William, Will, Willie, Bill or Billy Brown may refer to:

Academics

  • William Brown (physician) (1748–1792), American physician
  • William Brown (veterinarian) (1861–1931), English veterinarian and activist
  • William Brown (plant pathologist) (1888–1975), British mycologist and plant pathologist
  • William Brown (psychologist) (1881–1952), British psychologist
  • William Fuller Brown Jr. (1904–1983), American physicist
  • W. G. Brown, Canadian mathematician
  • William Harvey Brown (1862–1913), American naturalist
  • William Jethro Brown (1868–1930), Australian jurist and professor of law
  • William L. Brown (geneticist) (1913–1991), American geneticist
  • W. Norman Brown (1892–1975), American Indologist and Sanskritist
  • William Brown (industrial relations expert) (1945–2019), British academic, Master of Darwin College, Cambridge
  • William Yancey Brown (born 1948), American zoologist and attorney
  • William Brown (author) (born 1977), British film academic and author

Arts and Entertainment

  • William Brown (composer) (1790–1884), American composer and flutist
  • William Alexander Brown (1790–1884), African-American playwright and theatrical producer
  • William Mason Brown (1828–1898), American artist
  • William Kellock Brown (1856–1934), Scottish sculptor
  • William J. Brown (architect) (died 1970), American architect
  • Willie Brown (musician) (1900–1952), American delta blues guitarist and singer
  • William Theophilus Brown (1919–2012), American artist
  • William Brown (tenor) (1938–2004), American opera singer
  • Billy Brown (Irish musician) (1943–1999), Irish musician and artist, and member of The Freshmen
  • Billy Brown (singer) (born 1944), member of American rhythm and blues band Ray, Goodman & Brown
  • W. Earl Brown (born 1963), American character actor
  • Guillermo E. Brown (born 1976), American drummer and multi-disciplinary performer
  • William Brown, better known as Compa, British electronic musician
  • Bill Brown (filmmaker) (active since 1994), American filmmaker and author
  • William H. Brown Jr. (1917–1982), American television director and producer, radio dramatist, and composer
  • Bille Brown (William Gerald Brown, 1952–2013), Australian actor, director and playwright

Sportspeople

American football

  • Bill Brown (American football quarterback) (1917–2011), professional player for the Brooklyn Dodgers (NFL)
  • Bill Brown (linebacker) (1936–1989), American football player in 1960 Boston Patriots season
  • Bill Brown (American football) (1938–2018), American football running back
  • Willie Brown (American football) (1940–2019), American football Hall-of-Fame cornerback
  • Willie Brown (American football, born 1942) (1942–2018), Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach
  • Billy Brown (American football) (born 1993), American football tight end

Association football

  • William Brown (goalkeeper) (), English footballer
  • William Brown (footballer, born 1865), English footballer
  • William Brown (footballer, born 1874) (1874–1940), English footballer and cricketer
  • William Brown (footballer, born 1876), Scottish footballer
  • William Brown (footballer, born 1885), Scottish footballer
  • William Brown (footballer, born July 1885) (1885–1915), Scottish footballer
  • William Brown (footballer, born 1889), Scottish footballer
  • William Brown (footballer, born 1897), Scottish footballer
  • Willie Brown (footballer, born 1900) (1900–1977), Scottish footballer (Rochdale AFC, Torquay United)
  • Billy Brown (footballer, born 1900) (1900–1985), English professional footballer
  • Bill Brown (footballer, born 1902) (1902–1985), Scottish footballer
  • William Brown (footballer, born 1907) (1907–1976), English footballer and sprinter
  • Buster Brown (footballer) (William Ian Brown, 1910–1993), footballer who played in the Football League
  • William Brown (footballer, born 1912) (1912–2008), Scottish footballer
  • Willie Brown (footballer, born 1922) (1922–1978), Scottish football player (Preston North End, Grimsby Town) and manager (Barrow AFC)
  • Willie Brown (footballer, born 1928) (1928–2017), Scottish footballer (Forfar Athletic, Accrington Stanley)
  • Bill Brown (footballer, born 1928) (1928–2010), English footballer
  • Bill Brown (footballer, born 1931) (1931–2004), Scottish international football (soccer) goalkeeper (Dundee, Tottenham Hotspur)
  • Willie Brown (footballer, born 1938), Scottish footballer (Accrington Stanley, Chester City, Greenock Morton)
  • Bill Brown (footballer, born 1943), English football (soccer) player (Gillingham FC)
  • Willie Brown (footballer, born 1950), Scottish footballer (Newport County, Torquay United)
  • Billy Brown (footballer, born 1950), Scottish football player and coach

