John Smith (1580-1631)
Jan 6 English explorer (Chesapeake Bay, New England) and leader of the Virginia Colony (Jamestown), born in Lincolnshire, England
- Jan 12 Lord Alexander Ruthven, Scottish nobleman (d. 1600)
- Apr 18 Thomas Middleton, English playwright (A Game at Chess), born in London (d. 1627)
- Jun 6 Godefroy Wendelin, Flemish astronomer, the crater Vendelinus on the Moon is named after him, born in Herk-de-Stad, Belgium (d. 1667)
- Jun 9 Daniel Heinsius, Flemish scholar (d. 1655)
- Aug 19 Pierre Vernier, French mathematician, inventor of the vernier caliper used for taking accurate measurements, born in Ornans, France (d. 1637)
- Aug 24 John Taylor, English poet (An Arrant Thief), born in Gloucester, England (d. 1654)
- Sep 14 Francisco Gómez de Quevedo, Spanish poet and writer, born in Madrid, Spain (d. 1645)
- Sep 15 Charles Annibal Fabrot, French lawyer, born in Aix-en-Provence, France (d. 1659)
- Sep 17 Charlotte Brabantia, countess of Nassau and daughter of Willem of Orange, born in Antwerp (d. 1631)
- Dec 1 Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc, French astronomer and antiquarian, born in Belgentier, France (d. 1637)
- Dec 4 Samuel Argall, English adventurer and naval officer, born in East Sutton, Kent, England (d. 1626)