#1Military
Robert Falcon Scott
1868–1912Royal Navy officer and explorer (1868–1912)
82 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Plymouth, Devon
Of the 565 famous people born in Plymouth, an unusual share are soldiers and sailors
Robert Falcon Scott, the Royal Navy officer and explorer, is the most widely known, written about in 82 languages. Second and third on the list are Joshua Reynolds and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. The largest group, 201, was born in the 20th century. Among the 83 towns in Devon with anyone listed, none has more.
Born here
565
notable people
Best known
Robert Falcon Scott
in 82 Wikipedia languages
First
1532
John Hawkins
Youngest
2003
Greg Fisilau
Most common field
Sports
199 people
What stands out about Plymouth’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Plymouth is known for
Plymouth has 3.1× the usual share of soldiers and sailors.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
The best known
Born in Plymouth
Counted by languages, Robert Falcon Scott is ahead of Joshua Reynolds and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley: 82, 70 and 52.
#1
#2
#3Film, TV & Stage
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
born 1987British model (born 1987)
52 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years
When Plymouth’s famous people were born
Births peak in the 1980s, with 50 people born in that decade.
SportsWriting & ArtsMilitaryScience & MedicinePolitics & LawFilm, TV & StageMusicNotableFaithBusiness
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born. The 400 best known are plotted.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Plymouth
562 more; the 197 best known are listed here.
William Bligh
1754–1817Officer of the British Royal Navy and colonial administrator (1754-1817)
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
John Hawkins
1532–1595English navigator, admiral, privateer and slave trader (1532-1595)
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
William Elford Leach
1790–1836English zoologist and marine biologist (1790/1–1836)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Donald Winnicott
1896–1971British pediatric psychiatrist and psychoanalyst (1896–1971)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Guy Burgess
1911–1963British-born radio producer, intelligence and Foreign Office officer and double agent
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Benjamin Haydon
1786–1846English painter, specialising in grand historical pictures (1786-1846)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Charles Lock Eastlake
1793–1865English painter, gallery director, collector and writer (1793-1865)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
David McKee
1918–2022British children's book author and illustrator (1935–2022)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Ralph Alger Bagnold
1896–1990English 20th-century desert explorer, geologist and soldier
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
John Chard
1847–1897British military officer (1847–1897); recipient of the Victoria Cross
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
Lewis Pugh
born 1969British-South African environmental campaigner, maritime lawyer and endurance swimmer
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Cora Pearl
1835–1886English courtesan who became famous in the Second French Empire
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
George William Foote
1850–1915British secularist and journal editor (1850-1915)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Emily Cumming Harris
1837–1925New Zealand teacher and artist (1837-1925)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
George Griffith
1857–1906British science fiction writer and explorer (1857–1906)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Henry Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden
1841–1906Governor of New South Wales (1841-1906)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Joseph Mortimer Granville
1833–1900English doctor, author, and inventor (1833–1900)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Edward Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans
1798–1877British politician and diplomat (1798-1877)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Frederick Webb Hodge
1864–1956Anthropologist, archaeologist, historian (1864-1956)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
John Macarthur
1767–1834British army officer, entrepreneur, politician, architect and pioneer in Australia (1767-1834)
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
Mary Acworth Orr Evershed
1867–1949British astronomer, Dante scholar and plant collector
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Henry Fanshawe Tozer
1829–1916English writer, teacher, and traveller (1829–1916)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Kevin Foster
born 1978British Conservative Party politician, MP for Torbay since 2015
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Luke Pollard
born 1980British politician, Labour Party MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, elected June 2017
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet
1784–1854English colonial official, Governor of Bombay (1784-1854)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Benjamin Wills Newton
1807–1899English evangelist and author, influential in the Plymouth Brethren (1807-1899)
FaithWikipedia ↗
George Samuel Jenman
1845–1902English botanist, gardener and photographer in Jamaica and Guyana (1845-1902)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
J. C. Squire
1884–1958British poet, writer, historian, and literary editor (1884-1958)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
James Colnett
1753–1806British Royal Navy officer, an explorer, and maritime fur trader
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
Marrack Goulding
1936–2010British diplomat, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Michael O'Brien
1948–2015English historian of the American South (1948–2015)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Emily Frost Phipps
1865–1943Educator and women's suffrage activist (1865-1943)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Florence Given
born 1998British artist, author, businesswoman and social activist
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
James Dickson
1832–1901Australian politician and businessman, Premier of Queensland (1832–1901)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Linnaeus Tripe
1822–1902British photographer, active in India and Burma in the 1850s. (1822–1902)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Maria Foote
1797–1867English actress and peeress in the nineteenth century
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Stuart Rendel, 1st Baron Rendel
1834–1913British Baron and politician (1834-1913)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Nearby, Saltash has the most on record, with 15.
Questions about famous people from Plymouth
Who is the most famous person from Plymouth?
Robert Falcon Scott (Royal Navy officer and explorer (1868–1912)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 82 languages. Next come Joshua Reynolds and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
How many famous people were born in Plymouth?
565 people born in Plymouth have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 630 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Plymouth known for?
Among its famous people, athletes: 199 of the 565. That is 35% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Plymouth?
John Hawkins, born in 1532. The youngest on the list was born in 2003.