Athletics

  • Bill Brown (race walker) (1878–1980), British Olympic racewalker
  • Billy Brown (athlete) (1918–2002), American track and field triple jumper, long jumper, and sprinter
  • Bill Brown (runner) (1925–2018), American middle distance and relay runner

Australian rules football

  • Bill Brown (footballer, born 1882) (1882–1949), Australian rules footballer for Geelong
  • Bill Brown (footballer, born 1906) (1906–1981), Australian rules footballer for Hawthorn
  • Bill Brown (footballer, born 1914) (1914–1980), Australian rules footballer for Carlton and Collingwood
  • Billy Brown (Australian footballer) (born 1942), former Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL

Baseball

  • William Brown (baseball) (1866–1897), American Major League catcher
  • Bill Brown (outfielder) (1893–1965), American baseball player
  • Bill Brown (sportscaster) (born 1947), American baseball broadcaster and member of the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame
  • Bill Brown (baseball coach) (born 1957), American college baseball coach

Basketball

  • Bill Brown (basketball, born 1922) (1922–2007), American professional basketball player
  • Rookie Brown (1925–1971), American professional basketball player
  • Bill Brown (basketball, born 1951) (1951–2023), American basketball coach at California University of Pennsylvania
  • Will Brown (basketball) (born 1971), American basketball coach

Cricket

  • William Brown (MCC cricketer), English first-class cricketer
  • William Brown (Tasmanian cricketer) (1807–1859), English-born Tasmanian first-class cricketer
  • William Brown (cricketer, born 1866), English cricketer
  • William Brown (cricketer, born 1876) (1876–1942), English first-class cricketer
  • William Brown (cricketer, born 1888) (1888–1964), English cricketer
  • William Brown (cricketer, born 1889), English cricketer
  • William Brown (cricketer, born 1900) (1900–1986), English cricketer
  • Bill Brown (cricketer) (1912–2008), Australian cricketer
  • William Brown (New Zealand cricketer) (born 1917), New Zealand cricketer

Golf

  • William Brown (golfer) (—unknown), Scottish golfer
  • Willie Brown (golfer) (c. 1858–?), 19th century Scottish golfer
  • Billy Ray Brown (born 1963), former American golfer

Rugby

  • William Davie Brown (1852–1876), Scottish rugby union player
  • William Sorley Brown (1860–1901), Scottish rugby union player
  • William Brown (rugby league) (1916–1982), Australian rugby league player
  • Willie Brown (rugby league) (born 1979), former Sydney Roosters rugby league player
  • Bill Brown (rugby union) (William James Brown, born 1943), Ireland rugby union player

Other sports

  • William Brown (tennis) (born 1945), American tennis player
  • Will Brown (racing driver) (born 1998), Australian racing driver
  • Bill Brown (NASCAR driver), retired NASCAR Cup Series driver who crashed with Larry Flynn
  • Bill Brown (boxing) (William J. Brown, 1874–1943), American boxing commissioner, referee, and promoter
  • Bill Brown (boxer) (William George Brown), Welsh boxer

Clergymen and theologians

  • William Brown (priest) (1710–1797), Archdeacon of Northampton
  • William Laurence Brown (1755–1830), Scottish divine (theologian)
  • William Brown (clergyman) (1766–1835), Scottish clergyman and Hebraist
  • William Haig Brown (1823–1907), English cleric and headmaster of Charterhouse School
  • William Montgomery Brown (1855–1937), American Episcopalian bishop and Communist author
  • William Cabell Brown (1861–1927), American Episcopal missionary and bishop of Virginia
  • William Francis Brown (1862–1951), bishop, see Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark
  • William Adams Brown (1865–1943), American minister, professor and philanthropist
  • William A. Brown (bishop) (1878–1965), American who served as the fourth Bishop of Southern Virginia
  • William P. Brown, American Presbyterian minister, author and biblical theologian

