51.5071° N, 0.1297° W

LONDON

Most Famous People Born in London, United Kingdom

Notable people
15,663
Peak decade
1960s
Median birth year
1919
Most distinctive
Novelist 2.6×

Nine centuries of the British public eye. London's notables fan out across a longer continuous span than almost any other anglophone city, from medieval peers and antiquarians through Georgian solicitors and impresarios to a postwar wave of actors, footballers, and singers. The court and the stage have always been within walking distance of each other here, and the dataset shows it.

Standouts

What London Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is London's biggest profession — 13% of all notables (2,038).

London over-indexes on novelist 2.6× the global rate.

London under-produces football — only 0.3× the global rate.

  1. Actor 2,038 2.5×
  2. Politician 1,102 0.6×
  3. Painter 769 1.9×
  4. Writer 646 1.3×
  5. Football 600 0.3×
  6. Singer 424 1.3×
  7. Film 350 1.8×
  8. Music 340 1.5×
  1. Novelist 163 2.6×
  2. Actor 2,038 2.5×
  3. Painter 769 1.9×
  4. Film 350 1.8×
  5. Composer 318 1.5×
  6. Music 340 1.5×
  1. Football 600 0.3×
  2. Politician 1,102 0.6×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of London's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

1550 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000
  • Film & TV
  • Writing
  • Art & Design
  • Politics & Law
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Other
All15,663
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Showing 32 of 15,663 notable people

0593 POLITICIAN

George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham

1628 - 1687

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0690 MATHEMATICIAN

John Graunt

1620 - 1674

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1385 POLITICIAN

Sir William Temple, 1st Baronet

1628 - 1699

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2019 NOBLE

Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk

1628 - 1684

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2701 PRIEST

Philip Howard (cardinal)

1629 - 1694

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3120 PRESBYTER

Stephen Charnock

1628 - 1680

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3545 HISTORIAN

Paul Rycaut

1629 - 1700

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3648 NOBLE

Thomas Howard, 5th Duke of Norfolk

1627 - 1677

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4188 POLITICIAN

Robert Bruce, 1st Earl of Ailesbury

1626 - 1685

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4537 NOBLE

Elizabeth Maitland, Duchess of Lauderdale

1626 - 1698

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4905 AUTHOR

John Heydon (astrologer)

1629 - 1667

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5460 WRITER

Lucy Hutchinson

1620 - 1682

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5478 MEMOIRIST

Ann, Lady Fanshawe

1625 - 1680

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6448 PLAYWRIGHT

Edward Howard (playwright)

1624 - 1700

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6676 PLAYWRIGHT

John Wilson (playwright)

1626 - 1696

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6942 ARCHITECT

William Samwell (architect)

1628 - 1676

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7091 PAINTER

Robert Streater

1621 - 1679

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7229 POLITICIAN

William Clarke (English politician)

1623 - 1666

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7237 NOBLE

William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis

1626 - 1696

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7841 POLITICIAN

Thomas Delavall

1620 - 1682

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9399 TRANSLATOR

Nathaniel Hodges

1629 - 1688

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10383 POLITICIAN

Theodorick Bland of Westover

1629 - 1671

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10609 GOVERNOR

Caleb Carr (governor)

1624 - 1695

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10791 ENGRAVER

Thomas Simon

1623 - 1665

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11299 POLITICIAN

Maurice Berkeley, 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge

1628 - 1690

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12457 PAINTER

Abraham Ragueneau

1623 - 1681

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12507 PUBLISHER

Crispijn van de Passe III

1628 - 1678

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12936 CLERIC

William Bell (priest)

1625 - 1683

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14015 CONTE

Robert Rich, V conte di Warwick

1620 - 1675

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14634 DEPUTY

William Jones (deputy governor)

1624 - 1706

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14839 NOBILDONNA

Diana Grey

1625 - 1689

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15610 ASTROLOGER

Jack Adams (Astrologe)

1625 - 1680

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