thumb|right|250px|[[Flag of Yorkshire]]
thumb|right|250px|Location of Yorkshire on map of the historic counties of England
This is a list of people from Yorkshire. Yorkshire is the largest historic county in both England and the United Kingdom. Some of the most notable figures from the county are:
Lawyers and Jurists
Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond, President of the British Supreme Court, 2017–2020
Inventors, explorers, scientists and pioneers
thumb|right|Captain James Cook|upright
thumbnail|right|Sir George Cayley|upright
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:17%;"| Name
! style="width:13%;"| Place
! style="width:10%;"| Life
! style="width:55%;"| Comments
! style="width:5%;"| Reference
|- valign="top"
| Edward Victor Appleton
|
| 1892–1965
|Nobel Prize in Physics in 1947
|
|- valign="top"
| James Henry Atkinson
| Leeds
| 1849–1942
|inventor of the mousetrap
|
|- valign="top"
|Donald Bailey
|
| 1901–1985
|inventor of the Bailey Bridge
|
|- valign="top"
|William Bateson
|
| 1861–1926
| geneticist; first to use term "genetics"
|
|- valign="top"
|George Birkbeck
|
| 1776–1841
|doctor, philanthropist, founder of Birkbeck College
|
|- valign="top"
|Joseph Bramah
| Barnsley
| 1748–1814
|invented hydraulic press; one of two founders of hydraulic engineering
|
|- valign="top"
|Harry Brearley
|
| 1871–1948
|Sheffield inventor of stainless steel
|
|- valign="top"
|Henry Briggs
|
| 1561–1630
|perfected system of logarithms used today by astronomers, navigators
|
|- valign="top"
|Phil Burgan
|
| 1951–
|pharmacist; CEO and Chairman of MMCG
|
|- valign="top"
|Ralph Burton
|
| d.1768
|British soldier and Canadian settler
|
|- valign="top"
|Sir George Cayley
|born in Scarborough
| 1773–1857
|engineer, one of the most important people in the history of aeronautics
|
|- valign="top"
|Rick Dickinson
|
| 1956(?)
|industrial designer responsible for the ZX80, ZX81, ZX Spectrum and Sinclair QL keyboards and cases
|
|- valign="top"
|John Harrison
| Foulby
|1693–1776
|horologist and mathematician
|
|- valign="top"
|Joseph Priestley
| born in Birstall
| 1733–1804
|physicist and chemist
|
|- valign="top"
|Augustus Pitt Rivers
|
| 1827–1900
|British Army officer, ethnologist, anthropologist and archaeologist
|
|- valign="top"
|Helen Sharman
|born in Sheffield
|1963–
|first British cosmonaut, first Western European woman in space
|
|- valign="top"
|John Smeaton
|
| 1724–92
|civil engineer responsible for the design of bridges, canals, harbours and lighthouses
|
|- valign="top"
|John Wycliffe
|
| 1330–84
|theologian, reformist, pioneering translator
|
|- valign="top"
| William Bradford
| born in Austerfield
| 1590–1657
|Plymouth governor, pilgrim father
|
|- valign="top"
| Roy Hattersley
| born in Sheffield
| 1933–
| British Labour politician, author and journalist
|
|- valign="top"
| Elizabeth Smith Middleton
| born in Yorkshire
| 1814–1898
| British-born Canadian temperance leader
|
|- valign="top"
| William Wilberforce
| born in Kingston upon Hull
| 1759–1833
|social campaigner who brought about the abolition of slavery
|
|- valign="top"
| Harold Wilson
| born in Huddersfield
| 1916–1995
|Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1964–70 and 1974–76
|
|- valign="top"
|}
Writers
thumb|right|The Brontë Sisters|upright
thumb|203x203px|Anne Lister (1791–1840)
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:17%;"| Name
! style="width:13%;"| Place
! style="width:10%;"| Life
! style="width:55%;"| Comments
! style="width:5%;"| Reference
|- valign="top"
| Simon Armitage
| born Huddersfield
| 1963–
|Poet, writer
|
|- valign="top"
| W. H. Auden
| born York
| 1907– 1973
|Poet, critic, essayist
|
|- valign="top"
| Alcuin of York
| born near York
| 732–804
|Early Middle Ages scholar, ecclesiastic, poet and teacher
|
|- valign="top"
