#1Science & Medicine
Eric Temple Bell
1883–1960Scottish American mathematician and science fiction author (1883-1960)
30 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Peterhead, Aberdeenshire
36 famous people were born in Peterhead, more of them scientists and doctors than in most towns
Best known of all is Eric Temple Bell, written about in 30 languages. Second and third on the list are Peter Mullan and George King. 17 of them were born in the Victorian era, more than in any other period. No other town in Aberdeenshire lists as many.
Born here
36
notable people
Best known
Eric Temple Bell
in 30 Wikipedia languages
First
1638
George Keith
Youngest
1999
Connor McLennan
Most common field
Sports
12 people
What stands out about Peterhead’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Peterhead is known for
The field furthest above the usual share is scientists and doctors, at 3.4 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
The best known
Born in Peterhead
First, Eric Temple Bell (30 languages), then Peter Mullan (29) and George King (15).
#1
#2Film, TV & Stage
Peter Mullan
born 1959British actor, filmmaker and socialist
29 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Through the years
When Peterhead’s famous people were born
The 1880s alone account for 7 of the births charted here.
SportsScience & MedicineWriting & ArtsPolitics & LawFilm, TV & StageMilitaryFaithNotable
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Peterhead
Another 33, the earliest born in 1638.
William Penny
1809–1892Scottish shipmaster, whaler and arctic explorer (1809-1892)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Peter Buchan
1790–1854Scottish editor, publisher, and collector of ballads and folktales
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
William Davidson Niven
1842–1917Scottish mathematician and electrical engineer (1842-1917)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
William Brodie
1831–1909Canadian dentist, naturalist and entomologist (1831-1909)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The most names next door are in Mintlaw: 2.
Questions about famous people from Peterhead
Who is the most famous person from Peterhead?
Eric Temple Bell (Scottish American mathematician and science fiction author (1883-1960)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 30 languages. Next come Peter Mullan and George King.
How many famous people were born in Peterhead?
36 people born in Peterhead have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 41 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Peterhead known for?
Among its famous people, athletes: 12 of the 36. That is 33% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Peterhead?
George Keith, born in 1638. The youngest on the list was born in 1999.
Who counts as from Peterhead?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Peterhead’s locality (the NRS 2022 locality boundary), a hospital or district within it included, whose English Wikipedia article agrees. People who only lived here, adult performers and people known mainly for crimes aren’t listed.
Why is someone missing?
Their Wikidata birthplace may be a bigger area (“London”), another town, or missing, or their article may give no birthplace. We only list people both sources agree on; editing Wikidata or Wikipedia changes this page at the next refresh.
From Wikidata (CC0: birthplaces, descriptions, years, occupations) and English Wikipedia (each person’s article confirms the birthplace; linked, not quoted). Birthplaces are placed in the town by National Records of Scotland’s Census 2022 locality boundaries (Open Government Licence v3.0). Ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. Fields are read from Wikidata’s description and occupations. “The usual town”: everyone listed across UK towns. Portraits: each person’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (17)
- Eric Temple Bell: Carl Rudolph Gist, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Peter Mullan: Andymiah, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George King: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William Aitken: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Cyril Smith: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Summers West: TLW1958, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Penny: Stephen Pearce, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Keith: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Peter Buchan: James Forbes, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William Davidson Niven: No conegut, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Arthur D. Hay: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Stuart MacLeod: Stuart MacLeod, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Gibson: w:William James Topley, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Niven: No conegut, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jamie McLeary: Aaronsneddon, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Brodie: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Comyn, Earl of Buchan: Walter de Gray Birch, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.