Share Famous people · Chesterfield, Derbyshire Of the 197 famous people born in Chesterfield, an unusual share are business people The best known is the British actor John Hurt, with articles in 66 languages. 90 of them were born in the 20th century, more than in any other period. Among the 96 towns in Derbyshire with famous people on record, the town ranks 2nd. The earliest on the list is Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet, born in 1652, and the youngest Harry Jessop, born in 2002.
#1 best known John Hurt Film, TV & Stage · 1940–2017 +193more Born here
197
notable people
Best known
John Hurt
in 66 Wikipedia languages
First
1652
Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet
Most common field
Sports
144 people
What stands out about Chesterfield’s famous people ★ What stands out · The best known Born in Chesterfield Ranked by languages covered: John Hurt with 66, then Olave Baden-Powell with 34 and Millie Bright with 31.
#1 Film, TV & Stage John Hurt 1940–2017 British actor (1940–2017)
#2 Science & Medicine Olave Baden-Powell 1889–1977 (1889-1977) World Chief Guide
#3 Sports Millie Bright born 1993 English association football player
Through the years When Chesterfield’s famous people were born More of them were born in the 1990s than in any other ten years, 26 in all.
Before the Georgians Georgian Victorian The 20th century Today 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 Barbara Castle Millie Bright Olave Baden-Powell Phil Taylor
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Known for What Chesterfield is known for No other field is as far above the usual share as business people, at 1.6 times.
Sports 144 people 73%1.5× usual Writing & Arts 14 people 7%below usual Politics & Law 9 people 5%below usual Film, TV & Stage 8 people 4%below usual Science & Medicine 7 people 4%below usual Business 6 people 3%1.6× usual Music 5 people 3%below usual Military 2 people 1%below usual Faith 1 person 1%below usual Notable 1 person 1%
Everyone Everyone else born in Chesterfield 194 more, best known first.
All · 194 Politics & Law · 9 Military · 2 Sports · 143 Music · 5 Film, TV & Stage · 7 Writing & Arts · 14 Science & Medicine · 6 Business · 6 Faith · 1 Notable · 1
Any time Before the Georgians · 5 Georgian · 6 Victorian · 32 The 20th century · 89 Today · 61
Matthew Lowton born 1989 English association football player (born 1989)
Phil Taylor 1954–2015 English rock drummer (1954–2015)
BC Barbara Castle 1910–2002 British politician (1910–2002)
FD Fred Davis 1913–1998 English snooker and billiards player (1913–1998)
Bob Wilson born 1941 Scotland footballer and broadcaster (born 1941)
Ernie Harper 1902–1979 British athlete (1902-1979)
JK Jeremy Kemp 1935–2019 English actor (1935–2019)
JL John Lukic born 1960 English footballer (born 1960)
Ben Barnicoat born 1996 British racing driver
Francis Frith 1822–1898 English photographer (1822–1898)
Liam Pitchford born 1993 British table tennis player
Rosamond McKitterick 1949–2026 British historian
Emma Miller 1839–1917 Union organizer, suffragist, founder of Australian Labour Party (1839-1917)
JS Jonathan Stokes 1755–1831 English physician and botanist (1755-1831)
SC Sam Cowan 1901–1964 English football player and manager (1901-1964)
Claire Price born 1972 British actress
Ian Blackwell born 1978 Cricketer
Mickey Simmonds born 1959 English keyboardist
Thom Latimer born 1986 British professional wrestler and actor
BK Barry Knight 1938–2025 English Test and County cricketer (born 1938)
Blair Dunlop born 1992 British actor and musician
DM David R. Marples born 1952 Canadian historian
Ernest Needham 1873–1936 English footballer (1873-1936)
Lee Rowley born 1980 British Conservative party politician (born 1980)
Richard Barry Parker 1867–1947 British architect (1867-1947)
TB Tommy Briggs 1923–1984 English footballer and manager (1923-1984)
Connor Dimaio born 1996 Footballer (born 1996)
Dan Bramble born 1990 English athlete specialising in the long jump
GM Geoff Miller born 1952 Cricket player of England. (born 1952)
IC Imogen Clark born 1999 British swimmer
Joseph Brotherton 1783–1857 English politician, minister and activist (1783–1857)
Kevan Hurst born 1985 British footballer (born 1985)
Matt Penney born 1998 English association football player (born 1998)
PW Peter Wright 1916–1995 English scientist and former MI5 intelligence officer (1916–1995)
BG Brian Greenhalgh born 1947 Footballer (born 1947)
Diego De Girolamo born 1995 Association football player (born 1995)
