#1Writing & Arts
Herbert Spencer
1820–1903English philosopher and political theorist (1820–1903)
120 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Derby, Derbyshire
More famous people were born in Derby than in any other town in Derbyshire: 468
Articles in 120 languages make the English philosopher and political theorist Herbert Spencer the best known. Ministers and preachers are unusually common here: 13, 1.6 times the usual share. 160 of them were born in the 20th century, more than in any other period. The list runs from Joan Waste, born in 1534, to George Hemmings, born in 2007.
Born here
468
notable people
Best known
Herbert Spencer
in 120 Wikipedia languages
First
1534
Joan Waste
Youngest
2007
George Hemmings
Most common field
Sports
258 people
What stands out about Derby’s famous people
Known worldwideRead in 120 languages, Herbert Spencer is known far beyond the town.A town of ministers and preachersMinisters and preachers make up 13 of the 468, 1.6 times the usual share.Still making namesThe most recent birth on the list came in 2007, among 198 since 1950.468 notable peopleMore than most towns: 468 notable people were born in Derby.
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Derby
Two of the three are writers and artists.
#1
#2Science & Medicine
Richard Roberts
born 1943English biochemist and molecular biologist
46 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Writing & Arts
Joseph Wright of Derby
1734–179718th-century British painter (1734–1797)
44 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for
What Derby is known for
The field furthest above the usual share is ministers and preachers, at 1.6 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
Through the years
When Derby’s famous people were born
No decade has more births than the 1980s, at 56.
SportsWriting & ArtsFilm, TV & StagePolitics & LawScience & MedicineMusicFaithBusinessMilitaryNotable
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born. The 400 best known are plotted.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Derby
465 more; the 197 best known are listed here.
John Atkinson Hobson
1858–1940English economist, social scientist and critic of imperialism (1858-1940)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
William de Wiveleslie Abney
1843–1920British astronomer, chemist and photographer (1843–1920)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Ernest Townsend
1880–1944Painter who worked in Derby and did camouflage during WWII (1880-1944)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
John Cotton
1585–1652English minister, theologian, immigrant to Massachusetts (1585-1652)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Dafydd Wigley
born 1943Welsh politician; former MP, Assembly Member and leader of Plaid Cymru (born 1943)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Jack Robinson
1870–1931British association football player and baseball player (1870-1931)
SportsWikipedia ↗
John Raphael Smith
1752–1812English painter and mezzotint engraver; (1752-1812)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Albert Stanley, 1st Baron Ashfield
1874–1948British-American businessman and politician (1874–1948)
BusinessWikipedia ↗
Eric Malpass
1910–1996B. in Derby in 1910, novelist depicting details of life in rural England; lived near Nottingham till his death in 1996
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Alleyne FitzHerbert, 1st Baron St Helens
1753–1839Irish politician (1753-1839)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Preet Chandi
born 1989British army officer who became the first woman of colour to complete a solo expedition to reach the South Pole
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
Terry Lloyd
1952–2003English television journalist who reported extensively from the Middle East (1952-2003)
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Charles Fox
1810–1874British civil engineer and railway contractor (1810-1874)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
William George Constable
1887–1976Art historian and gallery director (1887–1976)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
William Hutton
1723–1815English poet and historian of Birmingham; (1723-1815)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
William Ward
1769–1823English pioneer Baptist missionary, author, printer and translator
FaithWikipedia ↗
Dean Milwain
born 1986British swimmer, Olympic athlete, Commonwealth Games gold medallist
SportsWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The longest list nearby is Melbourne’s, with 9.
Melbourne · 6 miThomas Cook & 8 moreLPBreaston and Draycott · 6 miLawrence Plackett & 7 more
Aston-on-Trent · 5 miFrank Forman & 4 moreDSMakeney · 5 miDavid Skinner & 4 moreRORepton · 6 miRussell Osman & 2 moreJWWillington · 5 miJohn Wetton & 1 moreDBWest Hallam · 6 miDennis Booth & 1 moreJHLittle Eaton · 4 miJohn HopeQuestions about famous people from Derby
Who is the most famous person from Derby?
Herbert Spencer (English philosopher and political theorist (1820–1903)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 120 languages. Next come Richard Roberts and Joseph Wright of Derby.
How many famous people were born in Derby?
468 people born in Derby have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 537 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Derby known for?
Among its famous people, athletes: 258 of the 468. That is 55% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Derby?
Joan Waste, born in 1534. The youngest on the list was born in 2007.
