List of English people
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Listed below are English people of note and of some notable individuals born in England.
Actors and actresses
- Dame Julie Andrews (born 1935)
- Vanessa Angel (born 1966)
- Gabrielle Anwar (born 1970)
- Richard Armitage (born 1971)
- Gemma Arterton (born 1986)
- Christian Bale (born 1974)
- Mischa Barton (born 1986)
- Mathew Baynton (born 1980)
- Tom Baker (born 1934)
- Ben Barnes (born 1981)
- Sean Bean (born 1959)
- Kate Beckinsale (born 1973)
- Richard Beckinsale (1947–1979)
- Eliza Bennett (born 1992)
- Rosalind Bennett (born 1966)
- Martin Benson (1918–2010)
- Steven Berkoff (born 1937)
- Brian Blessed (born 1937)
- Emily Blunt (born 1983)
- Orlando Bloom (born 1977)
- Richard Briers (born 1934)
- Kelly Brook (born 1979)
- Kathy Burke (born 1964)
- Saffron Burrows (born 1972)
- Sebastian Cabot (1918–1977)
- Sir Michael Caine (born 1933)
- Kim Cattrall (born 1956)
- Helena Bonham Carter (born 1966)
- Sacha Baron Cohen (born 1971)
- Joan Collins (born 1933)
- Daniel Craig (born 1968)
- Michael Crawford (born 1942)
- Mackenzie Crook (born 1971)
- Benedict Cumberbatch (born 1976)
- Tom Hiddleston (born 1981)
- Tim Curry (born 1946)
- Anthony Dawson (1916–1992)
- Daniel Day-Lewis (born 1957)
- Roger Delgado (1918–1973)
- Dame Judi Dench (born 1934)
- Sarah Douglas (born 1952)
- Minnie Driver (born 1970)
- Christopher Eccleston (born 1964)
- Tamsin Egerton (born 1988)
- Idris Elba (born 1972)
- Jennifer Ellison (born 1983)
- Jennifer Ehle (born 1969)
- Alice Eve (born 1982)
- Rupert Everett (born 1959)
- Craig Fairbrass (born 1964)
- Tom Felton (born 1987)
- Ralph Fiennes (born 1962)
- Colin Firth (born 1960)
- Dexter Fletcher (born 1966)
- Jamie Foreman (born 1958)
- George Formby (1904–1961)
- Claire Forlani (born 1972)
- Anna Friel (born 1976)
- Emilia Fox (born 1974)
- James Frain (born 1968)
- Martin Freeman (born 1971)
- Sadie Frost (born 1965)
- Sir Michael Gambon (born 1940)
- Romola Garai (born 1982)
- Patricia Garwood (born 1941)
- Sir John Gielgud (1904–2000)
- Stephen Graham (born 1973)
- Sienna Guillory (born 1975)
- Cary Grant (1904–1986)
- Hugh Grant (born 1960)
- Leslie Grantham (born 1947)
- Sydney Greenstreet (1879–1954)
- John Gregson (1919–1975)
- Rupert Grint (born 1988)
- Sir Alec Guinness (1914–2000)
- Brian Hall (1937–1997)
- Rebecca Hall (born 1982)
- Dani Harmer (born 1989)
- Ricci Harnett (born 1973)
- Frank Harper (born 1962)
- Jack Hawkins (1910–1973)
- Will Hay (1888–1949)
- Georgie Henley (born 1995)
- Audrey Hepburn (1929–1993)
- Dame Wendy Hiller (1912–2003)
- Stanley Holloway (1890–1982)
- Bob Hoskins (1942–2014)
- Nicholas Hoult (born 1989)
- Leslie Howard (actor)
- Annie Hulley (born 1955)
- Elizabeth Hurley (born 1965)
- John Hurt (born 1940)
- Jeremy Irons (born 1948)
- Theo James (born 1984)
- Sir David Jason (born 1940)
- Aaron Johnson (born 1990)
- Boris Karloff (1887–1969)
- Toby Kebbell (born 1982)
- William Kempe (died 1603)
- Skandar Keynes (born 1991)
- Sir Ben Kingsley (born 1943)
- Keira Knightley (born 1985)
- Charles Laughton (1899–1962)
- Stan Laurel (1890–1965)
- Hugh Laurie (born 1959)
- Jude Law (born 1972)
- Vivien Leigh (1913–1967)
- Jane Leeves (born 1961)
- Joanna Lumley (born 1946)
- Margaret Lockwood (1916–1990)
- Roy Marsden (born 1941)
- Anna Massey (1937–2011)
- Martine McCutcheon (born 1976)
- Sir Ian McKellen (born 1939)
- Wentworth Miller (born 1972)
- Sienna Miller (born 1981)
- Hayley Mills (born 1946)
- Sir John Mills (1908–2005)
- Dame Helen Mirren (born 1945)
- Georgia Moffett (born 1984)
- Dominic Monaghan (born 1976)
- Sir Roger Moore (born 1927)
- Joseph Morgan (born 1981)
- Samantha Morton (born 1977)
- Nick Moran (born 1969)
- Kenneth More (1914–1982)
- William Moseley (born 1987)
- Billy Murray (born 1941)
- Carey Mulligan (born 1985)
- Sophia Myles (born 1980)
- Parminder Nagra (born 1975)
- Anthony Newley (1931–1999)
- Bill Nighy (born 1949)
- David Niven (1910–1983)
- Merle Oberon (born 1911–1979)
- Sophie Okonedo (born 1969)
- Gary Oldman (born 1958)
- Sir Laurence Olivier (1907–1989)
- Clive Owen (born 1964)
- Cecil Parker (1897–1971)
- Dev Patel (born 1990)
- Robert Pattinson (born 1986)
- Simon Pegg (born 1970)
- Alex Pettyfer (1990)
- Rosamund Pike (born 1979)
- Billie Piper (born 1982)
- Anna Popplewell (born 1988)
- Dominic Purcell (born 1970)
- Daniel Radcliffe (born 1989)
- Oliver Reed (1938–1999)
- Joely Richardson (born 1965)
- Miranda Richardson (born 1958)
- Natasha Richardson (1963–2009)
- Sir Ralph Richardson (1902–1983)
- Alan Rickman (born 1946)
- Tim Roth (born 1958)
- Dame Margaret Rutherford (1892–1972)
- George Sanders (born 1906–1972)
- Peter Sellers (1925–1980)
- Jane Seymour (born 1951)
- Robert Shaw (born 1927–1978)
- Nicollette Sheridan (born 1963)
- Dame Maggie Smith (born 1934)
- Matt Smith (born 1982)
- Terence Stamp (born 1939)
- Patrick Stewart (born 1940)
- Rachel Stevens(born 1978)
- Tilda Swinton (born 1960)
- Dame Elizabeth Taylor (1932–2011)
- Juno Temple (born 1989)
- Emma Thompson (born 1959)
- Kristin Scott Thomas (born 1960)
- Patrick Troughton (1920–1987)
- Sir Peter Ustinov (1921–2004)
- Julie Walters (born 1950)
- Jack Warner (1896–1981)
- Naomi Watts (born 1968)
- Emily Watson (born 1967)
- Emma Watson (born 1990)
- Rachel Weisz (born 1971)
- Dominic West (born 1969)
- Ed Westwick (born 1987)
- Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (born 1987)
- Michael Wilding (1912–1979)
- Tom Wilkinson (born 1948)
- Kate Winslet (born 1975)
- Ray Winstone (born 1957)
- Katherine Woodville (1948–2013)
Archaeologists and anthropologists
- George Adamson (1906–1989)
- Leslie Alcock (1925–2006)
- Mick Aston (1946–2013)
- Richard Atkinson (1920–1994)
- Edward Russell Ayrton (1882–1914)
- Churchill Babington (1821–1889)
- Philip Arthur Barker (1920–2001)
- Thomas Bateman (1821–1861)
- James Theodore Bent (1852–1897)
- Geoffrey Bibby (1917–2001)
- Howard Carter (1874–1939)
- Grahame Clark (1907–1995)
- David Clarke (1937–1976)
- Barry Cunliffe (born 1939)
- Glyn Daniel (1914–1986)
- John Disney (1779–1857), barrister and archaeologist
- E. E. Evans-Pritchard (1902–1973), social anthropologist
- Cyril Fox (1882–1967)
- Dorothy Garrod (1892–1968)
- William Greenwell (1820–1918)
- Phil Harding (born 1950)
- Kathleen Kenyon (1906–1978)
- John Leland (1502–1552), antiquary
- John Lubbock (1834–1913), banker, politician, naturalist and archaeologist
- Francis Pryor (born 1945)
- John Robert Mortimer (1825–1911)
- Colin Renfrew (born 1937), archaeologist
- Alice Roberts (born 1973), anatomist, osteoarchaeologist and anthropologist
- Andrew Sherratt (1946–2006)
- E.B. Tylor (1832–1917), anthropologist
- Mortimer Wheeler (1890–1976)
Architects
- Hubert Austin (1845–1915)
- Charles Barry (1795–1860), (Houses of Parliament)
- George Basevi (1794–1845)
- William Burges (1827–1881), architect and designer
- William Butterfield (1814–1900), leader in Gothic revival movement
- William Chambers (1723–1796), (Kew Gardens Pagoda and Somerset House)
- John Douglas (1830–1911)
- Rowland Carter (1875–1916)
- Sir Norman Foster (born 1935)
- James Harrison (1814–66)
- Thomas Harrison (1744–1829)
- Nicholas Hawksmoor (1661–1736)
- Inigo Jones (1573–1652)
- Edmund Kirby (1838–1920)
- Denys Lasdun (1914–2001)
- Thomas Lockwood (1830–1900)
- Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944)