FD Frank Fraser Darling 1903–1979 British scientist
JB Jack Bannister born 1942 English footballer (born 1942)
JB Jim Bannister 1929–2007 English footballer (1929-2007)
Jo Guest born 1972 English former glamour model and media figure
JA Joel Armstrong born 1981 English footballer (born 1981)
Patience Wheatcroft, Baroness Wheatcroft born 1951 British newspaper editor
PC Paul Connerton 1940–2019 British sociologist
RA Robert Atkinson born 1998 English footballer (born 1998)
RE Roger James Elliott 1928–2018 British theoretical physicist (1928–2018)
TA Tony Arins born 1958 English footballer (born 1958)
Alan Cooke born 1966 British table tennis player
Alicia Barrett born 1998 British athlete
AB Arthur Bacon 1905–1942 English footballer (1905-1942)
BN Bob Newton born 1956 British footballer (born 1956)
CE Charles Evans 1866–1956 English cricketer (1866-1956)
CH Colin Heath born 1983 Footballer (born 1983)
CK Craig King born 1990 Scottish association football player (born 1990)
DC Des Collins 1923–2017 English footballer (1923-2017)
EW Ernie Wilkinson born 1947 Association football player (born 1947)
FB Fred Beedall 1911–1976 English footballer (1911-1976)
GD Gareth Davies born 1983 English footballer (born 1983)
GD Geoff Dey born 1964 British footballer (born 1964)
GC Glyn Chamberlain born 1958 English football manager (born 1958)
HD Harry Draper 1887–1965 Footballer (1887-1965)
JC Joe Cooper 1899–1959 British association football player (1899-1959)
JG Joe Greenhalgh born 1985 English cricketer (born 1985)
JC John Morton Clayton 1857–1938 1857-1938, English cricketer
JB Jonathan Batty born 1974 English cricketer (born 1974)
LH Laura Hill born 1976 British squash player
LF Lee Featherstone born 1983 English footballer (born 1983)
Lloyd Kerry born 1988 English association football player
MH Matthew Hall born 1981 English cricketer (born 1981)
RD Richard Dawson born 1960 English footballer (born 1960)
SC Steve Conroy 1956–2021 English footballer (born 1956)
Ted Mellors 1907–1946 English motorcycle racer (1907-1946)
TF Terry Forrestal 1948–2000 Actor and stuntman (1948-2000)
Thomas Gascoyne 1876–1917 Australia racing cyclist (1876–1917)
AG Alan Gofton born 1979 English cricketer (born 1979)
AP Andy Poole born 1960 British footballer (born 1960)
AC Arthur Collins 1882–1953 English footballer (1882-1953)
BS Ben Slater born 1991 English cricketer (born 1991)
BH Bess Heath born 2001 English cricketer
CB Charlie Bicknell 1905–1994 English footballer (1905-1994)
CD Charlie Dawes born 1995 English footballer (born 1995)
CB Chris Bettney born 1977 English footballer (born 1977)
DS David Short born 1934 English cricketer (born 1934)
DC Dene Cropper born 1983 English footballer (born 1983)
DW Dennis Wright 1919–1993 English footballer (1919-1993)
DL Deric Longden 1936–2013 British writer (1936–2013)
EM Edmund Maynard 1861–1931 English cricketer (1861-1931)
ED Elijah Dart 1880–1954 Association football player (1880-1954)
FD Felix Davis 1869–1950 Association football player (1869-1950)
GS Gary Simpson 1959–2023 English footballer (1959-2023)
GB George Bytheway 1908–1979 English professional footballer (1908-1979)
GG George Green 1880–1940 Cricketer (1880-1940)
HA Harry Adair born 1997 Cricketer (born 1997)
IT Isaac Tomlinson 1880–1970 English footballer (1880-1970)
John A. Pearson 1867–1940 British architect (1867-1940)
JH John Hickton born 1944 Footballer (born 1944)
JJ Johnny Johnston 1953–2008 English cricketer (1953-2008)
Jonno Davies born 1992 British actor
JW Joseph Wragg 1698–1751 Slave trader
Joshua Jebb 1793–1863 British army officer
MB Matthew Burrows 1855–1893 English County cricketer (1855-1893)
MH Max Hunt born 1999 English association football player
MW Mike Watterson 1942–2019 English promoter and snooker player
PC Peter Camm born 1980 English cricketer (born 1980)
Sennan Fielding born 1995 British racing driver
SH Stanley Holden 1886–1971 English cricketer (1886-1971)
TA Tamara Armoush born 1992 Jordanian athlete
AG Alfie Gleadall born 2000 Cricketer (born 2000)
AB Andrew Bridge born 1979 British basketball player
AH Andy Higginbottom born 1964 English footballer (born 1964)
Anthony Whitaker 1944–2014 New Zealand herpetologist (1944 – 2014)
BL Billy Linacre 1924–2010 Footballer (1924-2010)
BK Bob Keeton 1918–1996 English footballer (1918-1996)
Caleb Heathcote 1665–1721 American mayor (1665-1721)
CR Charles Rivington 1688–1742 British publisher (1688-1742)
CB Charlie Billington 1927–1985 English footballer (1927-1985)
