Born here
209
notable people
Best known
Ian McKellen
in 91 Wikipedia languages
Youngest
2004
Danial Ibrahim
Most common field
Sports
128 people
What stands out about Burnley’s famous people ★ What stands out · The best known Born in Burnley Two of the three are athletes.
#1 Film, TV & Stage Ian McKellen born 1939 British actor (born 1939)
#2 Sports Jay Rodriguez born 1989 English association football player (born 1989)
#3 Sports Harvey Barnes born 1997 English association football player (born 1997)
Through the years When Burnley’s famous people were born Births peak in the 1980s, with 24 people born in that decade.
Before the Georgians Georgian Victorian The 20th century Today 1700 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 Alfred Tysoe Jay Rodriguez
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Known for What Burnley is known for Share of Burnley’s famous people in each field.
Sports 128 people 61%about usual Film, TV & Stage 22 people 11%about usual Politics & Law 16 people 8%about usual Writing & Arts 13 people 6%below usual Science & Medicine 12 people 6%about usual Notable 6 people 3% Music 4 people 2%below usual Military 4 people 2%below usual Business 3 people 1%about usual Faith 1 person 0%below usual
Everyone Everyone else born in Burnley 206 more; the 197 best known are listed here.
All · 197 Politics & Law · 16 Military · 4 Sports · 122 Music · 4 Film, TV & Stage · 21 Writing & Arts · 12 Science & Medicine · 9 Business · 3 Faith · 1 Notable · 5
Any time Before the Georgians · 2 Georgian · 2 Victorian · 42 The 20th century · 79 Today · 69
Oliver Norwood born 1991 Northern Irish footballer (born 1991)
AT Alfred Tysoe 1874–1901 British athlete (1874-1901)
James Anderson born 1982 English cricketer
LI Lee Ingleby born 1976 British actor
Sophie Hitchon born 1991 British hammer thrower
Steven Burke born 1988 English cyclist
Lucien Laviscount born 1992 British actor
Rachel Brown born 1980 English footballer (born 1980)
J. Pat O'Malley 1904–1985 English actor (1904-1985)
Adnan Ahmed born 1984 Association footballer
Neil Hodgson born 1973 English motorcycle racer
Edwin Southern born 1938 English molecular biologist
DW David Waddington, Baron Waddington 1929–2017 British politician (1929-2017)
Paul Abbott born 1960 English writer and producer
Ross Sykes born 1999 English association football player
Daniel McBreen born 1977 Association football player
Jean-Luc Baker born 1993 American ice dancer
Jimmy Crabtree 1871–1908 English footballer (1871-1908)
Liam Grimshaw born 1995 British association football player (born 1995)
Margaret Hartley 1906–1964 British artistic gymnast (1906-1964)
HB Harry Bradshaw 1854–1924 English football manager (1854-1924)
Stephen Booth born 1952 British crime author and journalist
Bobby Elliott born 1941 British musician
Harry Dean 1884–1957 Cricket player of England. (1884-1957)
Phil Willis, Baron Willis of Knaresborough born 1941 British politician (born 1941)
Ryan Fulton born 1996 Scottish-English association football player (born 1996)
Betty Snowball 1908–1988 British international player of cricket, squash and lacrosse (1908-1988)
BB Billy Bannister 1879–1942 English footballer (1879-1942)
Christian Wakeford born 1984 British politician
FB Frank Bailey 1907–1969 English footballer (1907-1969)
PA Philip Ashworth born 1953 English footballer (born 1953)
VP Vic Pollard born 1945 New Zealand association footballer
DT Dom Telford born 1996 English association football player (born 1996)
JH Judith Hart 1924–1991 British politician (1924-1991)
KA Ken Ashbridge 1916–2002 English footballer (1916-2002)
NG Natalie Gumede born 1984 British actress
Richie Baker born 1987 Footballer (born 1987)
TA Tom Anderson born 1993 English footballer (born 1993)
Wajid Khan born 1979 British politician (born 1979)
Adnan Hussain born 1989 British independent politician and solicitor, Member of Parliament (MP) for Blackburn since 2024 and is a founding member of the Independent Alliance
AB Alice Barry born 1946 British actress
Andrew Lewer born 1971 British politician (born 1971)
AB Arthur Bell 1882–1923 English footballer (1882-1923)
BB Brian Bromley 1946–2012 English footballer (1946-2012)
CC Chris Casper born 1975 English footballer (born 1975)
David Readman born 1970 British singer (born 1970)
DW David Wilson born 1969 English footballer and manager born in 1969
EB Ernest Butcher 1885–1965 British actor (1885-1965)
Fabian Coulthard born 1982 New Zealand racing driver
HC Harry Clegg born 1898 English footballer (1898-?)
