- Feb 3 Cyrus Ballou Comstock, American Brevet Major General (Union Army), born in Wrentham, Massachusetts (d. 1910)
- Feb 4 Oliver Ames, 35th Governor of Massachusetts (d. 1895)
- Feb 12 John Morrissey, Irish born American boxer, US Congressman developer of Saratoga Springs horse race track, born in Templemore, Ireland (d. 1878)
- Feb 13 John Aaron Rawlins, Bvt Major General (Union Army), (d. 1869)
- Feb 16 Nikolai Leskow, writer
- Feb 17 Francisco Salvador Daniel, French composer, born in Bourges, France (d. 1871)
- Feb 21 Eduard Rappoldi, composer
- Feb 23 Hendrik W Mesdag, Dutch painter (Panorama Mesdag)
- Feb 24 Georg Leo earl von Caprivi, German chancellor/premier of Prussia
- Feb 26 Filippo Marchetti, Italian opera composer, born in Bolognola, (d. 1902)
- Feb 27 Hiram Bond Everest, American co-founder of The Vacuum Oil Company (d. 1913)