Born here
176
notable people
Best known
James Morrison
in 25 Wikipedia languages
First
1569
William Southerne
Youngest
2005
Matthew Brennan
Most common field
Sports
111 people
What stands out about Darlington’s famous people ★ What stands out · Through the years When Darlington’s famous people were born The busiest decade was the 1900s, with 18 births.
Before the Georgians Georgian Victorian The 20th century Today 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000 Bailey Peacock-Farrell Al Pease Sports Science & Medicine Writing & Arts Politics & Law Film, TV & Stage Music Notable Business Military Faith
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
The best known Born in Darlington Counted by languages, James Morrison is ahead of Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Giuseppe Wilson: 25, 22 and 22.
#1 Sports James Morrison born 1986 Association football player
#2 Sports Bailey Peacock-Farrell born 1996 Northern Irish association football player
#3 Sports Giuseppe Wilson 1945–2022 Italian footballer (born 1945)
Known for What Darlington is known for Sports leads the fields, with 111 people.
Sports 111 people 63%about usual Science & Medicine 14 people 8%about usual Writing & Arts 13 people 7%below usual Politics & Law 13 people 7%about usual Film, TV & Stage 12 people 7%about usual Music 4 people 2%below usual Notable 4 people 2% Business 2 people 1%below usual Military 2 people 1%below usual Faith 1 person 1%below usual The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
Everyone Everyone else born in Darlington 173 more, from 1569 to 2005.
All · 173 Politics & Law · 13 Military · 2 Sports · 108 Music · 4 Film, TV & Stage · 12 Writing & Arts · 13 Science & Medicine · 14 Business · 2 Faith · 1 Notable · 4
Any time Before the Georgians · 1 Georgian · 6 Victorian · 47 The 20th century · 72 Today · 43
Julie Bindel born 1962 British radical feminist
AP Al Pease 1921–2014 British-born Canadian racing driver
Katherine Routledge 1866–1935 British archaeologist (1866–1935)
Jann Mardenborough born 1991 British racing driver
HC Harry Catterick 1919–1985 English footballer and manager (1919-1985)
Ronald Brebner 1881–1914 English footballer (1881-1914)
Charlie Roberts 1883–1939 English footballer and manager (1883-1939)
Ralph Hodgson 1871–1962 British writer (1871-1962)
Simon Farnaby born 1973 British actor
Gary Martin born 1990 English association football player
Nicola Wilson born 1976 British equestrian
Matthew Brennan born 2005 British cyclist
AM Anne Monson 1726–1776 English botanist and collector of plants and insects (1726-1776)
JS John Summerson 1904–1992 British architectural historian (1904–1992)
Luis Longstaff born 2001 English association football player (born 2001)
RH Richard Hurndall 1910–1984 British actor (1910–1984)
Willie Smith 1886–1982 British snooker and billiard player (1886-1982)
AH Anthony Havelock-Allan 1904–2003 British Baronet (1904-2003)
AJ Adam Jackson born 1994 English association football player (born 1994)
CA Charles Allan 1908–1947 English footballer (born 1910)
Elizabeth Pease Nichol 1807–1897 British activist
GB George Barron 1883–1961 English footballer (1883-1961)
Jack Pease, 1st Baron Gainford 1860–1943 British politician (1860-1943)
Mary Osborn born 1940 British molecular biologist
ML Michael Lee 1969–2008 English rock drummer (1969–2008)
Nick Bilton born 1976 British-American journalist
NC Norman Creek 1898–1980 English footballer and manager (1898-1980)
PB Paul Bielby born 1956 English footballer (born 1956)
RA Richard Alderson born 1975 Professional footballer (born 1975)
Tomáš Kopecký born 2000 Czech cyclist
BA Brian Atkinson born 1971 English association football player (born 1971)
FT Frances Tustin 1913–1994 British psychotherapist
GB Garry Williamson Barnes born 1982 Footballer (born 1982)
Giles Deacon born 1969 British fashion designer
JA Jack Andrews 1898–1974 English footballer (1898-1974)
James Stott 1870–1908 English footballer (1871-1908)
Jonny Burn born 1995 English association football player (born 1995)
NM Neil Maddison born 1969 English association football player (born 1969)
P1 Paul Cooper (footballer, born 1975) born 1975 English footballer (born 1975)
RM Reg Mountford 1908–1994 English footballer and manager (1908-1994)
SH Stuart Hall born 1980 British boxer
Tom Craddock born 1986 British footballer (born 1986)
TA Tommy Atkin 1906–1986 English footballer (1906-1986)
AB Arthur Bancroft 1903–1984 English footballer (1907-1984)
HC Harry Clarke 1921–2015 English football forward, born 1921
HD Harry Dobinson 1898–1990 English footballer (1898-1990)
Henry Hodgkin 1877–1933 Medical doctor and British Quaker missionary.
