Thomas, American composer, born in Newport, Rhode Island (d. 1896)
Mar 30 Auguste Tolbecque, French-Belgian cellist instrument maker, and composer, born in Paris, France (d. 1919)
Apr 5 Alexander Muir, Canadian composer (The Maple Leaf Forever), born in Lesmahagow, Scotland (d. 1906)
Apr 13 Eduard Lassen, Belgian-Danish composer, born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1904)
May 18 (Károly) "Karl" Goldmark, Hungarian-Viennese violinist and composer (Rustic Wedding Symphony; The Queen of Sheba; Sakuhtala), born in Keszthely, Kingdom of Hungary (d. 1915)
May 28 Carl Filtsch, Transylvanian child piano prodigy, and composer, born in Mühlbach (Sebeș), Romania (d. 1845)
Jun 2 Olivier Métra, French composer of ballets, light opera, and popular waltzes (Esperance!), and conductor, born in Reims, France (d. 1889)
Jun 22 Theodor Leschetizky, Polish pianist, composer, and teacher (Contes de Jeunesse), born in Łańcut, Austrian Poland (d. 1915)
Jul 22 Herbert Stanley Oakeley, English composer, born in Ealing, England (d. 1903)
Jul 31 František Zdeněk Skuherský, Czech composer, born in Opočno, Bohemia (now Czech Republic) (d. 1892)
Sep 25 Karl Klindworth, German pianist and conductor, born in Hanover, Germany (d. 1916)
Oct 26 Polibo Fumagalli, Italian composer, born in Inzago, Italy (d. 1900)
Nov 27 Harrison Millard, American composer, born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 1895)
Dec 15 Francesco D'Arcais, Italian composer, born in Cagliari, Kingdom of Sardinia (d. 1890)
Dec 23 Adam Minchejmer, Polish composer and conductor, born in Warsaw, Russian Poland (d. 1904)