- May 1 Charles Lee Williams, English composer and organist, born in Winchester (d. 1935)
- May 2 Marie Verstraete, Belgian actress (Mooi Juultje van Volendam, Frou Frou), born in Gent, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium (d. 1928)
- May 8 Dan Brouthers, American Baseball HOF first baseman (first great MLB slugger; 4×NL batting champion; Buffalo Bisons, Detroit Wolverines, Boston Beaneaters, Brooklyn Grooms), born in Sylvan Lake, New York (d. 1932)
- May 21 Jacques Marie Eugène Godefroy Cavaignac, French politician (d. 1905)
- May 26 Monroe Althouse, American composer, born in Centre Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania (d. 1924)
- May 28 Carl Larsson, Swedish painter (Midwinter Sacrifice - Swedish National Museum of Fine Arts), born in Stockholm, Sweden (d. 1919)
- May 30 Andries Andre, Dutch actor and husband of Geertruida Meeuwissen (Trumpeter-Major) (d. 1890)
- May 30 Karl Valentin, Swedish composer, born in Gothenburg, Sweden (d. 1918)