J. M. Dent 1849–1926 British publisher
JA Jack Almond born 1876 English footballer (1876-?)
John William Nicholson 1881–1955 English mathematician (1881-1955)
MC Michael Carter born 1980 English footballer (born 1980)
SC Seymour Cocks 1882–1953 British politician (1882-1953)
TH Tom Hall 1930–1984 Cricketer (1930-1984)
Tom Sawyer, Baron Sawyer 1943–2025 British trade unionist (1943–2025)
Alex Pattison born 1997 English footballer (born 1997)
BC Bill Crawford 1872–1955 Association football player (1872-1955)
BC Billy Coulthard English footballer
BD Billy Dinsdale 1903–1984 Footballer (1903-1984)
BR Billy Robinson 1903–1973 English footballer (1903-1973)
Brian Mackenzie, Baron Mackenzie of Framwellgate born 1943 British peer (born 1943)
CV Cherry Valentine 1993–2022 British drag performer (1993–2022)
DG Danny Groves born 1990 English footballer (born 1990)
DR David Roach born 1955 British musician
Edward Backhouse 1808–1879 English Quaker philanthropist and writer (1808–1879)
Frank Hall Standish 1799–1840 British art collector (1799-1840)
HB Harold Boddington Association football player
JW Jack Whent 1920–1999 English footballer (1920–1999)
JB John Blythe 1924–2007 English footballer (1924-2007)
JD John Dodsworth 1907–1996 English footballer (1907-1996)
MM Mairin Mitchell 1895–1986 British journalist, author and translator
MC Matthew Coad born 1984 Footballer (born 1984)
MK Maurice Kyle 1937–1981 English footballer (1937-1981)
NT Neil Tarrant born 1979 Footballer
NH Nicholas Hatch born 1979 English cricketer (born 1979)
SD Simon Daniels born 1958 Cricketer (born 1958)
WC William Corlett 1938–2005 British writer (1938–2005)
AH Adam Hickey born 1997 Cricketer (born 1997)
AW Alan White born 1976 British footballer (born 1976)
AH Alec Hooper 1900–1978 Professional association football player (1900-1978)
AD Alex Deuchar born 1987 English cricketer (born 1987)
AF Alexa Forbes born 1961 British rower
AD Arthur Dickinson 1907–1976 Association football player
BH Bill Hooper 1894–1982 English footballer (1894-1982)
Brame Hillyard 1876–1959 British tennis player
CH Carl Hooper 1903–1972 Footballer (1903-1972)
CP Carl Pepper born 1980 English footballer (born 1980)
DP Daniel Pearson born 1996 British actor
DK Danny Key born 1977 English footballer (born 1977)
Dave Bainbridge Keyboardist and guitarist
DK David Kirby 1939–2021 Cricketer (born 1939)
DR David Raine born 1937 British footballer (born 1937)
DV David Varey born 1961 Cricketer (born 1961)
ES Elizabeth Frances Ann Simpson 1857–1926 English writer and cat fancier (1857-1926)
GM Gary May born 1967 English former footballer (born 1967)
HB Herbert Brooks born 1858 English rugby union footballer
JD Jack Downing 1914–1962 Association footballer (1914-1962)
JG James Grimshaw 1912–1944 Cricketer (1912-1944)
JW Jeff Wealands born 1951 English footballer (born 1951)
JM John McGuire born 1902 English footballer (born 1902)
JO Jon O'Connor born 1976 English footballer (born 1976)
JV Jonathan Varey born 1961 English cricketer (born 1961)
LW Len Walker born 1944 English footballer and manager (born 1944)
ML Mary Lawson 1910–1941 Stage and film actress
MW Mick Wright born 1950 British association football player (born 1950)
Nicole Westmarland born 1977 British criminologist
PS Phil Shute born 1953 English footballer (born 1953)
RH Robbie Hart born 1947 Football referee (born 1947)
RB Ryan Buckley born 1994 Cricketer (born 1994)
Sir Arthur Pease, 1st Baronet 1866–1927 British businessman (1866-1927)
WS William Southerne 1569–1618 British martyr