- William Morris (1834–1896), architect and author
- John Nash (1752–1835), (Regent's Park, St. James's Park, Trafalgar Square)
- Henry Paley (1859–1946)
- Joseph Paxton (1801–1865), (The Crystal Palace for The Great Exhibition, London)
- Thomas Mainwaring Penson (1818–64)
- August Pugin (1812–1852), (Houses of Parliament)
- Anthony Salvin (1799–1881)
- Giles Gilbert Scott (1880–1960), (Waterloo Bridge, also supervised rebuilding of House of Commons, London)
- Edmund Sharpe (1809–77)
- John William Simpson (1858–1933)
- John Vanbrugh (1664–1726), Baroque architect (Blenheim Palace)
- Derek Walker (born 1929)
- Alfred Waterhouse (1830–1905), (Natural History Museum, London)
- William Wilkins (1778–1839), (National Gallery, London)
- Christopher Wren (1632–1723)
Artists
- Sophie Gengembre Anderson (1823–1903), painter
- James Andrews (1801–1876), botanical artist
- Richard Ansdell (1815–1885), painter
- Banksy (born c. 1974), graffiti artist
- Aubrey Beardsley (1872–1898) illustrator
- Suzzan Blac (born 1960), painter
- Sir Peter Blake born 1932, pop artist
- William Blake (1757–1827), painter, poet
- Albin R. Burt (1783–1842), portrait painter
- Sir Anthony Caro (1924-2013) sculptor
- Anna Maria Charretie (1819–1875), miniature painter
- John Constable (1776–1837), landscape painter
- Tracey Emin (born 1963), conceptual artist
- Thomas Gainsborough (1727–1788), painter
- Andy Goldsworthy (born 1956), sculptor (Land Art)
- Antony Gormley OBE RA (born 1950) sculptor
- James Henry Govier (1910–1974), painter, etcher and engraver
- Steven Harris (cartoonist) (born 1975) cartoonist
- Thomas Hazlehurst (c. 1740 – c. 1821), miniature painter
- Dame Barbara Hepworth DBE (1903–1975) sculptor
- Jamie Hewlett (born 1968), comic book artist and designer
- Nicholas Hilliard (1547–1619) miniature painter
- Damien Hirst (born 1965), sculptor/ conceptual artist
- David Hockney (born 1937), painter
- Sir Howard Hodgkin (born 1932) painter
- William Hogarth (1697–1764), painter, engraver
- William Holman Hunt (1827–1910)
- Master Hugo (fl. c.1130-c.1150), illuminated manuscript artist active in Bury St Edmunds
- Sir Edwin Landseer (1802–1873), animal painter
- Richard Long (born 1945) land artist
- Chris Ofili (born 1968) painter
- Sir John Everett Millais (1829–1896) painter
- Henry Moore (1898–1986), sculptor
- William Morris (1834–1896)
Lawrence Mynott (born 1954), illustrator, designer and portrait painter.
- George Passmore (born 1942), artist (Gilbert & George)
- Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), portrait painter
- Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882), painter
- Bridget Riley (born 1931), painter
- Sir Stanley Spencer (1891–1959), painter
- George Stubbs (1724–1806) Painter
- Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851), landscape and marine artist
- Flora Twort (1893–1985), painter
- Mark Wallinger (born 1959) conceptual artist
- Rachel Whiteread (born 1963) sculptor
- Joseph Wright of Derby (1734–1797), Enlightenment Painter
Broadcasters
- Michael Aspel (born 1933)
- David Attenborough (born 1926), naturalist and broadcaster
- Jeremy Clarkson (born 1960), T.V. Presenter, broadcaster and writer.
- Simon Cowell (born 1959), T.V. personality, record producer
- Ray Mears (born 1964), Author, T.V. presenter and survival expert
- Sir Patrick Moore (1923–2012), Writer, T.V. Presenter, Astronomer.
- Michael Parkinson (born 1935), Presenter of British television chat show Parkinson
- John Peel (1939–2004), disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist
- Jonathan Ross (born 1960)
- Jimmy Savile (1926–2011), disc jockey, TV presenter, writer and media personality.
- Mike Smith (1955–2014), TV and radio presenter
Businessmen
- Sir Richard Branson (born 1950)
- Sir John Brunner (1842–1919), chemicals
- Frank Bustard (1886–1974), shipping
- Joseph Crosfield (1792–1844), soap and chemicals
- Abraham Darby (c. 1678 – 1717), ironmaster
- William Gossage (1799–1877), soap
- Philip Green (born 1952), retail
- James Hanson, Baron Hanson (1922–2004), industrialist
- Thomas Hazlehurst (1779–1842), soap and alkali
- Robert Spear Hudson (1812–1884), soap powder
- John Hutchinson (1825–65), alkali
- Peter Jones (born 1966)
- Sir Freddie Laker (1922–2006), pioneer of cheap air travel
- William Losh (1770–1861), alkali
- Alfred Mond (1868–1930), chemicals
- Henry Mond (1898–1949), chemicals
- Julian Mond (1925–73), industrialist
- Stephan Morais (born 1973)
- William Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield (1877–1963)
- Edmund Knowles Muspratt (1833–1923), industrialist
- Richard Muspratt (1822–85), industrialist
- Charles Roe (1715–1781), silk
- Titus Salt (1803–1876), industrialist
- Sir Ivan Stedeford (1897–1975), industrialist
- Sir Alan Sugar (born 1947), electronics
- Richard Tompkins (1918–1992), Green Shield trading stamps
- Josiah Wedgwood (1730–1795), industrialist
Chefs
- Robert Irvine (born 1965)
- Heston Blumenthal (born 1966)
- Keith Floyd (1943–2009)
- Nigella Lawson (born 1960)
- James Martin (born 1972)
- Jamie Oliver (born 1975)
- Marco Pierre White (born 1961)
- Gordon Ramsay (born 1966)
- Delia Smith (born 1941)
- Rick Stein (born 1947)
- Antony Worrall Thompson (born 1951)
Clergy
- Pope Adrian IV (c. 1100 – 1159), only English Pope
- Thomas Arundel (1353–1414), Archbishop of Canterbury
- Richard Bancroft (1544–1610), Archbishop of Canterbury
- Richard Barnes (1532–1587), bishop
- Archbishop Lawrence Booth, of York (1420–1480)
- William Charles Cotton (1813–79), missionary and beekeeper
- Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556), Archbishop of Canterbury
- Gildas (c. 510 – c. 570), monk
- Trevor Huddleston (1913–1998), anti-Apartheid activist
- John Leland (1691–1766), English Presbyterian minister
- John Henry Newman (1801–1890), Catholic cardinal
- Plegmund (died 923), Archbishop of Canterbury
- William Smyth (c. 1460 – 1514), bishop
- Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892), Particular Baptist Minister
- Simon Sudbury (died 1381), Archbishop of Canterbury
- Joshua Toulmin (1740–1815), radical Dissenting minister
- John Wesley (1703–1791), Methodist Minister and Evangelist
Criminals
- Myra Hindley (1942–2002), Moors murderer
- Ian Huntley (born 1974), Soham murderer
- The Kray twins (Ronald 1933–1995, Reginald 1933–2000), east London gangsters
- Jimmy Moody (1941–1993), Armed robber, reputed contract killer and prison escapee
- Harold Shipman (1946–2004), possibly the most prolific serial killer worldwide – convicted of 15 – probably killed over 250[1]
- Peter Sutcliffe (born 1946), Yorkshire Ripper
- Fred West (1941–1995) and Rosemary West (born 1953), serial killers
- Steve Wright (born 1958), serial killer
- Graham Young (1947–1990), The Teacup Poisoner.
Conspirators
- Guy Fawkes (1570–1606)
Economists
- R. G. D. Allen (1906–1983), economist, mathematician, and statistician
- Norman Angell (1872–1967) – British internationalist and economist
- William Beveridge (1879–1963), economist and social reformer
- Edwin Cannan (1861–1935), economist and historian
- Colin Clark (1905–1989), British and Australian economist
- Ronald Coase (1910–2013), Nobel Prize–winning economist
- Friedrich Hayek (1899–1992) – Nobel Prize–winning Economics
- John Hicks (1904–1989), Nobel Prize–winning economist
- John Holland (banker) (1658–1722) Founder of the Bank of Scotland in 1695.
