- Feb 2 Lodovico Ferrari, Italian mathematician (d. 1565)
- Mar 28 Albert the Warlike, Prince of Bayreuth, born in Ansbach, Germany (d. 1557)
- May 24 John Jewel, English bishop, born in Buden, Devon, England (d. 1571)
- Sep 11 Ulisse Aldrovandi, Italian biologist and naturalist, born in Bologna, Italy (d. 1605)
- Nov 9 Martin Chemnitz, German Lutheran reformer and theologian, born in Treuenbrietzen, Germany (d. 1586)
- Nov 18 Lamoral, Count of Egmont, Flemish general and statesman, born in La Hamaide, Ellezelles, Belgium (d. 1568)
- Dec 28 Margaret of Austria, regent of the Netherlands (d. 1583)