Who counts as from Plymouth?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Plymouth’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 (123)
- Robert Falcon Scott: Henry Maull (1829–1914) and John Fox (1832–1907), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Joshua Reynolds: Joshua Reynolds, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Rosie Huntington-Whiteley: LucaFazPhoto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tom Daley: Jim Thurston, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Bligh: Alexander Huey, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Trevor Francis: Original: Hans van Dijk for Anefo Derivative work: Danyele, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Hawkins: English School / Unidentified painter, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Foot: Marcel Antonisse / Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Angela Mortimer: davidhc, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Guy Burgess: United Press International, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- David Owen: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lobsang Rampa: Katrin Heisser, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tobias Furneaux: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- May Sutton: Bain News Service, publisher, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Glanvill: William Faithorne, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Walker Arnold: Iqbal Academy, Pakistan, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- David Cross: roberto scorta, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Donald Moffat: Photo Division, CBS Television Network Press Information, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hugh Foot, Baron Caradon: Maurice Flesier, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Benjamin Haydon: Benjamin Haydon, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Lock Eastlake: Daniel Huntington, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- David McKee: Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joe Mason: https://www.flickr.com/photos/joncandy, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sean Morrison: Jon Candy from Cardiff, Wales, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Rogers: Dorothy Ross Associates, New York, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Greene: Uncredited, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Donald Sinden: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Oliver Bleddyn: Diethard.Vlaeminck, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Barbara Jefford: Rob Hillier, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James Northcote: James Northcote, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Chard: photographer not identified, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jonathan Tiernan-Locke: Sandy Auston, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George Bennett: John Tangelder Gorus, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Grant Gee: Elena Ternovaja, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lewis Pugh: Tessa Graham, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mortimer Collins: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James Musa: Hayden Schiff from Cincinnati, USA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Henry White: Unknown authorUnknown author (unattributed), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Christopher Condent: Geo. S. Harris and Sons / Allen & Ginter, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Cora Pearl: Original photograph by André-Adolphe-Eugène Disdéri, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Emily Barclay: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Freddy Carter: © Ra Boe / Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Frederic John Walker: Claude Henry Parnall, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George William Foote: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Seymour: Schmid, Renate, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, Wikimedia Commons
- Sharron Davies: Pebble Bay Entertainment, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Jessop: The original uploader was RobHist.46 at English Wikipedia. Other information William Jessop Chief Civil Engineer worked on the Grand Canal in Dublin Ireland. He was there from the early days of the c…, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sarah Barrow: Paul Hardy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Emily Cumming Harris: Siobhan Leachman, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- George Griffith: Unknown authorUnknown author, not stated in the book, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Brand, 2nd Viscount Hampden: engraving drawn by Percy F. Spence (1868-1933), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Mortimer Granville: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Lewis Gregory: Harrias, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rowena Mary Bruce: Wim van Rossem for Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Slade: Stefano Delfrate, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jamie Lawson: vagueonthehow, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nicky Law: Jim Easton from Bathgate, Scotland, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Stephen Hawker: Richard Budd, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Thurstan Shaw: John Atherton, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Zahra Ahmadi: Mateusz Malta, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Angela Rippon: Number 10, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ben Tozer: EchetusXe, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Desmond MacCarthy: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edmund Lockyer: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edward Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Gille de Vlieg: Gille de Vlieg, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hubert Rance: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jacob Bryant: Engravers Ridley and Blood, after J. Bearblock, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jemma Rose: Zider red, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jemma Simpson: André Zehetbauer, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Macarthur: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Keith Rowe: Susanna Bolle through Non Event, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lynda Shepherd: Anders Henrikson, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ryan Leonard: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Walter Fitzgerald: Bill Doll, NY (Michael Todd Company), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bob Chilcott: VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bob Weston: P metalady, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Lawrence: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Elizabeth Johnson: Samuel William Reynolds (1773–1835), after Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723–1792), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Emma Gifford: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Fanshawe Tozer: Hills & Saunders, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kevin Foster: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Luke Pollard: ©House of Commons / photography by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Adam Randell: Timmy96, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Benjamin Wills Newton: Pgkfleming, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- David King: filip bossuyt from Kortrijk, Belgium, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Lewis: D. Kent Yates, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ella Sykes: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- J. C. Squire: not stated, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Malcolm Le Grice: Oona Mosna, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Marrack Goulding: Linda Hess Miller, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mecia Simson: Raboe001, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Wotton: Alan Head, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alex Meechan: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beryl Davis: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Corinna Lawrence: Marie-Lan Nguyen, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Emily Frost Phipps: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Erin Kennedy: Rowingfan09238, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Helen E. Roy: Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU 2024 from Belgium, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Isaac Foot: Agence Rol. Agence photographique (commanditaire), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James Dickson: Poul C. Poulsen, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jamie Waite: Jaywaite, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Skinner Prout: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Linnaeus Tripe: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Maria Foote: Cooper, Robert, fl. 1795-1836, printmaker, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Matthew Dixon: Ivasykus, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Osmond Brock: Francis Dodd, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Godfrey Rivers: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- River Allen: David Sivyer from United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Simon Jupp: David Woolfall, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Simon Stevenson: Sven Mandel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Solomon Hart: Solomon Hart, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Stuart Rendel, 1st Baron Rendel: Image by uncredited artist., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sydney Curnow Vosper: Sydney Curnow Vosper, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Walter Stradling: unknown (Artcraft Pictures Corporation), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Will James: Léna, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Luke Summerfield: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Langdon Down: Sydney Hodges, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sheryll Murray: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Ball Barratt: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Antony Jinman: Markrglover, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Beale: Charles John Robertson (born 1779?), 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.