- William Stanley Jevons (1835–1882), economist and logician
- John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946), economist
- John Neville Keynes (1852–1949), economist, father of John Maynard Keynes
- Arthur Lewis (1915–1991), economist
- Thomas Malthus (1766–1834), demographer
- Alfred Marshall (1842–1924), economist
- Mary Paley Marshall (1850–1944), economist, wife of Alfred Marshall
- James Meade (1907–1995), Nobel Prize–winning economist
- John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), philosopher and economist
- Arthur Cecil Pigou (1877–1959), economist
- Lionel Robbins (1898–1984), economist
- Joan Violet Robinson (1903–1983), economist
- Richard Stone (1913–1991), Nobel Prize–winning economist
- Robert Torrens (1780–1864), army officer and economist
- Philip Wicksteed (1844–1927), economist
Engineers
- Sir Benjamin Baker (1840–1907), civil engineer
- William Baker (1817–1878), railway engineer
- Joseph Bazalgette (1819–1891), civil engineer
- James Beatty (1820–1856) railway engineer
- Sir Henry Bessemer (1813–1898), metallurgy engineer
- Ronald Eric Bishop (1903–1989) Chief Designer of the de Havilland Mosquito
- James Brindley (1716–1772), canal engineer
- Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806–1859), transport engineer
- Sir Sydney Camm (1894–1966), aeronautical engineer
- Donald Campbell, railway engineer
- Edmund Dummer (naval engineer) (1651–1713)
- William Tierney Clark (1783–1852), civil engineer
- Sir Geoffrey de Havilland (1882–1965), aeronautical engineer
- Sir John Ambrose Fleming (1848–1945), electrical engineer
- Tommy Flowers (1908–1998), designer and builder of the first electronic computer
- Benjamin Hick (1790–1842), civil and mechanical engineer
- John Hick (1815–1894), civil and mechanical engineer
- Eric Laithwaite (1908–1998), engineer
- William Mackenzie (1794–1851), civil engineer and contractor
- R.J. Mitchell (1895–1937), aeronautical engineer
- Sir Henry Royce (1863–1933), engineer
- George Stephenson (1781–1848), railway engineer
- Nevil Shute (1899–1960), aeronautical engineer and author
- Thomas Telford (1757–1834), engineer
- Charles Todd (meteorologist) (1826–1910) Person in charge of constructing the Overland Telegraph across Australia.
- Sir Barnes Wallis (1887–1978), engineer
- John Webster (1845–1914), engineer
- Sir Joseph Whitworth (1803–1887), engineer
Explorers
- Gertrude Bell (1868–1926), traveller in Iraq
- Thomas Cavendish (1560–1592) one of the Elizabethan Sea Dogs Privateer and Navigator.
- Capt. James Cook (1728–1779), sailor explorer
- William Dampier (1651–1715)
- Charles Montagu Doughty (1843–1926), explorer in the Middle East
- Sir Francis Drake (c. 1540 – 1596)
- John Davis (English explorer) (1550–1605) Sea Dog, explorer and navigator
- Sir Ranulph Fiennes (born 1944), listed as the "greatest living explorer" by the Guinness Book of Records
- Martin Frobisher (1535–1594) navigator, one of the Elizabethan Sea Dogs
- Rob Gauntlett (1987–2009), youngest Briton to summit Everest
- Sir Robin Knox-Johnston (born 1939), the first person to perform single handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe.
- Michael Palin (born 1943)
- Sir Walter Raleigh (c. 1552 – 1618)
- Robert Falcon Scott (1868–1912) Antarctic explorer
- Ed Stafford (born 1975), first person to walk the complete length of the Amazon River
- Freya Stark (1893–1993), Middle East explorer
- Wilfred Thesiger (1910–2003), explorer in East Africa and the Middle East
Filmmakers
- Richard Attenborough (1923–2014)
- John Boorman (born 1933)
- John and Roy Boulting (1913–1985 and 1913–2001)
- Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977)
- Alan Clarke (1935–1990)
- Mike Figgis (born 1948)
- Lewis Gilbert (born 1920)
- David Hare (born 1947)
- Alfred Hitchcock (1899–1980)
- Peter Howitt (born 1957)
- Humphrey Jennings (1907–1950)
- Stan Laurel (1890–1965)
- David Lean (1908–1991)
- Mike Leigh (born 1943)
- Ken Loach (born 1936)
- Nick Love (born 1969)
- Anthony Minghella (1954–2008)
- Mike Newell (born 1942)
- Christopher Nolan (born 1970)
- Nick Park (born 1958)
- Michael Powell (1905–1990)
- Guy Ritchie (born 1968)
- Ken Russell (1927–2011)
- Ridley Scott (born 1937)
- Tony Scott (1944–2012)
Historians
- William Camden (1551–1623)
- Edward Gibbon (1737–1794)
- Richard Holmes (military historian) (1946–2011) Historian and Author
- Sir Peter Leycester (1614–78), historian and antiquarian
- George Ormerod (1785–1873), historian and antiquary
- Nicholas Rodger (born 1949) noted naval historian.
- John Speed (1542–1629), historian and cartographer
- A.J.P. Taylor (1906–1990) popular historian
Humourists
- Chris Addison (born 1972)
- Chesney Allen (1893–1982)
- Stephen K. Amos (born 1967)
- Rowan Atkinson (born 1955)
- Richard Ayoade (born 1977)
- Ronnie Barker (1929–2005)
- Sacha Baron Cohen (born 1971)
- Julian Barratt (born 1968)
- Matt Berry (born 1974)
- John Bird (born 1936)
- Jo Brand (born 1957)
- Charlie Brooker (born 1971)
- Adam Buxton (born 1969)
- Roy 'Chubby' Brown (born 1945)
- Alan Carr (born 1976)
- Jimmy Carr (born 1972)
- Jasper Carrott (born 1945)
- Graham Chapman (1941–1989)
- John Cleese (born 1939)
- Steve Coogan (born 1965)
- Peter Cook (1937–1995)
- Tommy Cooper (1921–1984)
- Barry Cryer (born 1935)
- Jon Culshaw (born 1968)
- Jim Davidson (born 1953)
- Les Dawson (1931–1993)
- Angus Deayton (born 1956)
- Hugh Dennis (born 1962)
- Ken Dodd (born 1929)
- Ade Edmondson (born 1957)
- Jo Enright (born 1968)
- Lee Evans (born 1964)
- Noel Fielding (born 1973)
- Bud Flanagan (1896–1968)
- John Fortune (1939–2013)
- Dawn French (born 1957)
- Stephen Fry (born 1958)
- Ricky Gervais (born 1961)
- Dave Gorman (born 1971)
- Tony Hancock (1924–1968)
- Jeremy Hardy (born 1961)
- Miranda Hart (born 1972)
- Richard Herring (born 1967)
- Lenny Henry (born 1958)
- Matthew Holness (born 1975)
- Russell Howard (born 1980)
- Lee Hurst (born 1963)
- Eric Idle (born 1943)
- Robin Ince (born 1969)
- Eddie Izzard (born 1962)
- Jethro (born 1948)
- Russell Kane (born 1980)
- Peter Kay (born 1973)
- Hugh Laurie (born 1959)
- Stewart Lee (born 1968)
- Alice Lowe (born 1977)
- Matt Lucas (born 1974)
- Lee Mack (born 1968)
- Bernard Manning (1930–2007)
- Rik Mayall (born 1958)
- Alistair McGowan (born 1964)
- Rory McGrath (born 1956)
- Paddy McGuinness (born 1973)
- Stephen Merchant (born 1974)
- Paul Merton (born 1957)
- Sarah Millican (born 1975)
- David Mitchell (born 1974)
- Bob Monkhouse (1928–2003)
- Eric Morecambe (1926–1984)
- Chris Morris (born 1962)
- Bob Mortimer (born 1959)
- Frank Muir (1920–1998)
- Al Murray (born 1968)
- Denis Norden (born 1922)
- John Oliver (born 1977)
- Michael Palin (born 1943)
- Andy Parsons (born 1967)
- Sue Perkins (born 1969)
- Lucy Porter (born 1973)
- Jan Ravens (born 1958)
- Vic Reeves (born 1959)
- Mike Reid (1940–2007)
- Jennifer Saunders (born 1958)
- Peter Sellers (1925–1980)
- Frank Skinner (born 1957)
- Arthur Smith (born 1954)
- Freddie Starr (born 1944)
- Tracey Ullman (born 1959)
- Tim Vine (born 1967)
- David Walliams (born 1971)
- Holly Walsh (born 1980)
- Robert Webb (born 1972)
- Jack Whitehall (born 1988)
- Norman Wisdom (1915–2010)
- Ernie Wise (1925–1999)
Inventors / engineers
- See also List of English inventions and discoveries
- Sir Timothy Berners-Lee (born 1955), inventor of the World Wide Web
- Henry Bessemer (1813–1898) inventor of the Bessemer Process which was the first way of mass-producing steel
- Hubert Cecil Booth (1871–1955), inventor of the vacuum cleaner
- Joseph Bramah (1748–1814), inventor of the hydraulic press (beer pump)
- Sir Henry Cavendish (1731–1810), discoverer of hydrogen
- Christopher Cockerell (1910–1999), inventor of the hovercraft
- William Congreve (1772–1828), rocketry pioneer
- Henry Croft (1741–1800) inventor during the Industrial Revolution
- Abraham Darby (c. 1678 – 1717), ironmaster
- James Dyson (born 1947), inventor
- Benjamin Huntsman (1704–1776) Inventor of Crucible Steel
- James Hargreaves (1720–1778), weaver and inventor
- Sir John Harington (1561–1612), poet and inventor of the first water closet
- John Harrison (1693–1776), clockmaker
- Rowland Hill (1795–1879), inventor of the modern postal service
- Archibald Low (1888–1956), radio guidance
- Thomas Newcomen (1664–1729), inventor
- Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727), founder of modern physics, inventor of the reflector telescope
- James Starley (1831–1881), bicycle pioneer
- George Stephenson (1781–1848), engineer
- Joseph Wilson Swan (1823–1914), inventor of the light bulb
- Charles Wheatstone (1802–1875), inventor
- Sir Frank Whittle (1907–1996), inventor of the jet engine
- Joseph Whitworth (1803–1887) Inventor, also best known for standardising the screw thread.