Engineers

  • William H. Brown (shipbuilder) (1803–1855), American shipbuilder
  • William Liston Brown (1842–1929), American industrialist
  • William C. Brown (1916–1999), American electrical engineer
  • William F. Brown (engineer) (1919–2010), American welding engineer
  • William Brown (bridge designer) (1928–2005), English structural engineer, bridge designer
  • William Brown (mining engineer) (1717–1782), English mining engineer, waggonway designer and steam engine builder

Military people

  • William Brown (British Army officer) (1922–1984), commander of the Gilgit Scouts during the Partition of India
  • William Brown (soldier) (1759–1808), American Revolutionary War soldier
  • William Brown (Royal Navy officer) (1764–1814), British Royal Navy admiral
  • William Brown (admiral) (1777–1857), or Guillermo Brown, Irish-Argentine Navy admiral
  • William Brown (sailor) (birth name unknown), Black woman who briefly served in the Royal Navy in 1815, disguised as a man
  • William A. Brown (admiral) (born 1958), vice admiral in the United States Navy
  • William H. Brown (Medal of Honor) (1836–1896), American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient
  • William Henry Brown (aviator) (1894–1969), Canadian World War I flying ace
  • William Maurice Brown (1910–1975), New Zealand Lt. Colonel; first principal of Faujdarhat Cadet College
  • William Gustavus Brown (1809–1883), commander of British troops in China and Hong Kong
  • William Perry Brown Jr. (1923–1952), American Marine and recipient of two Navy Crosses

Politicians and diplomats

Australia

  • William Brown (New South Wales politician) (1867–1954), member of the New South Wales Parliament
  • William Brown (Tasmanian politician) (1840–1926), Australian politician
  • William Villiers Brown (1843–1915), Queensland politician
  • Bill Brown (Australian politician) (1920–2001), Australian senator

United Kingdom

  • William Brown (MP for Gloucester), in 1341, MP for Gloucester
  • William Brown (MP for Bedford), in 1397, MP for Bedford
  • Sir William Brown, 1st Baronet, of Richmond Hill (1784–1864), British merchant and banker, MP for South Lancashire 1846–1859
  • Sir William Slater Brown (Lord Provost) (1844–1917), Scottish businessman and Lord Provost of Edinburgh
  • W. J. Brown (trade unionist) (William John Brown, 1896–1960), MP for Rugby 1942–1950
  • William Robson Brown (1900–1975), UK Conservative politician, MP for Esher 1950–1970
  • Oliver Brown (Scottish activist) (William Oliver Brown, 1903–1976), Scottish nationalist activist
  • William Brown (Northern Ireland politician) (1930–2025), Northern Irish unionist politician, MPA for South Down 1982–1986

United States

  • William Browne (judge) (sometimes reported as "Brown", 1737–1802), justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court of Judicature
  • William Brown (congressman) (1779–1833), U.S. representative from Kentucky, 1819–1821
  • William Little Brown (1789–1830), justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court
  • William W. Brown (Wisconsin politician) (died 1871), American politician
  • William G. Brown Sr. (1800–1884), U.S. representative from Virginia and West Virginia
  • William J. Brown (Indiana politician) (1805–1857), U.S. representative from Indiana
  • William Matt Brown (1815–1885), mayor of Nashville, Tennessee, 1865–1867
  • William Brown (Illinois politician) (1819–1891), member of the Illinois House of Representatives
  • William Brown (Louisiana politician) (1832–1883), Louisiana State Superintendent of Education, 1872–1876
  • William Wallace Brown (1836–1926), U.S. representative from Pennsylvania
  • William L. Brown (politician) (1840–1906), Ohio and New York politician
  • William Ripley Brown (1840–1916), U.S. representative from Kansas
  • William M. Brown (Pennsylvania politician) (1850–1915), U.S. lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, electee to the U.S. House of Representatives
  • William M. Brown (Illinois politician) (1860–?), member of the Illinois Senate
  • William G. Brown Jr. (1856–1916), U.S. representative from West Virginia, son of William G. Brown
  • William Brown, mayor of Rockford, 1857–1858, see List of mayors of Rockford, Illinois
  • William Anderson Brown (1861–1940), lawyer, member of the Minnesota legislature
  • William E. Brown Jr. (1896–1970), mayor of Ann Arbor, 1945–1957
  • W. K. Brown (1923–2011), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Grant Parish, 1960–72
  • William Holmes Brown (1929–2001), parliamentarian of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1974–1994
  • William Andreas Brown (1930–2024), U.S. ambassador to Israel, 1988–1992