Who counts as from Derby?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Derby’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 (102)
- Herbert Spencer: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Roberts: paloma.cl, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Wright of Derby: Joseph Wright of Derby, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alan Bates: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jack O'Connell: Colleen Sturtevant, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jamaal Lascelles: james cumberpatch, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Atkinson Hobson: Elliott & Fry, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Reg Parnell: Daan Noske / Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mark Hateley: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jordon Mutch: Will Viles / Will bcfc at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lee Camp: en:user:TuborgLight, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stephy Mavididi: joshjdss, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lauren Socha: Lauren_Socha_and_Iwan_Rheon_01.jpg: KiloTwo derivative work: RanZag, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Maximilian Sciandri: Eric HOUDAS, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Geoff Hoon: R. D. Ward, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Mawe: James Sowerby for John Mawe uploaded by Victuallers, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edward Blore: Georg Koberwein (1820–1876), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jessica Garlick: D & L Photography (photographer: Dawn Wain), CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Horace Bailey: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Socha: katmtan, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nathan Doyle: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alfred Edward Goodey: emoployee of WWWinter, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ben Osborn: Nottingham Forest F.C., CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ernest Townsend: Ernest Townsend, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Riggott: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Frost: ©House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Emil Bohinen: Антон Зайцев, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Cotton: Painted by John Smibert (1688-1751) c. 1735; engraved by Smith, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kevin Coyne: Jean-Luc, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ernest William Hobson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jay Clarke: si.robi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nikki Brammeier: Jérémy-Günther-Heinz Jähnick, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Constance Fox Talbot: William Henry Fox Talbot, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Emilie Bragstad: Stein Langørgen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lee Williamson: The original uploader was Djdannyp at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nina Salaman: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Dafydd Wigley: Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament from Wales, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George Simpson: Herbert Ponting, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jack Robinson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jake Kean: RoverTheBendInSussex, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Bagshaw: Bagshaw family, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Raphael Smith: John Raphael Smith, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Melissa Reid: Wojciech Migda (wmigda), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Andy Todd: TuborgLight, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Williamson: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Albert Stanley, 1st Baron Ashfield: William Orpen, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bobby Hassell: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joncandy/, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edith Yorke: Thomas Ince Productions / Associated Producers Inc., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Frank Conroy: Stage Publishing Company, Inc.; photograph by Alfredo Valente, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Freda Bedi: Ranga Bedi, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jessica Turner: Pit1233, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jonathan Joseph: Charlie from UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kevin Cooper: Jon Candy, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sarah Glenn: Bahnfrend, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tony Franklin: Fender España, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Walter Weston: No machine-readable author provided. Historian~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Edwin Hatch: Photograph, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ian Harkes: Fort George G. Meade Public Affairs Office, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ross Atkins: Jonesy702, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Samuel Ward: Joseph Wright of Derby, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alleyne FitzHerbert, 1st Baron St Helens: William Ward, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Dominic Burns: NinjaPaddy, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Josh Lillis: Joe Vitale 5, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Knowles: Rob enwiki (Robert Weedon), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Steve Elliott: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Steve Powell: Ksdhindsa, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Will Jefferson: Rob Mack. Uploader was Kroome111 at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alessi Rose: AndrewGarfieldIsTheBestSpiderMan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Fox: Unknown authorUnknown author [Artist was the sitter's wife - Mary Fox], Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Beardsley: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lcfcian1/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Danny Robinson: Myfriendscallmej, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Bamberg: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Deborah Bull: Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jack Graham: Thebees1889, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Cooper: Original: Jan Voets for Anefo / Derivative work: Danyele, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Groves: Egghead06, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rufus Brevett: Timmy96, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tom Leigh: Thebees1889, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Bemrose: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William George Constable: Doncooke2, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Hutton: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alice Wheeldon: Unknown photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Holme: Philip Alexius de László (1869–1937), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Palmer: ChrisTheDude, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Valentine Wistar Shaw: Elliott & Fry, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Liam Sharp: Qwertzu111111, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Louis Greatorex: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mike Wedgwood: British Talent Managers, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Millie Tomlinson: Dacoucou, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Phil Robson: Ecrouchbst, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stuart Gulliver: World Economic Forum, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tom Johnson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Tracie Young: Tracie Young, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Ward: Samuel Freeman, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Akil Wright: Bill Wheatcroft, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alfred Seale Haslam: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Anne Fitzpatrick: Joshua Reynolds, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chantelle Reid: Nthn Creative, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Edward Hudson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Smith: Stew jones, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Cook: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Frank Forman: 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.