Journalists / newsreaders
- Mark Austin (born 1958)
- Reginald Bosanquet (1932–1984)
- Michael Buerk (born 1946)
- Sir Alastair Burnet (1928–2012)
- Edward Chattaway (1873–1956) (editor of The Star)
- Jill Dando (1961–1999)
- Sir Robin Day (1923–2000)
- Katie Derham (born 1970)
- Peter Donaldson (born 1945)
- Julie Etchingham (born 1969)
- Anna Ford (born 1943)
- Andrew Gardner (1932–1999)
- Krishnan Guru-Murthy (born 1970)
- Nina Hossain (born 1975)
- Natasha Kaplinsky (born 1972)
- Mary Nightingale (born 1963)
- Jeremy Paxman (born 1950)
- Sophie Raworth (born 1968)
- Angela Rippon (born 1944)
- Peter Sissons (born 1942)
- Jon Snow (born 1947)
- Alastair Stewart (born 1952)
- Moira Stuart (born 1949)
Military: soldiers/sailors/airmen
- John Adams (mutineer) (1767–1829) last survivor of the Bounty Mutineers
- Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis (1891–1969), field marshal, Second World War commander
- Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of Montreal (1717–1797), general
- George Anson, 1st Baron Anson (1697–1762) Admiral of the Fleet, noted naval reformer.
- Sir Claude Auchinleck (1884–1981), Second World War commander
- Reginald Bacon (1863–1947) Admiral, pioneer of submarines and torpedoes for the Royal Navy
- Robert Baden-Powell (1857–1941), soldier
- Sir Douglas Bader (1910–1982), fighter pilot
- Ralph Bagnold (1896–1990), founder of the Long Range Desert Group and an explorer
- Sir Alexander John Ball (1759–1809), admiral, governor of Malta
- John Benbow (1653–1702) Well known Admiral of his time
- George Charles Bingham, 3rd Earl of Lucan (1800–1888), Commander of cavalry at the Battle of Balaclava
- William Riddell Birdwood, 1st Baron Birdwood (1865–1951), general, Second World War
- Robert Blake (1599–1657), reforming Royal Navy Admiral
- William Bligh (1754–1817), best known for the Mutiny of the Bounty.
- Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet (1753–1822) Admiral.
- Philip Broke (1776–1841) rear admiral, Best known for his capture of the USS Chesapeake.
- James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan (1797–1888), Commander of the Light Brigade
- Richard Francis Burton (1821–1890) soldier, spy, linguist and explorer, among other things
- Freddie Spencer Chapman (1907–1971), known for his exploits in the jungle during the Second World War.
- Leonard Cheshire VC (1917–1992), Royal Air Force pilot during Second World War and founder of the Cheshire Homes
- John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650–1722), soldier
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874–1965), British prime minister
- Charles Clerke (1741-1779 Sailed with James Cook on all three of his expeditions, was the Captain of Discovery at the time of Cook's death he then took command until his own death at sea shortly after.
- Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet (1772–1853) Admiral of the Fleet, admiral in charge at the capture and burning of Washington in 1814.
- John Cooke (Royal Navy officer) 1762-1805 captain of HMS Bellerophon at the Battle of Trafalgar where he was subsequently killed.
- Cuthbert Collingwood (1748–1810) vice admiral, Commander-in-chief Mediterranean Fleet
- Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (1738–1805), general
- Henry Seymour Conway (1721–1795), general
- Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658), Lord Protector of England
- Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester (c. 1208 – 1265), English statesman and soldier.
- Miles Dempsey (1896–1969) commander of the British Second Army During the D-Day landing.
- Sir Francis Drake (1540–1596), sailor
- Sir John Duckworth (1748–1817) Great Admiral, known for among other things the Battle of San Domingo
- Bruce Fraser (1888–1981), Admiral of the Fleet, commander of the British Pacific Fleet during Second World War.
- Prince Frederick, Duke of York (1763–1827), son of King George III, Commander-in-Chief of the Forces during French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
- John French, 1st Earl of Ypres (1852–1925), general, World War I and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
- Prince George, Duke of Cambridge (1819–1904), Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
- Charles George Gordon ("Chinese Gordon") (1833–1885), killed at Khartoum
- Sir Thomas Hardy, 1st Baronet (1769–1859) vice-admiral, captained HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.
- Sir Arthur Travers Harris (1892–1984), Marshal of the Royal Air Force, airman
- Edward Hawke (1705–1781) Admiral of the Fleet, best known as the admiral at the Battle of Quiberon Bay
- John Hawkwood (1320–1394) famous medieval mercenary.
- Eliab Harvey (1758–1830) admiral, captain of HMS Temeraire – this ship played a crucial role at the Battle of Trafalgar
- Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood 1st Viscount Hood (1724–1816) Mentor of Nelson.
- Brian Horrocks (1895–1985) highly regarded general During WW2
- William Hoste (1780–1828) well-known frigate captain during the Napoleonic War.
- John Howard (British Army officer) (1912–1999) major, led the raid that captured Pegasus Bridge on D-Day that was part of Operation Deadstick.
- Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe (1726–1799), admiral
- William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe (1729–1814), general in American Revolutionary War
- John Jellicoe, 1st Earl Jellicoe (1859–1935), admiral during First World War.
- Roger Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes (1872–1945) Noted admiral
- Horatio Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum (1850–1916), field marshal
- Lofty Large SAS soldier, author
- John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier (1680–1770), general
- Trafford Leigh Mallory (1892–1944) Air commander of the Allied invasion of Normandy.
- John Manners, Marquess of Granby (1721–1770), general
- William McMurdo (1819–1894), general
- Andy McNab (born 1959), former Special Air Service soldier and commander of the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission during the first Iraq Gulf War
- Samuel Mitchell (VC) (1841–1894) Killed in Action during the New Zealand Wars
- George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle (1608–1670), Civil War era general in Chief Command
- Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein ("The Desert Rat") (1887–1976), field marshal and hero of World War II
- Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (1900–1979), statesman, sailor
- Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson of the Nile (1758–1805), sailor, admiral
- John Norreys (1547–1597), Tudor soldier
- Augustus Charles Newman (1904–1972) VC, The Essex Regiment, No.2 Commando, SAS, led the raid on st.Nazaire.
- Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey (1768–1854), general, hero of the Napoleonic Wars
- Basil Charles Godfrey Place VC (1921–1994) He along with Donald Cameron VC and crew crippled the pocket battleship Tirpitz during operation Source.
- Sir William Parker (1781–1866) Admiral of the Fleet, was the admiral during the First Opium War.
- Arthur Phillip (1738–1814) Admiral, commanded the First Fleetinto what is now known as Port Jackson, First Governor of New South Wales.
- Dudley Pound (1877–1943), Admiral of the Fleet, First Sea Lord during the Second World War.
- Bertram Ramsay (1883–1945), admiral, commander of operation Neptune during Second World War.
- Bernard Rawlings (1889–1962), admiral, second in command of the British Pacific Fleet during Second World War.
- Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar (1832–1914), field marshal, last Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
- Sir William Robertson, 1st Baronet1860-1933, "Wully" Robertson, distinguished soldier, the only man ever in the British Army to rise from the rank of private soldier to field marshal. He was the head of the Army for much of World War I and was a highly influential figure as to strategy.
- Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich (1782–1859)
- Chris Ryan (born 1961), Former Special Air Service soldier and member of the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission during the first Iraq Gulf War
- Siegfried Sassoon (1886–1967), war poet
- Charles Saunders (Royal Navy officer) (1715–1775) Admiral, commanded the Fleet at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.
- William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim (1897–1970), Commander in Burma during Second World War, Governor-General of Australia.
- Sir Sidney Smith (1764–1840) Napoleon Famously said of him "that man made me miss my destiny".
- Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien (1858–1930), general, World War I
- Fitzroy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855), British commander in the Crimean War
- James Somerville, (1882–1949), Admiral of the Fleet, Commander at Mers-El-Kabir.
- Bill Speakman VC (born 1927) Black Watch, SAS Regiment.
- Richard Strachan (1760–1828) most well known for his action after the Battle of Trafalgar.
- Henry Tandey VC (1891–1977), the most highly decorated private of the First World War.
- James Brian Tait VC (1916–2007) Nicknamed Tirpitz, commander of 617 squadron.
- Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard (1873–1956), "Father of the RAF" and first Chief of the Air Staff
- Sir Thomas Troubridge, 1st Baronet (1758–1807) Rear Admiral.
- Reginald Tyrwhitt (1870–1951) Admiral of the Fleet, commander of the Harwich Force during World War I.
- George Vancouver ,1757-1798 Distinguished Royal Navy Captain and Explorer.
- Philip Vian, (1894–1968), Admiral of the Fleet, distinguished destroyer captain also Commander in Charge of Air Operations, British Pacific Fleet during Second World War.
- Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell (1883–1950), World War II general, second to last Viceroy of India
- Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765), captain-general, victor of Culloden
- Jane Whorwood (1612 – September 1684), Royalist agent during the English Civil War.
- John Woodhouse (British Army officer) (1922–2008) Reformed SAS selection and Training techniques after World War Two.
- James Wolfe (1727–1759), general, hero of Quebec during the Seven Years' War
Monarchs
- Alfred the Great (lived c. 849 – 899) (reigned 880s–899), King of the Anglo-Saxons.
- Queen Anne (reigned 1702–1714), also Queen of Scotland, then Queen of Great Britain after 1707
- Charles I (reigned 1625–1649), also King of Scotland, born (1600) at Dunfermline in Scotland, beheaded 1649
- Charles II (reigned 1660–1685), also King of Scotland
- Cnut (reigned 1016–1035)
- Saint Edward the Confessor (reigned 1042–1066)
- Edward I (reigned 1272–1307), English monarch
- Edward II (reigned 1307–1327), English monarch
- Edward III (reigned 1327–1377), English monarch
- Edward IV (reigned 1461–1470 and 1471–1483), English monarch
- Edward V (reigned 1483–1483), English monarch
- Edward VI (reigned 1547–1553), first English Protestant monarch.
- Elizabeth I (reigned 1558–1603), Protestant queen and first Supreme Governor of the Church of England
- Harold Godwinson (reigned 6 January 1066 – 14 October 1066), died in Battle of Hastings
- Harold Harefoot (reigned 1035–1040)
- Harthacnut (reigned 1040–1042)
- Henry I (reigned 1100–1135)
- Henry III (reigned 1216–1272), English monarch
- Henry IV (reigned 1399–1413), English monarch
- Henry V (reigned 1413–1422)
- Henry VI (reigned 1422–1461), English monarch
- Henry VII (reigned 1485–1509), (Henry Tudor, the first Tudor monarch)
- Henry VIII (reigned 1509–1547), separated English Catholicism from link with the Roman Catholic Church
- James II (reigned 1685–1689)
- Lady Jane Grey (de facto 10 July 1553 – 19 July 1553), ("the nine days queen"), beheaded 1554, aged 16
- King John (reigned 1199–1216)
- Mary I (reigned 1553–1558), Roman Catholic queen
- Mary II (reigned 1689–1694), reigned jointly with her husband William III
- Richard the Lionheart (reigned 1189–1199), Richard I, English monarch, leader and hero of the Third Crusade
- Richard II (reigned 1377–1399)
- Richard III (reigned 1483–1485), last Plantagenet King, and last British monarch to die in Battle
- William I (reigned 1066–1087), "William the Conqueror", William of Normandy
- William II (reigned 1087–1100)
- William III (reigned 1689–1702), "William of Orange", born (1650) at The Hague in Holland, married an English princess, reigned jointly with his wife Mary II, until her death
Musicians
- Stuart Adamson, lead singer of Big Country
- Adele, singer
- Florence Welch (born 1986), lead singer of Florence and The Machine
- Thomas Adès (born 1971), composer
- Damon Albarn (born 1968), singer-songwriter
- Graham Coxon (born 1969), guitarist, singer-songwriter, former member of Blur and solo artist
- John Alldis (born 1929), chorus master and conductor
- Lily Allen (born 1985)
- Tinie Tempah (born 1988), rapper
- David Arnold (born 1962), composer, musician and film scorer (notably four James Bond films)
- Ed Sheeran (born 1991), singer-songwriter
- Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006), composer
- Rick Astley (born 1966), singer-songwriter
- Alexander Baillie (born 1956), cellist
- Bryan Balkwill (1922–2007), conductor
- John Barbirolli (1899–1970), conductor
- Gary Barlow (born 1971), singer, songwriter and member of Take That
- George Formby (born 1906) wartime entertainer, famous for his playing of the Banjolele and contribution to film
- Syd Barrett (1946–2006), singer, songwriter, member of the early Pink Floyd
- Victoria Beckham (born 1974), singer, songwriter, dancer, fashion designer, author, businesswoman, actress and model
- David Bedford (born 1937), composer and musician
- Natasha Bedingfield (born 1981), singer
- Thomas Beecham (1879–1961), conductor
- Matthew Bellamy (born 1978), composer for Muse
- Lisa Beznosiuk (1956), flautist
- Acker Bilk (1929-2014), clarinettist and vocalist
- Roger Birnstingl, bassoonist
- Harrison Birtwistle (born 1934), composer
- James Blunt (born 1977)
- John Bonham (1948–1980), drummer for Led Zeppelin
- Tim Booth (1960) Singer-songwriter and actor
- Adrian Boult (1889–1983), conductor
- James Bourne, member of the former rock group Busted, singer and song-writer
- David Bowie (born 1947)
- William Boyce (1711–1779), composer
- Billy Bragg (born 1957)
- Havergal Brian (1876–1972), composer
- Sarah Brightman (born 1960), singer, actress, songwriter and dancer
- Benjamin Britten (1913–1976), composer and pianist
- Justin Broadrick (born 1969), vocalist and guitarist, member of Godflesh and Jesu
- Kate Bush (born 1958), singer, songwriter, musician and record producer
- Bilinda Butcher (born 1961), singer-songwriter, vocalist and guitarist of My Bloody Valentine
- William Byrd (1543–1623), composer
- Justin Chancellor (born 1971), bassist, member of Tool
- Eric Clapton (born 1945)
- Adam Clayton born 1960, bassist, member of U2
- Imogen Cooper (born 1949), pianist
- Cheryl Cole (born 1983), singer
- Phil Collins (born 1951), singer-songwriter, musician, member of Genesis
- Ian Curtis (1956–1980), lead singer and composer for Joy Division
- Roger Daltrey (born 1944) singer, lead of The Who
- Peter Maxwell Davies (born 1934), composer
- Andrew Davis (born 1944), conductor
- Colin Davis (born 1927), conductor
- Norman Del Mar (1919–1994), conductor
- Frederick Delius (1862–1934), composer
- Dido (Florian Cloud de Bounevialle Armstrong) (born 1971), singer and songwriter
- Pete Doherty former co-lead singer of The Libertines and current lead singer of Babyshambles and solo artist
- Peter Donohoe (born 1953), pianist
- John Dowland (c. 1563 – c. 1626), composer of songs
- John Dunstaple (c. 1383 – 1453), composer
- Ian Dury (1942–2000), lyricist and vocalist for The Blockheads
- Edward Elgar (1857–1934), composer
- John Entwistle (1944–2002)
- Marianne Faithfull (born 1946)
- Gerald Finzi (1901–1956), composer
- Lita Ford
- Peter Gabriel (born 1950), singer-songwriter and former lead vocalist with Genesis (band)
- Noel Gallagher (born 1967), singer-songwriter
- Debbie Googe (born 1962), bassist of My Bloody Valentine
- Pete Burns (born 1959), singer-songwriter and lead vocalist with Dead or Alive
- Orlando Gibbons (1583–1625), composer
- Ron Goodwin (1925–2003) composer and conductor
- Ellie Goulding (born 1986), singer-songwriter, musician
- Bella Hardy folk musician, singer, songwriter
- Dhani Harrison (born 1978) guitarist, son of George Harrison
- George Harrison (1943–2001), composer, member of The Beatles