CM Chris Marples born 1964 Footballer (born 1964)
DB Dan Bramall born 1998 English footballer
GS George Simpson 1876–1955 English footballer, born 1876
GA Georgia Adams born 1993 English cricketer
Gordon Brown 1885–1967 Australian politician (1885-1967)
GH Graham Harbey born 1964 English footballer (born 1964)
HH Harvey Hosein born 1996 Cricketer (born 1996)
HW Horace Wass 1903–1969 English footballer (1903-1969)
HS Howard Sherwin 1911–1997 English cricketer (1911-1997)
IW Ian Waring born 1963 English cricketer (born 1963)
JS Jack Shephard born 1997 English para-badminton player
Jamie Hewitt born 1968 English footballer (born 1968)
JL Jamie Lomas born 1977 English footballer (born 1977)
Joe Screen born 1972 British speedway rider
JF John Fretwell 1930–2017 British diplomat (1930-2017)
JW John L. Walters born 1953 English writer and composer
Joseph Beech 1867–1954 American Methodist missionary and educator
Mark Webber born 1970 English guitarist
NI Nigel Illingworth born 1960 Cricketer (born 1960)
RW Ronnie Welch born 1952 English footballer (born 1952)
RE Ross Etheridge born 1994 English association football player
SP Samuel Pegge 1704–1796 British antiquarian
SL Steve Ludlam born 1955 English footballer and manager (born 1955)
WB Wilfred Barks 1907–1968 English football player (1907-1968)
Winifred Kastner 1903–1987 (1903-1987) community leader and welfare worker
ZB Zak Brunt born 2001 Football player
AT Aidey Thorpe born 1963 Former English footballer (born 1963)
AM Arthur Machent 1910–1996 English footballer (1910-1996)
BJ Bill Jenkinson 1874–1960 English footballer (1877-1960)
BW Billy Whitaker 1923–1995 English professional footballer (1923-1995)
CK Chris Kerry born 1976 English footballer
DL Daniel Lightwing born 1988 British businessman and former mathlete
DH Dave Hancock 1945–1993 English weightlifter
DS David Staniforth born 1950 English footballer (born 1950)
DO Dick Oxtoby 1939–2020 Footballer (1939-2020)
EK Ellie Koyander born 1991 British freestyle skier
EW Ellie Watton born 1989 English field hockey player
ED Eric Frederic Drabble 1877–1933 Botanist (1887-1933)
EG Eric Goodwin 1929–2012 English footballer (1929-2012)
EH Ernest Harvey born 1883 Association football player
FS Frank Shufflebottom born 1917 English footballer (born 1917)
HJ Harold Jacklin 1897–1966 English footballer (1897-1966)
HS Harry Smith 1886–1955 English colliery manager and cricketer, born 1886
JW Janice Wainwright 1940–2023 British fashion designer (1940-2023)
JL Jonathan Lomas born 1968 English golfer
LR Luke Rawson born 2001 Association football player
Mark Shaw born 1961 British singer
ND Nicola Deaton born 1976 British table tennis player
PW Peter Wilkinson 1933–2014 British marathon runner
PT Phil Tingay born 1950 English professional footballer (born 1950)
RM Ross McMillan born 1987 English rugby union footballer
Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet 1652–1733 Lord Mayor of London (1652–1733)
SM Stan Machent 1921–2012 English footballer (1921-2012)
SC Syd Carter 1916–1978 Association football player (1916-1978)
TW Ted Wass 1910–1955 English footballer (1910-1955)
TP Terry Pashley born 1956 English footballer (born 1956)
TP Terry Poole born 1949 English footballer (born 1949)
TH Tom Hunt 1819–1858 English first-class cricketer (1819-1858)
WW W. R. Ward 1925–2010 British historian (1925-2010)
WB William Bond 1889–1917 English Royal Flying Corps officer (1889–1917)
AM Arthur Marbles 1878–1964 Association football player (1878-1964)
CH Clifford Herring 1913–1997 English footballer (1913-1997)
ES Edwin Swale 1899–1978 British flying ace (1899-1978)
FT Frank Thacker 1876–1949 (1876-1949)
HH Harry Hewitt 1919–2011 English footballer
HJ Harry Jessop born 2002 English footballer
JH James Hill born 1987 English television personality
JW Jason Windsor born 1972 English businessman and cricketer
JK Jessie Kirk 1877–1965 Canadian alderwoman
JF John Fawkes born 1933 English cricketer and British Army officer
JP John Partridge born 1962 English footballer
KB Katherine Bacon 1896–1982 English pianist
MB Martha Brotherton ?–1861 English cookbook writer (1782–1861)
RB Roy Botham 1923–2007 British swimmer
SD Stanley Dyson 1920–2007 British artist
TM Tom Marriott born 1998 Association football player
TT Tommy Tomlinson born 1887 English footballer
WW Wilf Whitfield 1916–1995 English footballer (1916-1995)
William Harvey (Bible Christian) 1787–1870 English industrialist and deacon (1787–1870)
No one matches both filters.
