#1Sports
Alex Ferguson
born 1941Scottish association football manager and former player (born 1941)
113 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Glasgow, Glasgow City
Glasgow, birthplace of Alex Ferguson and 3,719 more famous people
Articles about Alex Ferguson exist in 113 languages. The largest group, 1,823, was born in the 20th century. The list is still growing: 767 were born since 1970. The earliest on the list is William Elphinstone, born in 1431, and the youngest Mitchell Lawrie, born in 2010.
Born here
3,720
notable people
Best known
Alex Ferguson
in 113 Wikipedia languages
First
1431
William Elphinstone
Youngest
2010
Mitchell Lawrie
Most common field
Sports
1,977 people
What stands out about Glasgow’s famous people
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Glasgow
Two of the three are athletes.
#1
#2Science & Medicine
William Ramsay
1852–1916Scottish chemist (1852–1916)
93 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Through the years
When Glasgow’s famous people were born
Births peak in the 1950s, with 357 people born in that decade.
SportsPolitics & LawWriting & ArtsFilm, TV & StageScience & MedicineMusicMilitaryBusinessNotableFaith
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born. The 400 best known are plotted.
Known for
What Glasgow is known for
Share of Glasgow’s famous people in each field.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Glasgow
3,717 more; the 197 best known are listed here.
John A. Macdonald
1815–18911st prime minister of Canada from 1867 to 1873 and 1878 to 1891
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Alexander Todd
1907–1997British biochemist and Nobel laureate (1907-1997)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Henry Campbell-Bannerman
1836–1908British Prime Minister from 1905 to 1908 (1836–1908)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
1868–1928Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist (1868-1928)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Donald Dewar
1937–2000Scottish politician, 1st First Minister of Scotland (in office from 1999 to 2000)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Jo Swinson
born 1980British politician and leader of the Liberal Democrats (born 1980)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Eric Woolfson
1945–2009Scottish songwriter, lyricist, vocalist, executive producer, pianist (1945–2009)
MusicWikipedia ↗
Lynne Ramsay
born 1969Scottish film director, writer, producer, and cinematographer (born 1969)
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Sir William Hamilton, 9th Baronet
1788–1856Scottish metaphysician (1788-1856)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Steve Archibald
born 1956Scottish association football player and manager (born 1956)
SportsWikipedia ↗
Grant Morrison
born 1960Scottish comic book writer and playwright (born 1960)
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
John Maclean
1879–1923Scottish schoolteacher and revolutionary socialist (1879-1923)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Alexander King
1909–2007British chemist and environmentalist (1909-2007)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws
born 1950Politician, lawyer, activist, author
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
William Mitchell Ramsay
1851–1939Scottish archaeologist and New Testament scholar (1851-1939)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Robert Stevenson
1772–1850Civil engineer and lighthouse designer (1772-1850)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Rutherglen leads the towns around it, with 95 names.
Questions about famous people from Glasgow
Who is the most famous person from Glasgow?
Alex Ferguson (Scottish association football manager and former player (born 1941)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 113 languages. Next come William Ramsay and Andy Murray.
How many famous people were born in Glasgow?
3,720 people born in Glasgow have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 4,147 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Glasgow known for?
Among its famous people, athletes: 1,977 of the 3,720. That is 53% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Glasgow?
William Elphinstone, born in 1431. The youngest on the list was born in 2010.
Who counts as from Glasgow?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Glasgow’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 (171)
- Alex Ferguson: Austin Osuide, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Ramsay: Elliott & Fry, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Andy Murray: Brendan Dennis, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Deborah Kerr: Allan warren, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Angus Young: MATT BECKER, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James McAvoy: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Billy Connolly: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James George Frazer: Contemporary photograph, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John A. Macdonald: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alexander Todd: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kenny Dalglish: Saw from Singapore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mark Knopfler: Sebastien.gross, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Moyes: Toffee TV, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Campbell-Bannerman: George Charles Beresford, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- R. D. Laing: No machine-readable author provided. Profero assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Andy Robertson: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Arthur Henderson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Rennie Mackintosh: James Craig Annan, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Peter Capaldi: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Carlyle: rach, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Malcolm Young: Pandemonium73, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kelly Macdonald: KellyMacdonaldOct07.jpg: Mark Rabinowitz at http://www.rabbireport.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alasdair MacIntyre: Sean O'Connor, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Billy Boyd: Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David McCallum: Angela George, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Niall Ferguson: Fronteiras do Pensamento, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James McCarthy: Chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John McGinn: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lewis Capaldi: Harald Krichel, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Graham: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Donovan: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alistair MacLean: Clayton Evans, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Craig Ferguson: Rachel Lovinger, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Carol Ann Duffy: walnut whippet from Hull, UK, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Stirling: Gorup de Besanez, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alex McLeish: Chris, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Barrowman: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alan Hutton: Allison Pasciuto from New York, USA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alasdair Gray: Günter Prust, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jo Swinson: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Marshall: Анна Джалалян, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Laura Fraser: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQrJgMBT1_JJTkTgmiBo5Zw Mooobys], CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Archibald Leitch: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Callum McGregor: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Maggie Reilly: Sven Mandel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mortimer Wheeler: User:Midnightblueowl, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nathan Patterson: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rory McCann: Claire Firkins, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Lipton: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Aaron Hickey: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ray Park: Gordon Tarpley at https://www.flickr.com/photos/gordontarpley/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Snodgrass: Анна Джалалян, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Allan Pinkerton: Brady's National photographic Galleries, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jack Hendry: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James McFadden: General Synopsis, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jimmy Somerville: Andrew D. Hurley, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Wark: Steinar Holen, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stephen Maguire: DerHexer, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stevie Young: TheACDCDoctor, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tommy