- PJ Harvey (born 1969)
- Anthony Hewitt (born 1971), pianist
- Gustav Holst (1874–1934), composer
- Dominic Howard (born 1977), member of Muse
- Saul Hudson aka 'Slash', (born 1965), guitarist, member of Guns N' Roses, Slash's Snakepit and Velvet Revolver
- John Ireland (1879–1962), composer
- Robert Irving (1913–1991), conductor
- Jessie J (born 1988), singer-songwriter
- Mick Jagger (born 1943), rock singer and frontman of The Rolling Stones
- Sir Elton John (born 1947), pop star and composer
- Brian Johnson (born 1947), rock singer
- Brian Jones (1942–1969), founding member and guitarist of The Rolling Stones
- Davy Jones (1945–2012), singer/percussionist, member of The Monkees
- John Paul Jones (born 1946), bassist, mandolinist and keyboardist for Led Zeppelin
- Nigel Kennedy (born 1956), violinist
- Thea King (1925–2007), clarinetist
- Adrian Lambert (born 1976), bassist
- Jen Ledger (born 1989), drummer and backing vocalist for Skillet
- Albert Lee (born 1945), guitarist
- John Lennon (1940–1980), pop star, co-founder of The Beatles
- Leona Lewis (born 1985), singer and songwriter
- Andrew Lloyd Webber (born 1948), composer of musicals
- Cher Lloyd (born 1993), singer
- Pixie Lott (born 1991), singer
- Chris Lowe (born 1959), keyboardist and composer, member of Pet Shop Boys (Duo)
- Sir Paul McCartney (born 1942), pop star, co-founder of The Beatles
- Chris Martin (born 1977) singer-songwriter, lead of Coldplay
- Keith Moon (1946–1978)
- Thomas Morley (c. 1557 – 1602), consort composer
- Gareth Morris (1920–2007), flautist
- Morrissey (born 1959), composer, member of The Smiths
- Olivia Newton-John (born 1948), pop star
- Zayn Malik (born 1993), member of British-Irish boy band One Direction
- Liam Payne (born 1993), member of British-Irish boy band One Direction
- Harry Styles (born 1994), member of British-Irish boy band One Direction
- Louis Tomlinson (born 1991), member of British-Irish boy band One Direction
- John Ogdon (1937–1989), pianist
- Mike Oldfield (born 1953), composer and instrumentalist
- Ozzy Osbourne (born 1948), vocalist for Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne
- Jimmy Page (born 1944), guitarist
- Hubert Parry (1848–1918), composer
- Peter Pears (1910–1986), tenor
- Gervase de Peyer (born 1926), clarinetist and conductor
- Robert Plant (born 1948), singer, member of Led Zeppelin
- Anthony Pleeth (born 1948), cellist
- Jacqueline du Pré (1945–1987), cellist
- Stephen Preston, flautist
- Henry Purcell (1659–1695), composer
- Simon Rattle (born 1955), conductor
- Martin Roscoe (born 1952), pianist
- Malcolm Sargent (1895–1967), conductor
- Zak Starkey (born 1965), drummer, son of Ringo Starr
- Ringo Starr (born 1940), composer, member of The Beatles
- Crispin Steele-Perkins (born 1944), trumpeter
- Rod Stewart (born 1945)
- Joss Stone (born 1987)
- Joe Strummer (1952–2002), singer, member of The Clash
- Bernard Sumner, lead singer of New Order
- Connie Talbot (born 2000), child singer and reality star
- Thomas Tallis (c. 1505 – 1585), composer
- Benson Taylor (born 1983), composer
- Neil Tennant (born 1954), vocalist, member of Pet Shop Boys (Duo)
- Lionel Tertis (1876–1975), violist
- Frederick Thurston (1901–53), clarinetist
- Michael Tippett (1905–1998), composer
- Pete Townshend (born 1945)
- Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958), composer
- Ricky Walters (born 1965), aka rapper Slick Rick
- William Walton (1902–1983), composer
- Roger Waters (born 1943), founder of Pink Floyd
- Thomas Weelkes (c. 1575 – 1623), composer
- John Wilbye (1574–1638), composer
- Steven Wilson (1967), musician, producer, composer and founder of Porcupine Tree
- Cliff Williams (born 1949), bassist
- Robbie Williams (born 1974)
- Amy Winehouse (1983–2011), singer-songwriter
- Christopher Wolstenholme (born 1978), member of Muse
- Henry Wood (1869–1944), conductor
- Marvin Young (born 1967), aka rapper Young MC
- Thom Yorke (born 1968), singer-songwriter, musician, member of Radiohead
- Tony Iommi (born 1948), guitarist for Black Sabbath
- John Simon Ritchie (Sid Vicious, born 1957), bassist for Sex Pistols
Philosophers
- Donald Adamson (born 1939)
- G.E.M. Anscombe (1919–2001), philosopher
- Anselm of Canterbury(born 1033), philosopher, famous for creation of the Ontological Argument
- A.J. Ayer (1910–1989), philosopher
- Francis Bacon (1561–1626), philosopher and essayist
- Roger Bacon (1214–1294), medieval philosopher, alchemist, and theologian
- Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832), philosopher, founder of Utilitarianism
- R.M. Hare (1907–2002), philosopher
- H.L.A. Hart (1907–1992), legal philosopher
- Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679), philosopher
- William Godwin (1756–1836), political philosopher
- John Locke (1632–1704), philosopher
- John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), economist, political philosopher
- G.E. Moore (1873–1958), philosopher
- Herbert Spencer (1820–1903)
- William of Ockham (c. 1285 – 1349), philosopher, theologian, created Ockham's Razor
- Thomas Paine (1737–1809), theorist
- Derek Parfit (born 1942), philosopher
- Gilbert Ryle (1900–1976), philosopher
- Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), philosopher
- Henry Sidgwick (1838–1900), philosopher
- Peter Strawson (1919–2006), philosopher
- William Whewell (1794–1866), philosopher
- Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947), mathematician
- Bernard Williams (1929–2003), philosopher
Photographers
- David Bailey (born 1938)
- Emma Barton (1872–1938)
- Cecil Beaton (1904–1980)
- John Blakemore (born 1936)
- Samuel Bourne (1834–1912)
- Larry Burrows (1926–1971), Photojournalist
- George Davison (1854–1930)
- Terence Donovan (1936–1996)
- Brian Duffy (1933–2010)
- Frederick H. Evans (1853–1943)
- Roger Fenton (1819–1869)
- John French (1907–1966)
- Francis Frith (1822–1898)
- Peter Wickens Fry (1798–1860), early amateur photographer
- Bert Hardy (1913–1995)
- Alfred Horsley Hinton (1863–1908)
- Don McCullin (1935), Photojournalist
- Eadweard Muybridge (1830–1904)
- Horace Nicholls (1867–1941)
- Tony Ray-Jones (1941–1972)
- Henry Peach Robinson (1830–1901)
- George Rodger (1908–1995), Photojournalist
- Francis Meadow Sutcliffe (1853–1941)
- William Henry Fox Talbot (1800–1877), Photographer, inventor of the calotype process
Politicians
- H. H. Asquith (1852–1928), British prime minister
- Clement Attlee (1883–1967), British prime minister
- Stanley Baldwin (1867–1947), British prime minister
- Ernest Bevin (1881–1951), Labour politician
- Tony Benn (born 1925), Labour politician
- Tony Blair (born 1953), British prime minister
- Margaret Bondfield (1873–1953), Labour politician & first female Cabinet Minister
- John Bright (1811–1889), liberal politician
- George Canning (1770–1827), politician
- Barbara Castle (1910–2002), politician
- Sir Austen Chamberlain (1863–1937)
- Joseph Chamberlain (1836–1914)
- Neville Chamberlain (1869–1940), British prime minister
- Lord Randolph Churchill (1849–1895)
- Winston Churchill (1874–1965), British prime minister
- Kenneth Clarke (born 1940), Conservative politician
- Sir Stafford Cripps (1889–1952), Labour politician
- George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston (1859–1925), Viceroy of India
- Archibald Dalzel (1740–1811), Governor of the Gold Coast
- William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (c. 1720 – 1764)
- Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (1833–1908)
- Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby (1799–1869)
- Edward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby (1826–1893)
- Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881), British prime minister
- Alec Douglas-Home (1903–1995), British prime minister
- Anthony Eden (1897–1977), British prime minister
- Hugh Gaitskell (1906–1963), Labour politician
- William Ewart Gladstone (1809–1898), British prime minister
- Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (1735–1811)
- Michael Foot (born 1913), Labour leader
- Sir Henry Bartle Frere (1815–1884), Colonial administrator
- Hugh Gaitskell (1906–1963), Labour leader
- Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville (1815–1891)
- George Grenville (1712–1770), British prime minister
- William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Lord Grenville (1759–1834)
- Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764–1845)
- William Hague (born 1961), Conservative politician
- Denis Healey (born 1917), Labour politician
- Edward Heath (1916–2005), British prime minister