Joe Davis born 1993 English association football player
Julie Cooper born 1960 British politician (born 1960)
AC Albert Cheesebrough 1935–2020 English footballer (born 1935)
AS Albert Smith 1887–1929 British association football player (1887-1929)
BM Ben McKenna born 1993 English footballer (born 1993)
Christopher Anderson born 1990 English professional footballer (born 1990)
Daniel Barritt born 1980 English rally co-driver
DB David Brown born 1982 English cricketer, born 1982
DL Des Lancaster 1937–2000 English footballer (1937-2000)
Harry Davis born 1991 English association football player
HL Herbert Lomas 1887–1961 British actor (1887-1961)
HL Holly Lam-Moores born 1990 British handball player
IH Ian Hargreaves born 1951 British academic
JW Jack Whitham born 1946 English association football player
JC Jake Cooper born 2001 English association football player, born 2001
Joe Bulcock 1879–1918 Association football player (1880-1918)
JP John Pickard born 1963 British composer
JC Jonathan Clare born 1986 English cricketer (born 1986)
JH Julia Haworth born 1979 English actress on Coronation Street
MA Margaret Aldersley 1852–1940 British suffragist, feminist
MB Michael Brown born 1980 English cricketer, born 1980
MF Mike Ferguson 1943–2019 English footballer and manager (1943-2019)
Naomi Hartley born 2001 English association football player (born 2001)
PD Peter Duerden born 1945 Footballer (born 1945)
PK Peter Kippax 1922–1987 English footballer (1922-1987)
RC Richard Cragg 1891–1978 English footballer (1891-1978)
SM Shahid Malik born 1967 British politician (born 1967)
WP Walter Pollard 1906–1945 English footballer (1906-1945)
WB William Bradshaw born 1882 Association footballer (1882-?)
BM Billy Morgan 1896–1993 English football wing half, born 1896
CH Craig Heap born 1973 Gymnast
EM Esther Moore 1857–1934 English artist
FC Fred Campbell English footballer
ID Ian Duerden born 1978 English footballer (born 1978)
IS Irene Sutcliffe 1924–2019 British actress
JB Jack Bradshaw 1892–1970 English footballer (1892-1970)
JD James Edwin Duerden 1869–1937 British zoologist (1869-1937)
JH Jason Hardy born 1969 English footballer (born 1969)
Jody Latham born 1982 English actor
JD Jonathan Davies born 1976 British cricketer (born 1976)
JH Jonathan Hartley born 1960 English cricketer (born 1960)
Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou born 1932 British molecular biologist and geneticist
LM Lewis Mansell born 1997 British association football player (born 1997)
LR Linsdall Richardson 1881–1967 British geologist
MH Mark Harvey born 1974 English cricketer (born 1974)
Martin Taylor born 1952 British businessman
MM Mary Mackenzie 1922–1966 British actress (1922-1966)
MB Matt Brunton 1878–1962 English footballer (1878-1962)
NN Neville Neville 1949–2015 English cricketer (1949-2015)
Paul Sculthorpe born 1977 English rugby league footballer
RH Rennie Harrison born 1897 Footballer (1897-?)
RE Robert Entwistle 1941–2019 English cricketer (1941-2019)
WP Walter Place 1872–1928 English footballer born 1872
WM William Murray 1922–1992 British footballer (1922-1992)
AN Albert Nutter 1913–1996 Cricketer (1913-1996)
AB Alec Birtwell 1908–1974 Cricketer (1908-1974)
AN Alice Nutter born 1962 British musician and writer
AS Andrew Smith born 1989 English footballer (born 1989)
BG Billy Grimshaw 1892–1968 English footballer (1892-1968)
CS Chris Scott born 1980 English footballer (born 1980)
Chris Turner born 1990 English footballer (born 1990)
CH Clifford Heap 1906–1984 English footballer (1906-1984)
CK Clifford Kenyon 1896–1979 British politician (1896-1979)
CS Cuthbert Storey born 1878 English footballer (1878-?)
