- Aug 2 William Denison Whipple, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Madison County, New York (d. 1902)
- Aug 6 Thomas Alexander Browne, Australian writer (Robbery Under Arms), born in London (d. 1915)
- Aug 7 August Ahlqvist, Finnish poet (Suomalainen Runousoppi), born in Kuopio, Finland (d. 1889)
- Aug 13 William Thomas Best, English organist and composer, born in Carlisle, Cumberland, England (d. 1897)
- Aug 21 Karl Gegenbaur, German anatomist, born in Würzburg, Germany (d. 1903)
- Aug 26 Princess Alexandra of Bavaria (d. 1875)
- Aug 27 Frank Stillman Nickerson, American Brigadier General (Union Army), born in Swanville, Maine (d. 1917)
- Aug 27 Hermann Kipper, German music teacher and composer, born in Koblenz, Germany (d. 1910)
- Aug 28 Walter Cecil Macfarren, English pianist and composer, born in London (d. 1905)