| Alan Bennett
| born in Leeds
| 1934–
| playwright and actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Branwell Brontë
| born in Thornton
| 1817–48
|writer and artist
|
|- valign="top"
| Helen Fielding
| born in Morley, West Yorkshire
| 1958–
| novelist and screenwriter, Bridget Jones's Diary (1996), The Edge of Reason (1999)
|
|- valign="top"
| Roger Hargreaves
| born in Cleckheaton
| 1935–1988
| writer of the Mr. Men and Little Miss books
|
|- valign="top"
|- valign="top"
| Joanne Harris
| born in Barnsley
| 1964–
| English author, award-winning novel Chocolat
|
|- valign="top"
| Tony Harrison
| born in Leeds
| 1964–
| Poet, translator, critic, dramatist
|
|- valign="top"
| Andrew Marvell
| born in Winestead-in-Holderness, East Riding of Yorkshire
| 1621–78
| poet
|
|- valign="top"
| Edwin of Northumbria
| Not born in Yorkshire
| 585–633
| saint, King of Northumbria
|
|- valign="top"
| John Fisher
| Beverley
| 1469–1535
|bishop, cardinal, saint, martyr
|
|- valign="top"
| Hilda of Whitby
|
| 614–680
| princess, nun, nurse, founding abbess of Whitby Abbey and patron saint of Whitby
|
|- valign="top"
| Blessed Nicholas Postgate
| Egton
| 1596–1679
| martyr
|
|}
Entertainers
Actors and actresses
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:17%;"| Name
! style="width:13%;"| Place
! style="width:10%;"| Life
! style="width:55%;"| Comments
! style="width:5%;"| Reference
|- valign="top"
| Mark Addy
| York
|
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Julian Barratt
| Leeds
|
| actor, comedian
|
|- valign="top"
| Keith Barron
| Mexborough
|
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Sean Bean
| Sheffield
| 1959–
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Brian Blessed
| Mexborough
| 1936–
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Chuckle Brothers
| Rotherham
| 1944–2018, 1947–
| TV actors
|
|-
| Sir Tom Courtenay
| Hull, East Riding
|
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Dame Judi Dench
| York
|
| actress
|
|- valign="top"
|Charlie Heaton
|Bridlington
|1994–
|actor
|
|- valign="top"
|Elizabeth Henstridge
|Sheffield
|1987-
|actress, model, fashion designer, YouTuber, podcaster and director
|
|- valign="top"
| Ralph Ineson
| Leeds
|
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Gorden Kaye
| Huddersfield
| 1941–2017
| Actor, comedian
|
|- valign="top"
| Sir Ben Kingsley
| Scarborough
|
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Dame Diana Rigg
| Doncaster
| 1938–2020
| actress
|
|- valign="top"
| Jack Shepherd
| Leeds
|
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Peter O'Toole
| Leeds
|
|actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Sir Patrick Stewart
| Mirfield
|
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Laura White
| Yorkshire
| 1996–
| actress
|
|-
| Liz White
| Rotherham
| 1979–
| actress
|
|- valign="top"
| Jodie Whittaker
| Skelmanthorpe
|
| actress
|
|- valign="top"
| Tom Wilkinson
| Leeds
|
| actor
|
|}
Television performers
thumb|right|[[Jeremy Clarkson|upright]]
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:17%;"| Name
! style="width:13%;"| Place
! style="width:10%;"| Life
! style="width:55%;"| Comments
! style="width:5%;"| Reference
|- valign="top"
| Jeremy Clarkson
| Doncaster
|
| presenter and former host of BBC TV's Top Gear
|
|- valign="top"
| Angela Crow
| Wharfedale
| 1938–
| actress
|
|- valign="top"
| Rodney Bewes
| Bingley, Bradford
|1937–2017
| comedian, actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Ryan Swain (presenter)
| North Yorkshire
| 1990–
| television and radio presenter, DJ, motivational speaker and mental health campaigner
|
|- valign="top"
| Roy Castle
| Scholes
|1932–1994
| comedian, singer, actor, television presenter
|
|- valign="top"
| Paul Daniels
| South Bank, Middlesbrough
