- Feb 2 Luigi Manzotti, Italian mime artist, dancer, and ballet choreographer, born in Milan (d. 1905)
- Feb 13 Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, Founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (d. 1908)
- Feb 14 Francois Haverschmidt, Dutch writer (Snikken en grimlachjes), born in Leeuwarden, Netherlands (d. 1894)
- Feb 15 Alexander Stuart Webb, Major General (Union Army), (d. 1911)
- Feb 15 Demetrius Vikelas, Greek businessman and writer (first President International Olympic Committee 1894-1896), born in Ermoupoli, Greece (d. 1908)
- Feb 20 Allessandro d'Ancona, Italian philologist, born in Pisa (d. 1914)
- Feb 25 Matsukata Masayoshi, Japanese politician (Prime Minister of Japan 1891-1892, 1896 -1898), born in Kagoshima, Japan (d. 1924)
- Feb 26 Richard Andree, German geographer and etnologist (Andree's Handatlas), born in Braunschweig, Saxony (d. 1912)
- Feb 27 Richard Garnett, English librarian and writer (Keeper of Printed Books British Museum), born in Lichfield, England (d. 1906)