• Monarch – Frederick VII^[1]
• Prime minister – Christian Albrecht Bluhme (until 21 April), Anders Sandøe Ørsted

• 15 April – The Bing & Grøndahl porcelain manufactury is founded in Copenhagen.
• 20 May – Horsens State Prison is inaugurated.
• 11 June – 1853 Copenhagen cholera outbreak begins and continues until October.

Undated edit

• Skælskør Steam Mill is constructed.

January–March edit

• 12 March – Johan Bartholdy, composer (died 1904)

April–June edit

• 1 June – Valdemar Riise, pharmacist (died 1914)

July–September edit

• 29 September – Princess Thyra of Denmark, Crown Princess of Hanover (died 1933 in Austria)

October–December edit

• 9 December – Laurits Tuxen, painter (died 1927)

• 22 July – Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg, painter and professor (born 1783)
• 22 December – Frederik von Scholten, naval officer and painter (born 1796)