|1938–2016
| illusionist, quiz show host
|
|- valign="top"
| Adrian Edmondson
| Bradford
|1957–
| comedian, actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Leigh Francis (Keith Lemon)
| Beeston, Leeds
|1973–
| comedian, entertainer
|
|- valign="top"
| Frankie Howerd
| York
|1917–1992
| comedian
|
|- valign="top"
| Gorden Kaye
| Huddersfield
|1941–2017
| actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Bob Mortimer
| Acklam, Middlesbrough
|1959–
| comedian, entertainer
|
|- valign="top"
| Wendy Richard
| Middlesbrough
|1943–2009
| actress
|
|- valign="top"
| Paul Shane
| Thrybergh, Rotherham
|1940–2013
| comedian, actor
|
|- valign="top"
| Mollie Sugden
| Keighley
|1922–2009
|actress
|
|- valign="top"
| Dame Penelope Wilton
| Scarborough
|1946–
| actress
|
|- valign="top"
| Ernie Wise
| Bramley
|1925–1999
| comedian
|
|- valign="top"
|}
Musicians and bands
thumb|right|Mel B|upright
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:17%;"| Name
! style="width:13%;"| Place
! style="width:10%;"| Life
! style="width:55%;"| Comments
! style="width:5%;"| Reference
|- valign="top"
|Arctic Monkeys
|formed in Sheffield
|
|indie band
|
|- valign="top"
|James Arthur
|born in Middlesbrough
|1988–
|singer
|
|- valign="top"
|Asking Alexandria
|formed in York
|
|metalcore band
|
|- valign="top"
|John Barry
| York
|
|best known for his soundtracks for James Bond films and Midnight Cowboy
|
|- valign="top"
|The Cribs
|formed in Wakefield
|
|indie band
|
|- valign="top"
|Kiki Dee
| Bradford
|
|singer-songwriter
|
|- valign="top"
|Lesley Garrett
| Doncaster
|
|opera singer
|
|-
|John Newman
|born in Settle
|1990–
|soul singer
|
|- valign="top"
|Robert Palmer
|Batley
|1949–2003
|singer
|
|- valign="top"
|Kate Rusby
|
|
|folk singer
|
|- valign="top"
|Louis William Tomlinson
|born in Doncaster
|
| Singer-songwriter and member of boy group One Direction, currently solo
|
|- valign="top"
|Dominic Harrison
|born in Doncaster
|
|Singer Yungblud
|
|- valign="top"
|Saxon (band)
|formed in Barnsley
|
|Heavy Metal band part of the NWOBHM
|
|}
Sport
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:17%;"| Name
! style="width:13%;"| Place
! style="width:10%;"| Life
! style="width:55%;"| Comments
! style="width:5%;"| Reference
|- valign="top"
|David Bairstow
|born in Bradford, Yorkshire
|1951 – January 1998
|cricketer
|
|- valign="top"
| Jonathan Bairstow
| born in Bradford
| 1989–
| Yorkshire CCC and England cricketer and son of David. (Above)
|
|- valign="top"
| Gordon Banks
|born in Sheffield
|1937-2019
|Goal keeper, England World Cup Winner 1966
|
|- valign="top"
| Geoffrey Boycott
| born in Fitzwilliam
|1940–
|Yorkshire CCC and England cricketer
|
|- valign="top"
| Alistair Brownlee
| born in Dewsbury
| 1988–
| Olympic gold medalist, world champion in triathlon
|
|- valign="top"
| Jonathan Brownlee
| born in Leeds
| 1990–
| Olympic silver medalist, world champion in triathlon
|
|- valign="top"
| Lewis Cook
| born in York
| 1997–
| footballer, midfielder for AFC Bournemouth and England
|
|- valign="top"
| Josh Coburn
| born in Bedale
| 2002-
| footballer, formerly for Sunderland Football Club, current forward for Middlesbrough Football Club
|- valigin=“top”
| Ben Godfrey
| born in York
|1997–
|footballer, defender/midfielder for Norwich City
|
|- valign="top"
| Darren Gough
| born in Barnsley
|1970–
|cricketer
|
|- valign="top"
|Jamie Reeves
|born in Sheffield
|1962–
|world champion strength athlete, World's Strongest Man of '89
|
|- valign="top"
| Joe Root
| Sheffield
| 1990
| Cricketer for Yorkshire CCC and England
|
|-valign="top"
| David Seaman
| born in Rotherham
| 1963
| footballer, goalkeeper for Arsenal and England
|
|- valign="top"
| John Stones
| born in Barnsley
| 1994–
| footballer, Centre back, for Manchester City and England
|
|-valign="top"