- Boris Johnson(born 1964), Conservative politician
- John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley (1826–1902)
- George Lansbury (1859–1940)
- Nigel Lawson (born 1932), Conservative politician
- John Leland (?–1808), English Member of Parliament for Stamford, 1796–1808
- Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (1770–1828)
- John Lubbock (1834–1913), banker, politician, naturalist and archaeologist
- Harold Macmillan (1894–1986), British prime minister
- John Major (born 1943), British prime minister
- Reginald Maudling (1917–1979), Conservative politician
- Herbert Morrison (1888–1965), Labour politician
- William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (1779–1848)
- Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (1693–1768)
- Frederick North, Lord North (1732–1792)
- Sir Robert Peel (1788–1850), British prime minister
- Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (1784–1865), British prime minister
- Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney (1733–1800) Was the Home secretary in the Pitt government; he suggested using what is now Australia as a penal colony for Britain
- Henry Pelham (1694–1754)
- Spencer Perceval (1762–1812), British prime minister
- William Pitt (the Elder), 1st Earl of Chatham (1708–1778)
- William Pitt the Younger (1759–1806), British prime minister
- William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (1738–1809)
- Enoch Powell (1912–1998)
- Cecil Rhodes (1853–1902), imperialist
- Frederick John Robinson, 1st Earl of Ripon (1782–1859), politician
- Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham (1730–1782)
- John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792–1878)
- Michael Hicks-Beach, 1st Earl St Aldwyn (1837–1916)
- Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (1830–1903), British prime minister
- Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (1757–1844)
- John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon (1873–1954)
- Philip Snowden, 1st Viscount Snowden of Ickornshaw (1864–1937)
- Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013), British prime minister
- Sir Robert Walpole (1676–1745), British prime minister
- William Wilberforce (1759–1833), abolitionist
- Shirley Williams (born 1930), SDP founder
- Henry Willink (1894–1973), politician
- Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington (c. 1674 – 1743)
- Harold Wilson (1916–1995), British prime minister
Scientists
- Arthur Aikin (1773–1854), chemist and mineralogist
- Nathan Alcock (1707–1779), doctor
- Charles Babbage (1791–1871), mathematician
- Joseph Banks (1743–1820), naturalist
- Isaac Barrow (1630–1677), mathematician
- Thomas Bayes (c. 1702 – 1761), mathematician
- Tim Berners-Lee (born 1955), computer scientist – inventor of the WorldWideWeb
- Patrick Maynard Stuart Blackett (1897–1974), physicist
- George Boole (1815–1864), mathematician
- Robert Boyle (1627–1691), natural philosopher
- Richard Bright (1630–1677), doctor, founder of Bright's Disease (form of kidney disease)
- Henry Brunner (1838–1916), chemist
- Henry Cavendish (1731–1810), scientist
- Sir George Cayley (1773–1857), polymath and aviator
- Frank Close (born 1945), physicist
- Brian Cox (born 1968), physicist
- Francis Crick (1916–2004), molecular biologist
- John Dalton (1766–1844), chemist and physicist
- Charles Darwin (1809–1882), Founder of The Theory of Evolution
- Richard Dawkins (born 1941), evolutionary theorist
- Henry Deacon (1822–76), chemist
- Paul Dirac (1902–1984), physicist
- Horace Donisthorpe (1870–1951), entomologist, myrmecologist and coleopterist
- Arthur Eddington (1882–1944), physicist
- Michael Faraday (1791–1867), scientist
- Ronald Fisher (1890–1962), geneticist and statistician
- Rosalind Franklin (1920–1958), chemist and x-ray crystallographer
- J. B. S. Haldane (1892–1964), geneticist
- James Hargreaves (1834–1915), chemist
- Stephen Hawking (born 1942), cosmologist
- Oliver Heaviside (1850–1925), physicist
- John Herschel (1792–1871), mathematician and astronomer
- Peter Higgs (born 1929), physicist
- C. A. R. Hoare (born 1934), computer scientist
- Robert Hooke (1635–1703), scientist
- Edward Jenner (1749–1823), doctor
- R. V. Jones (1911–1997), physicist
- James Prescott Joule (1818–1889), physicist
- Joseph Lister (1827–1912), surgeon
- Bernard Lovell (1913–2012), astronomer
- James Lovelock (born 1919), scientist
- Martin Lowry (1874–1936), chemist
- John William Lubbock (1803–1865), banker, mathematician and astronomer
- Sir Charles Lyell (1797–1875), geologist
- John Maynard Smith (1920–2004), geneticist
- John McClellan (1810–81), chemist
- Robert Mond (1867–1938), chemist
- Desmond Morris (born 1928), zoologist
- Roger Needham (1935–2003), computer scientist
- Sir Isaac Newton (1642–1727), founder of modern physics, last of the alchemists
- William Penney (1909–1991), mathematician, physicist, director of British nuclear weapon research
- Roger Penrose (born 1931), cosmologist
- Joseph Prestwich (1812–1896), geologist
- Joseph Priestley (1733–1804), chemist
- Martin Rees (born 1942), cosmologist and astrophysicist
- Adam Sedgwick (1785–1873), geologist
- John Snow (1813–1858), epidemiologist
- Joseph Wilson Swan (1828–1914), physicist and chemist
- George Paget Thomson (1892–1975), physicist
- J. J. Thomson (1856–1940), physicist
- Henry Tizard (1885–1959), chemist and inventor
- Alan Turing (1912–1954), mathematician
- Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), naturalist
- Alfred North Whitehead (1861–1947), mathematician
- Maurice Vincent Wilkes (born 1913), computer scientist
- James H. Wilkinson (1919–1986), mathematician
- William Hyde Wollaston (1766–1828), chemist
- Thomas Young (1773–1829), scientist
Sportsmen and sportswomen
- Barney Aaron (Young) (1800–1850), lightweight boxer, Hall of Fame[2]
- Harold Abrahams (1899–1978), athlete, Olympic champion (100 metre sprint) and silver (4x100-m relay), one of the two subjects of Chariots of Fire
- Sir Sidney Abrahams (1885–1957), Olympic long jumper
- Chris Adams (1955–2001), pro wrestler and judoka
- Neil Adams (born 1958), judoka and two-time silver medalist in Judo (1980 and 1984), younger brother of Chris Adams
- Tony Adams (born 1966), football player
- Simon Andrews (motorcycle racer) (1984–2014) Isle of Man TT rider.
- Jo Ankier (born 1982), Britain, record holder (1,500-m & 3,000-m steeplechase)
- Alan Ball (1945–2007), member of the 1966 World Cup winning team
- Gordon Banks (born 1937), goalkeeper of 1966 World Cup winning team
- Sir Roger Bannister (born 1929), first sub-four-minute miler
- Lord Frederick Beauclerk (1773–1850), cricket player and administrator
- David Beckham (born 1975), football player
- Wade Barrett (born 1980), WWE Wrestler
- Jack Kid Berg (Judah Bergman) (1909–1991), world champion junior welterweight boxer, Hall of Fame
- Richard Bergmann (1919–1970), 7-time table tennis world champion, ITTFHoF
- Andrulla Blanchette (born 1966), IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Chris Bonington (born 1934), mountaineer
- Sir Ian Botham (born 1955), cricketer
- Mark Bott, cricketer[3]
- Geoffrey Boycott (born 1940), cricketer
- Eric Bristow (born 1957), world champion darts player
- Tony Brooks (born 1932), F1 driver
- Paul Burchill (born 1979), professional wrestler
- Jenson Button (born 1980), F1 World Champion
- Angela Buxton (born 1934), won 1956 French Women's Doubles (w/Althea Gibson) and 1956 Wimbledon Women's Doubles (w/Gibson), highest world ranking # 9
- Sir Bobby Charlton (born 1937), member of the 1966 World Cup winning team
- Jack Charlton (born 1935), member of the 1966 World Cup winning team
- Sir Francis Chichester (1901–1972), yachtsman
- Don Cockell (1928–1983), heavyweight boxer
- George Cohen (born 1939), association football right back, World Cup champion
- Paul Collingwood (born 1976), cricketer
- Peter Collins (1931–1958), F1 driver
- Sir Henry Cooper (1934–2011), heavyweight boxer
- Lisa Cross (born 1978), IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Lawrence Dallaglio (born 1972), World Cup winning rugby footballer
- Tom Daley (born 1994), youngest olympian diver ever to compete in olympics (participated in Beijing 2008)
- Laura Davies (born 1963), golfer
- Steve Davis (born 1957), six times World Snooker Champion
- Matt Dawson (born 1972), World Cup winning rugby footballer
- John Deacon (1962–2001), motorcycle endurance racer
- Christopher Dean (born 1958), figure skater
- Percy Down (1883–?), rugby union player, represented England and Great Britain.