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  • Willie Brown (politician) (born 1934), mayor of San Francisco, 1996–2004, speaker of the California State Assembly, 1980–1995
  • William J. Brown (Ohio politician) (1940–1999), Ohio Attorney General, elected 1970
  • Willie B. Brown (1940–2009), American politician in New Jersey

Elsewhere

  • William Brown (British Columbia politician) (1838–1915), Canadian politician in British Columbia
  • William Brown (Manitoba politician), Canadian politician, 1922–1927
  • William Heartz Brown (1883–1967), Canadian politician in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
  • William Brown (New Zealand politician) (1809–1898), member of first New Zealand Parliament
  • William Brown (Newfoundland politician), Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly.
  • Bill Brown (New Zealand politician) (1899–1967), New Zealand politician of the National Party

Writers

  • William Brown (journalist) (1737–1789), Canadian journalist and co-founder of the Quebec Gazette
  • William Hill Brown (1765–1793), American novelist
  • William Wells Brown (1814–1884), fugitive slave, African-American writer, and abolitionist
  • William Slater Brown (1896–1997), American novelist, biographer and translator
  • William F. Brown (writer) (1928–2019), American playwright
  • William Henry Brown (journalist) (1867/8–1950), British co-operative movement journalist and activist

Other notable people

  • William D. Brown (1813–1863), founder of Omaha, Nebraska
  • William Brown (miner) (1824/5–1900), British trade union leader
  • William Penn Brown (1841–1929), American pioneer in the hobby of stamp collecting
  • William Lincoln Brown (1862–1940), second Register of Copyrights in the United States Copyright Office
  • William Robinson Brown (1875–1955), American horse breeder and director of the Brown Company
  • William B. Brown (1912–1985), American lawyer and judge in Hawaii and Ohio
  • William H. Brown III (born 1928), African American attorney, fourth Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  • William M. Brown (businessman) (born 1963), American businessman, CEO of Harris Corporation
  • William Brown (headmaster) (1914–2005), British headmaster
  • Sir William Richmond Brown, 2nd Baronet (1840–1906), English landowner
  • Sir William Brown (civil servant) (1893–1947), English civil servant
  • William Charles Langdon Brown (1931–2024), British banker
  • William Roger Brown (1831–1902), British industrialist and philanthropist
  • William Tatton Brown (1910–1997), English architect
  • William Hoile Brown, New Zealand shipbuilder and local politician
  • Willy Brown, victim of the Omaha race riot of 1919
  • Bill Brown (rancher) (1855–1941), American rancher

Characters

  • William Brown,the main character in the Just William series
  • Billy Brown of London Town, character featured on London Transport posters
  • Billy Brown (Coronation Street)

Other uses

  • William Brown (ship), American ship which struck an iceberg and sank on April 19, 1841
  • William Brown Library and Museum, historic building in Liverpool, England
  • William Brown Street, Liverpool

See also

  • Bill Brown (disambiguation)
  • Billy Brown (disambiguation)
  • William Browne (disambiguation)
  • Will Brown (disambiguation)
  • Willie Brown (disambiguation)
  • William Broun (disambiguation)
  • Miss Willie Brown, an American country music duo
  • Willie Browne (1936–2004), Irish soccer player
  • Jerome Brown (Willie Jerome Brown, III, 1965–1992), American football defensive tackle