|Jane Tomlinson
|
|1964–2007
|amateur athlete and cancer charity fundraiser
|
|- valign="top"
|Fred Trueman
|
|1931 – July 2006
|cricketer
|
|- valign="top"
|Danny Willett
|born in Sheffield
|1987–
|golfer, second Englishman to win The Masters
|
|- valign="top"
|Tom Pidcock
|born in Leeds
|1999–
|cyclist, olympic champion
|}
Artists and sculptors
thumb|right|Furniture maker Robert Thompson's trademark mouse|upright
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:17%;"| Name
! style="width:13%;"| Place
! style="width:10%;"| Life
! style="width:55%;"| Comments
! style="width:5%;"| Reference
|- valign="top"
| Gertrude Spurr Cutts
|Scarborough
| 1858–1941
| painter
|
|- valign="top"
| John Atkinson Grimshaw
|Leeds
| 1836–1893
| painter
|
|-
|Alexander Keighley
|Keighley
|1861–1947
|photographer
|
|-
| David Hockney
|Bradford
| 1937–
| artist
|
|-
|William Etty
|York
|1787–1849
|English artist best known for his history paintings containing nude figures
|
|-
|Damien Hirst
|grew up in Leeds
|1965–
|artist
|
|-
|Patrick Heron
|Leeds
|1920–1999
|artist
|
|-
|Trevor Bell
|Leeds
|1930–2017
|artist
|
|-
|Norman Ackroyd
|Leeds
|1938–
|artist
|
|-
|Ian Berry
|Huddersfield
|1984–
|artist
|
|-
|Joash Woodrow
|Leeds
|1927–2006
|artist
|
|-
|Jacob Kramer
|Leeds based
|1892–1962
|artist
|
|-
|Matthew Krishanu
|Bradford
|1980–
|artist
|
|-
|Pete McKee
|Sheffield
|1960–
|artist
|
|}
Crime
{| class=wikitable
|-
! style="width:17%;"| Name
! style="width:13%;"| Place
! style="width:10%;"| Life
! style="width:55%;"| Comments
! style="width:5%;"| Reference
|- valign="top"
| Mary Bateman
| born in Asenby, worked in Thirsk
| 1768–1809
| "Yorkshire Witch"; convicted of fraud and murder, hanged
|
|- valign="top"
| John Christie
| born in Illingworth
| 1899–1953 (Hanged)
|serial killer, known as "The Rillington Place Strangler"
|
|- valign="top"
|- valign="top"
| Stephen Griffiths
| born in Dewsbury
| 1969–
| serial killer, known as "The Crossbow Cannibal"
|
|- valign="top"
| Mark Hobson
| born in Wakefield
| 1969–
| 'spree killer' who murdered four people
|
|-
| Donald Neilson
| born in Dewsbury
| 1936–2011
| armed robber, serial killer, known as "The Black Panther"
|
|- valign="top"
| Jimmy Savile
| born in West Riding
| 1926–2011
| Prolific sex abuser of both adults and children, TV presenter, celebrity, charity fund-raiser
|
|- valign="top"
| Edward Simpson
| born in Sleights
| 1815–?
| infamous forger of prehistoric flint tools, sold to many notable museums
|
|- valign="top"
| Peter Sutcliffe
| born in Bingley
| 1946–2020
| serial killer, known as "The Yorkshire Ripper"
|
|}
People in fiction
- Dracula by Bram Stoker: A Russian ship, the Demeter, having weighed anchor at Varna, runs aground on the shores of Whitby, North Yorkshire, England, during a fierce tempest. Whitby continues to celebrate its link with Dracula, as well as its Victorian gothic past
- Beedle the Bard: In J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter wizarding world, he is the fictional author of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Beedle was born in Yorkshire in the 15th century.
- Robinson Crusoe: The title character from the novel by Daniel Defoe is from York
- Robin Ellacott, Cormoran Strike's detective partner in the Cormoran Strike series by Robert Galbraith, was raised in Masham, North Yorkshire
Others
- Thomas Wedders, circus sideshow performer.
See also
- List of people from Kingston upon Hull
- List of people from Leeds
- List of people from Sheffield
- List of people from the East Riding of Yorkshire
- List of people from North Yorkshire
- List of people from South Yorkshire
- List of people from West Yorkshire
- List of Yorkshire County Cricket Club players
References
External links
- Yorkshire-Icons.com – covering the most notable Yorkshire people