Alan Kitching born 1940 British typographer
AB Alexander Bone born 1996 British musician
AM Alf Marshall 1888–1923 English footballer
DC David Cook born 1969 Athlete
DC David M. Clark born 1954 British psychologist (1954– ) and researcher of anxiety disorders
Deborah Mattinson born 1956 UK political consultant and life peer
DH Dick Healey 1889–1974 English footballer (1889-1974)
DT Don Toase 1929–1992 English footballer (1929-1992)
EH Eddie Hanlon 1884–1925 English footballer and football trainer (1884-1925)
Edward James Headlam 1873–1943 Director of the Royal Indian Marine from 1922 to 1928
FK Frederick Kitching 1886–1918 British long jumper
GB Gladys Boot 1890–1964 British actress
HW Harry Woodcock 1928–2003 English footballer (1928-2003)
IB Ian Burnley born 1963 Cricketer (born 1963)
IT Ian Todd born 1947 British alpine skier
JB James Bell 1872–1955 British trade unionist and politician (1872-1955)
Jessie Elland born 2000 English actress and author (born 2000)
JM Jimmy Melia 1874–1905 Association football player (1874-1905)
JM John McGregor 1900–1993 English footballer, born 1900
JW John Wildsmith 1911–2003 English footballer (1911-2003)
Jon Paul Phillips born 1980 British actor
KS Ken Sykes 1926–2008 English footballer (1926-2008)
LS Lee Scroggins born 1981 Footballer (born 1981)
MH Mark Hooper 1901–1974 English footballer (1901-1974)
MC Martin A Conway 1952–2022 British psychologist and psychoanalyst (1952-2022)
MK Mason Kayne born 1985 British actor
OO Ossie O'Brien 1928–1997 British politician (1928-1997)
Peter Sandys-Clarke born 1981 British actor
RS Reg Siddle 1906–1995 English footballer (1906-1995)
SB Sandra Bowman born 1967 British swimmer
Sidney Wheelhouse 1888–1916 English footballer (1888-1916)
Sophia Fry 1837–1897 Philanthropist and political activist
TK Tom Kelly 1919–1970 English footballer (1919-1970)
TM Tommy McCairns 1873–1932 Footballer (1873-1932)
Trevor Kletz 1922–2013 British chemical engineers
WW Willie Walker 1891–1968 English footballer (1891-1968)
WK Wilson Kneeshaw born 1993 Footballer
AH Adam Henderson born 1873 English footballer
AR Adrian Raine born 1954 British psychologist
BB Bentley Beetham 1886–1963 British mountain climber, ornithologist and photographer
BD Bernard Dixon 1938–2020 Science journalist
BC Brian Clarke 1938–2026 English author
CW Charlotte Whitehead 1843–1916 Canadian physician
EP Emilie Peacocke 1882–1964 Née Marshall, Emilie Hawkes (1882–1964), UK journalist
Femi Oluwole born 1990 Political campaigner and co-founder of the pro-European Union advocacy group, Our Future Our Choice
IW Isaac Ward born 1977 English boxer
JC James Cudworth 1817–1899 British mechanical engineer
Jeremy Pang born 1984 British chef
JK Jimmy Kidd English football goalkeeper
JL Jimmy Loughlin born 1905 Association football player
JT John Tennant 1939–1985 Association football player (1939-1985)
JW John Wilkinson 1887–1955 English footballer (1887-1955)
LH Lance Hall 1915–1985 English footballer (1915-1985)
LW Les Watson 1909–1991 English lawn bowler
MM Mark Milbanke 1724–1805 Royal Navy admiral (1724-1805)
NM Norman MacLachlan 1858–1928 English cricketer and educator (1858-1928)
Paul Swift born 1979 British stunt performer
RM Reginald Makepeace 1887–1918 British flying ace (1887-1918)
Russ Swift born 1951 Stunt performer
SW Stan Watson 1937–2014 Footballer (1937-2014)
TC Teresa Copnall 1882–1972 British artist (1882-1972)
WD Walter Ernest Dixon 1870–1931 British pharmacologist (1871-1931)
WS William Smith 1839–1897 English first-class cricketer (1839-1897)
No one matches both filters.