- Jonathan Edwards (born 1966), triple jump
- Godfrey Evans (1920–1999), cricketer (wicket-keeper)
- Percy Fender, cricketer
- James Figg (1695–1734), first English bare-knuckle boxing champion
- Bob Fitzsimmons (1863–1917), boxing's first World Champion in three divisions
- Andrew Flintoff (born 1977), cricketer
- C B Fry (1872–1956), cricketer and all-round athlete
- Paul Gascoigne (born 1967), football player
- Steven Gerrard (born 1980), football player
- Graham Gooch (born 1953), cricketer
- Pete Goss (born 1961), around-the-world yachtsman
- W G Grace (1848–1915), cricketer
- Jimmy Greaves (born 1940), footballer
- Will Greenwood (born 1972), rugby footballer
- Naseem Hamed (born 1974), featherweight boxer
- Lewis Hamilton (born 1985), F1 World Champion
- Ricky Hatton (born 1978), world champion boxer
- Mike Hawthorn (1929–1959), F1 World Champion
- David Haye (born 1980), world champion boxer
- Johnny Haynes (1934–2005), footballer
- Emile Heskey (born 1978), footballer
- Damon Hill (born 1960), F1 World Champion
- Graham Hill (1929–1975), two times F1 World Champion
- Jimmy Hill (born 1928), footballer
- Jack Hobbs (1882–1963), cricketer
- Glenn Hoddle (born 1957), footballer
- Leslie Housden (1894–1963), Olympic marathon runner
- John Howell (born 1936), Olympic long jumper
- James Hunt (1947–1993), F1 World Champion
- Sir Geoff Hurst (born 1941), member of the 1966 World Cup winning team
- Nasser Hussain (born 1968), cricketer
- Len Hutton (1916–1990), cricketer
- E.J. 'John' Jackett, rugby union player, represented England and Great Britain.
- Joe Jacobson (born 1986), association football left back (Oldham Athletic & U21 national team)
- Peter Jaffe, Olympic silver (yachting; star-class)
- Allan Jay (born 1931), épée & foil fencer, Olympic 2-time silver, world champion
- Martin Johnson (born 1970), World Cup winning rugby union footballer
- Trish Johnson (born 1966), golfer
- Amir Khan (born 1986), lightweight boxer
- Frank Lampard (born 1978), footballer
- Dougie Lampkin (born 1976), Motorcycle Trials World Champion
- Mark Lazarus, footballer, right winger
- Jason Leonard (born 1968), World Cup winning rugby union footballer
- Edward Lawrence Levy (1851–1932), English world champion weightlifter
- Ted "Kid" Lewis (Gershon Mendeloff) (1893–1970), world champion welterweight boxer, Hall of Fame
- Lennox Lewis (born 1965), world champion heavyweight boxer
- Josh Lewsey (born 1976), rugby footballer
- Gary Lineker (born 1960), footballer
- Dar Lyon, cricketer
- Dame Ellen MacArthur (born 1976), sailor who holds the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe
- George Mallory (1886–1924), mountaineer
- Nigel Mansell (born 1953), racing driver, F1 and CART champion
- Terry Marsh (born 1958), world champion boxer
- Darren Matthews (born 1968), professional wrestler
- Stanley Matthews (1915–2000), footballer
- Daniel Mendoza (1764–1836), world heavyweight champion boxer, Hall of Fame
- Gordon Miller (born 1939), Olympic high jumper
- Alan Minter (born 1951), world champion boxer
- Bobby Moore (1941–1993), captain of the 1966 World Cup winning team
- Stirling Moss, (born 1929), F1 driver
- Alfred Mynn (1807–1861), cricketer
- Andy Murray (born 1987), tennis player, current no.2 seed
- Gary Neville (born 1975), footballer
- Phil Neville (born 1977), footballer
- Alison Nicholas (born 1962), golfer
- Ronnie O'Sullivan (born 1975), three times World Snooker Champion
- Michael Owen (born 1979), football player
- Rachel Parish (born 1981), markswoman and fencer
- Bob Paisley (1919–1996), 3-time European Cup winning manager with Liverpool F.C.
- Michael Park (1966-2005), WRC co-driver
- John Parrott (born 1964), World Snooker Champion
- Fred Perry (1909–1995), Wimbledon champion tennis player
- Martin Peters (born 1943), member of the 1966 World Cup winning team
- Kevin Pietersen (born 1980), cricketer
- Daniel Prenn (1904–1991), tennis player, highest world ranking # 6
- Stephanie Proud (born 1988), backstroke swimmer
- Samuel Rabin (1903–1991, Olympic bronze wrestler (freestyle middleweight)
- Paula Radcliffe (born 1973), distance runner
- John Raphael, cricket and rugby union
- Sir Steve Redgrave (born 1962), rower, winner of gold medal in five consecutive Olympics
- William Regal (born 1968), WWE Wrestler and Commentator
- Sir Gordon Richards (1904–1988), jockey, holder of several records
- Sir Bobby Robson (1933–2009), Football Manager
- Wayne Rooney (born 1985), footballer
- Paul Scholes (born 1974), footballer
- Alan Shearer (born 1970), footballer, all-time leading goal scorer in the premiership
- Teddy Sheringham (born 1966), football player
- Kelly Simm (born 1995), artistic gymnast
- Davey Boy Smith (1962–2002), professional wrestler
- Nobby Stiles (born 1942), football World Cup winner
- Andrew Stoddart (1863–1915), rugby and cricket player
- Karen Stupples (born 1973), golfer
- Laurie Taitt (1934–2006), Olympic sprint hurdler
- Phil Taylor (born 1960), multi world champion darts player
- John Terry (born 1980), footballer
- Joanna Thomas (born 1976), IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Jayne Torvill (born 1957), figure skater
- Marcus Trescothick (born 1975), cricketer
- Fred Trueman, fast bowler
- Phil Tufnell (born 1966), cricketer
- Randolph Turpin (1928–1966), middleweight boxer
- Michael Vaughan (born 1974), cricketer
- Virginia Wade (born 1945), tennis player
- Frank Warren (born 1952), boxing promoter
- Dan Wheldon (1978–2011), 2005 and 2011 Indy 500 Winner, 2005 Indycar Series Champion
- Jimmy White (born 1962), snooker player
- Sir William Wavell Wakefield (1898–1983), rugby footballer and politician
- Jonny Wilkinson (born 1979), world cup winning rugby footballer
- Justin Wilson (born 1978), Champ Car racer
- Billy Wright (1924–1994), footballer
Writers
Main article: List of English writers
Other notables
- Douglas Adams (1952–2001), author, comic and radio dramatist
- Rachel Ashwell (born 1959), author, designer and entrepreneur
- Edward Betts (1815–1872), civil engineering contractor
- Thomas Brassey (1805–1870), civil engineering contractor
- Capability Brown (1715–1783), landscape gardener
- William Caxton (c. 1422 – c. 1491), printer
- Donald Campbell (1921–1967), world land and water speed record holder
- Sir Malcolm Campbell (1885–1949), automobile and speedboat racer.
- Sir John Chesshyre (1662–1738), lawyer
- Grace Darling (1815–1842), heroine
- William Emes (c. 1729 – 1803), landscape gardener
- Elizabeth Fry (1780–1845), prison reformer
- Peter Molyneux (1959), Video game designer
- Thomas Grissell (1801–1874), public works contractor
- Hilda Hewlett (1864–1943), pioneer aviator and aviation entrepreneur
- Ebenezer Howard (1850–1928), urban planner
- Edward Kemp (1817–91), garden designer
- Gideon Lester (born 1972), dramaturg, adaptator, theatre artistic director
- Joshua A. Norton (1811–1880), Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico
- Sir Samuel Morton Peto (1809–1889), civil engineering contractor
- Wat Tyler (died 1381), leader of the Peasants' Revolt (1381)
- William Wakefield (1801–1848), founder of Wellington, New Zealand
- Richard Walker (angler)(1918-1985) writer and pioneer of modern-day angling in Britain
- Sarah Elizabeth Wardroper (1814–1892), Matron of St Thomas's Hospital from 1854 to 1887.
- Harriet Shaw Weaver (1876–1961), political activist and suffragist
- Joseph Williamson (1769–1840), philanthropist, merchant and tunneler
- Philip Yates (1913-1998), coal miner awarded the Edward Medal
English expatriates
The following were born English, but changed nationality later in their life.
- John Alden (c. 1599 – 1687), one of the leaders of the Pilgrims to North America[4]
- George Alsop, noted author[4]
- Anthony Aston (died 1731), noted actor and dramatist[4]
- Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977)
- Alistair Cooke (1908–2004)
- Cary Grant (1904–1986), film actor.
- Bob Hope (1903–2003)
- Stephen Hough (born 1961), concert pianist, became Australian citizen
- Thomas Paine (1737–1809)
References
- ↑ "Shipman 'killed early in career'". BBC News. 27 January 2005. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ↑ Ron Jackson (17 January 2010). "Barney Aaron–Star of the East Shone in London". Richmark Sentinel. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
- ↑ Danny Caro (14 July 2009). "Team GB cricket fail to see the job through". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
See also
- List of people by nationality
- List of Cornish people
- List of Northern Irish people
- List of Scots
- List of Welsh people
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