- Jan 14 Catherine of Habsburg, Queen of Portugal, born in Torquemada, Spain (d. 1578)
- Jan 15 Johann Oporinus, Swiss book publisher (Koran), born in Basel (d. 1568)
- Jun 19 Annibale Caro, Italian writer and poet (Lettere familiare), born in Civitanova Marche, Italy (d. 1566)
- Sep 16 Jiajing, 12th Emperor of Ming Dynasty of China (d. 1567)
- Sep 27 Guillaume Rondelet, French naturalist famous for his study of marine animals, born in Montpellier, France (d. 1566)
- Oct 1 Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, Italian architect, born in Vignola, Italy (d. 1573)
- Oct 19 Viglius ab Aytta Zuichemus [Aytta van Zwichem], Dutch priest
- Oct 29 Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, Spanish noble and diplomat (governor of the Netherlands (1567–1573)), born in Piedrahíta, Ávila, Spain (d. 1582)
- Nov 25 Joost de Damhoudere, Flemish lawyer (Praxis rerum criminalium), born in Bruges, Belgium (d. 1581)
- Dec 18 Ōuchi Yoshitaka, Japanese warlord (d. 1551)