Show all 194 Next door Famous people from the towns next door Close by, Staveley counts 20 famous people, the most of its neighbours.
Questions about famous people from Chesterfield Who is the most famous person from Chesterfield? John Hurt (British actor (1940–2017)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 66 languages. Next come Olave Baden-Powell and Millie Bright.
How many famous people were born in Chesterfield? 197 people born in Chesterfield have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 231 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Chesterfield known for? Among its famous people, athletes: 144 of the 197. That is 73% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Chesterfield? Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet, born in 1652. The youngest on the list was born in 2002.
Who counts as from Chesterfield? People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Chesterfield’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) John Hurt: Walterlan Papetti, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Olave Baden-Powell: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Millie Bright: Ryan Asman, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Matthew Lowton: Ben Sutherland, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Phil Taylor: Andrew King, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Bob Wilson: Bob_Wilson_in_2009.jpg: Hilton Teper (hilton1949). The original uploader was Hilton1949 at English Wikipedia. derivative work: Ukexpat, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ernie Harper: Hallamshire Harriers and Athletic Club, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Ben Barnicoat: DriverDatabase1, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Francis Frith: Francis Frith, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Liam Pitchford: XIAOYU TANG, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Rosamond McKitterick: Werner Maleczek, CC BY-SA 3.0 de , Wikimedia Commons Emma Miller: Ausdrücklich als unbekannt benannter Fotograf; die Australische Nationalbibliothek führt die Fotografie als gemeinfreies Werk, an dem keinerlei Urheberrechte mehr bestehen., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Claire Price: ShaLT Project, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ian Blackwell: Mdcollins1984, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Mickey Simmonds: Progprince, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Thom Latimer: Miguel Discart Photos Vrac 2, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Blair Dunlop: Bryan Ledgard, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ernest Needham: Photographer unknown. Photo was taken in 1901 in the United Kingdom. For such photographs copyright under UK law is 70 years. Uploaded by Hawksworthm at en.wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Lee Rowley: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Richard Barry Parker: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Connor Dimaio: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Dan Bramble: АлексИзз, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Joseph Brotherton: Print made by: Maclure, Macdonald & Macgregor Published by: Thomas Collins, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Kevan Hurst: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Matt Penney: Kivo, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Diego De Girolamo: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Jo Guest: Stuart Chalmers from Aberdeen, Scotland, https://www.flickr.com/gertcha, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Patience Wheatcroft, Baroness Wheatcroft: ©House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Alan Cooke: XIAOYU TANG, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Alicia Barrett: Bearas, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Lloyd Kerry: Jonesy702, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ted Mellors: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Thomas Gascoyne: Jules Beau, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons John A. Pearson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Jonno Davies: Kevin Payravi, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Joshua Jebb: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Sennan Fielding: BrokenGearbox, CC BY 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Anthony Whitaker: New Zealand Government, Office of the Governor-General, CC BY 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Caleb Heathcote: Scan by NYPL, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Gordon Brown: Sidney Riley, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Jamie Hewitt: Jonesy702, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Joe Screen: Wacław Troszka, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Joseph Beech: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Mark Webber: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Winifred Kastner: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Mark Shaw: Andwhatsnext, aka Nancy J Price - http://andwhatsnext.com/bands, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Sir Gilbert Heathcote, 1st Baronet: Creator:Hans Hysing, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons William Harvey (Bible Christian): Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Chris Spedding: Jean-Luc, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Gary Cahill: Кирилл Венедиктов, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Dennis Skinner: Robin Hood, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Paul West: Liz Butler, CC0 , Wikimedia Commons John Lowe: Jonesy702, CC BY-SA 3.0 , 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.
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