Show all 173 Next door Famous people from the towns next door Of the towns nearby, Stockton-on-Tees lists the most people: 219.
Questions about famous people from Darlington Who is the most famous person from Darlington? James Morrison (association football player) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 25 languages. Next come Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Giuseppe Wilson.
How many famous people were born in Darlington? 176 people born in Darlington have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 201 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Darlington known for? Among its famous people, athletes: 111 of the 176. That is 63% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Darlington? William Southerne, born in 1569. The youngest on the list was born in 2005.
Who counts as from Darlington? People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Darlington’s built-up area (the ONS 2022 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 the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary (Office for National Statistics, 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 (53) James Morrison: Warwick Gastinger, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Bailey Peacock-Farrell: Biser Todorov, CC BY 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Giuseppe Wilson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Julie Bindel: Saeima, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Katherine Routledge: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Jann Mardenborough: Flickr user GT Academy, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ronald Brebner: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Charlie Roberts: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Ralph Hodgson: No answer by website owner, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Simon Farnaby: Army & Air Force Exchange Service, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Gary Martin: PieterJan0108, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Nicola Wilson: Archangel12, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Matthew Brennan: Nicola, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Luis Longstaff: Werner100359, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Willie Smith: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Elizabeth Pease Nichol: Benjamin Haydon, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Jack Pease, 1st Baron Gainford: Bain News Service, publisher, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Mary Osborn: GerryShaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Nick Bilton: Christopher Michel, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Tomáš Kopecký: Joost Pauwels, CC0 , Wikimedia Commons Giles Deacon: Giles_Deacon.jpg: Craig Grobler derivative work: HJ Mitchell | Penny for your thoughts?, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons James Stott: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Jonny Burn: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_l_photos/, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Tom Craddock: Paul Hayday, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Henry Hodgkin: unknown (upload MHM-com 16:27, 9 November 2007 (UTC)), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons J. M. Dent: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons John William Nicholson: Royal Society, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Tom Sawyer, Baron Sawyer: Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Alex Pattison: Bradford City AFC, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Brian Mackenzie, Baron Mackenzie of Framwellgate: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Edward Backhouse: Nasjonalbiblioteket from Norway, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Frank Hall Standish: John Ferneley, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Brame Hillyard: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Dave Bainbridge: Tim Ostendorf, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Nicole Westmarland: TellyTobie, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Sir Arthur Pease, 1st Baronet: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Alan Kitching: TTWKennington, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Deborah Mattinson: ©House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Edward James Headlam: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Jessie Elland: DarkGlow, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Jon Paul Phillips: TomKWS, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Peter Sandys-Clarke: JadeEBlue, CC0 , Wikimedia Commons Sidney Wheelhouse: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Sophia Fry: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Trevor Kletz: Chemical Engineer, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Femi Oluwole: Ilovetheeu, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Jeremy Pang: Tophtophtoph, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Paul Swift: Swifty544, CC0 , Wikimedia Commons Russ Swift: Pete J Jones, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Colin Renfrew: Portable Antiquities Scheme from London, England, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Jason Steele: Jon Candy from Cardiff, Wales, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Cec Parkin: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Anthony Carlisle: Henry Bone (6 Feb 1755-17 Dec 1834), 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.