Flanagan: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Macintosh: John Graham Gilbert, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Campbell: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Tommy Docherty: @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) London from London, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Duncan Scott: KaneLSmith, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James McArthur: Alasdair Middleton from Rothesay, Scotland, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lawrence Shankland: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tony Curran: Ronald Woan, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alan McManus: DerHexer, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Knopfler: Rs-foto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gary McKinnon: en:User:Wilsha, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Graham McTavish: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sean Biggerstaff: German Film & Comic Con, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Graeme Sharp: Everton Football Club, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Graham Dorrans: Jameboy, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Iain De Caestecker: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lonnie Donegan: Cashbox, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Lynne Ramsay: Dublin International Film Festival, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ray Houghton: Ben Sutherland, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Collum: Biser Todorov, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Armando Iannucci: Chatham House, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bert Jansch: Chris Barber from Dartford, England, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Douglas Alexander: ©House of Commons / Laurie Noble, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Freya Mavor: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George Young: Eric Koch for Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Khalid Abdalla: Raafat Gadelrab, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Phyllida Law: Caroline Bonarde Ucci at https://www.flickr.com/photos/caroline_bonarde/, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Andy Gray: Phil Guest from Bournemouth, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Douglas Stuart: librairie mollat, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Grant Morrison: PDH, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jackie McNamara: https://www.flickr.com/photos/shellewill79/, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Kelman: librairie mollat, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Fleck: Анна Джалалян, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Menzies Campbell: Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Martin: SouthbankSteve, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tom Boyd: https://www.flickr.com/photos/34517490@N00/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bobby Collins: Harry Pot / Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kevin Macdonald: che (Please credit as "Petr Novák, Wikipedia" in case you use this outside Wikimedia projects.), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michelle Gomez: Amy Martin Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Adrienne Corri: Trailer for "Vampire Circus" (1972), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Anthony McGill: Benutzer:Bill da Flute, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charlie Mulgrew: Анна Джалалян, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edwin Morgan: Alex Boyd, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ikechi Anya: Franziska, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jim Kerr: Sven Mandel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Liam Kelly: Bryan Berlin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mo Johnston: OBender12, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alyn Smith: David Woolfall, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bertie Auld: Joop van Bilsen for Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Danny McGrain: Graham, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Douglas Henshall: Bella Caledonia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gary Lewis: Manfred Werner / Tsui, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jimmy McGrory: Невідомо, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Moore: Thomas Lawrence, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Katherine Grainger: Bill, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Marion Chesney: David Shankbone, CC BY 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Nikki Cross: Miguel Discart, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Oliver Knussen: 17.IX - Orchestra Mozart, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Philippa York: Eric HOUDAS, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Simon Donnelly: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Belle Moore: Quigs1969, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Callum Skinner: Nicola, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Darren Ferguson: Jon Candy, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Wordie: Frank Hurley, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Johann Hari: Daveharry6, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Maclean: Hulton Archive, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Johnny Russell: Анна Джалалян, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Milind Soman: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Paddy Crerand: Sleepyhead2, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Peter May (writer): Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Polly Higgins: You and I Films, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Arthur Whitten Brown: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Barry Douglas: Roger Gor, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Benjamin Creme: Meryl Tihanyi, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Forsyth: Martin Burns, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Paterson: S Pakhrin, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Daniel Portman: Rogi Lensing, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fergus Suter: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jen Beattie: jamesboyes, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Beazley: "Prof. Alfieri" (presumably Nereo Alfieri), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Scott Russell: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Philip Tartaglia: PaulVIF, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Primrose: The original uploader was Bottesini at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alexander King: Rob Croes for Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Andrew Forsyth: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Christopher Dresser: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Colin Marshall: Cj Marsh, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Frank McLintock: Wonker, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws: ©House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Paul Young: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kevin Nisbet: Timmy96, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Mitchell Ramsay: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Angus Groom: National Lottery Good Causes, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bobby Evans: Wim van Rossem for Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Craig Beattie: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Emily Maguire: Bill, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George Ramsay: Alfred Gibson and William Pickford, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Gerry Gray: Major Indoor Soccer League, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Isobel Campbell: "marco annunziata", CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jimmy Barnes: Eva Rinaldi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lauren Lyle: JackieM8, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Maggie Bell: Fotopersbureau De Boer, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Jamieson: Scottish Government, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mikey Johnston: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Stevenson: John Syme, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ross McCormack: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bensutherland/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Steve Kean: Matt Gilluley, MAJ Media, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Robbie Coltrane: clogdancer, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Midge Ure: Sven Mandel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Amy Macdonald: Harald Krichel, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David J. Thouless: Mary Levin, CC BY-SA 4.0, 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.