DM Dave Miller born 1964 English footballer (born 1964)
EF Elektra Fence born 1992 British drag queen
GS Gareth Seddon born 1980 English association football player (born 1980)
HS Harold Spencer 1919–2003 English footballer (1919-2003)
Ian McWhinney 1926–2012 Physician and academic
JT Jack Truelove born 1995 Footballer (born 1995)
JS Jim Sullivan 1904–1974 English footballer (1904-1974)
JM Jock McAvoy 1908–1971 British boxer
JC Joe Clegg 1869–1902 (1869-1902)
JT Joe Taylor 1874–1938 English footballer (1874-1938)
John Reginald Hindley 1914–1972 British equestrian
JR John Saint Ryan 1953–2025 British actor and rancher (1953–2025)
JS Jonathan Stuart born 1975 British rugby union player
JH Jonathon Harvey born 1969 English cricketer (born 1969)
Keith Coventry born 1958 British artist (born 1958)
N. M. Browne born 1960 British writer, novelist, and young adult author (born 1960)
PG Percy Goodison ?–1971 English footballer
SS Sydney Starkie 1926–2017 English cricketer (1926-2017)
TT Ted Tinkler 1921–2001 English cricketer (1921-2001)
TG Thomas Garnett 1900–1950 English footballer (1900-1950)
TM Thomas Morrison born 1983 English actor
TH Tommy Henderson 1927–2013 British association football player (1927-2013)
Tony Livesey born 1964 British journalist and broadcaster
VT Vishal Tripathi born 1988 English cricketer (born 1988)
WT Willem Tomlinson born 1998 Association football player (born 1998)
WB William Brimblecombe 1876–1917 (1876-1917)
WR Wright Robinson 1876–1961 British trade unionist and politician
AP Albert Pickles 1877–1958 English football manager (1877-1958)
CW Charles Whiteley born 1885 English footballer (1885-?)
CF Christian Fraser born 1973 British journalist
CW Cliff Walmsley 1910–1983 English footballer (1910-1983)
Danial Ibrahim born 2004 English cricketer
ER Eddie Rigg 1919–1991 British speedway rider
EH Eric Halsall 1920–1996 British television presenter (1920-1996)
FT Francis Towneley 1709–1746 Jacobite who was executed for his role in the rebellion of 1745
FP Franny Powell born 1977 English footballer (born 1977)
FT Freddy Taylor 1920–1983 English footballer (1920-1983)
FD Frederic Brooks Dugdale 1877–1902 Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1877-1902)
FW Frederick Whittaker 1886–1920 English footballer
GS George Spence born 1904 English footballer (born 1904)
HP Hal Pickthall 1896–1965 Cricketer (1896-1965)
HH Hannah Hobley born 1988 British actress
HH Harry Hooper 1910–1970 English footballer and manager (1910-1970)
HM Harvey Macadam born 2001 English footballer
Herbie Farnworth born 1999 English rugby league footballer
JA Joe Abbott 1902–1950 Motorcycle speedway rider
KJ Kathy Jamieson born 1957 English actress
LH Liberty Heap born 2003 English cricketer
PM Paul Mullin born 1974 English footballer (born 1974)
PS Paul Scott born 1985 English footballer (born 1985)
PG Peter Guttridge born 1900 British writer
Peter Salmon born 1956 BBC One controller
RM Richard Moore born 1934 English actor, born 1942
RS Richard Shaw 1825–1876 British politician (1825-1876)
Shakira Khan born 2002 English television personality (born 2002)
SS Stephen Spargo 1903–1972 English footballer (1903-1972)
TS Tony Smith born 1961 Former English cricketer, born 1961
VF Vincent Fean born 1952 United Kingdom diplomat
WP Walter Place born 1869 English footballer (1869-?)
WS William Smith born 1865 English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper (1865-?)
WB Willis Jackson, Baron Jackson of Burnley 1904–1970 British Baron (1904-1970)
ZW Zoe Williams born 1980 British physician, television personality and gladiator
AS Alfred Senier 1853–1918 Irish chemist (1853-1918)
AD Arthur Dugdale 1869–1941 British Army officer
AF Arthur Foot 1901–1968 Schoolmaster
AO Arthur Ogden English footballer
BL Bob Lord 1908–1981 British businessman
Charles John Thomas 1832–1919 British Mormon missionary
CS Clare Shaw born 1972 British poet
DT Darren Taylor born 1965 English cricketer
GW George Walton born 1911 Association football player
HD Herbert Durkin 1922–2004 RAF commander
Hugh Colvin 1887–1962 Recipient of the Victoria Cross (1887-1962)
IR Ian Rawcliffe born 1948 English-German rugby union footballer
JS Jack Shutt 1874–1950 (1874-1950)
JE John Entwistle 1932–2013 English cyclist (1932-2013)
JT John Towneley born 1697 English gentleman and translator
KH Katharine F. Hartley 1929–2025 Archaeologist
KT Kathleen Tattersall 1942–2013 English educationist (1942-2013)
LJ Luke Jordan born 1998 Association football player
MO Martin O'Brien born 1987 English performance artist
MS Martin Starkie 1922–2010 British theatre director
MM Matt Moulding born 1972 Businessperson (b. 1972)
No one matches both filters.
Show all 197 Next door Famous people from the towns next door Close by, Nelson counts 35 famous people, the most of its neighbours.
Questions about famous people from Burnley Who is the most famous person from Burnley? Ian McKellen (British actor (born 1939)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 91 languages. Next come Jay Rodriguez and Harvey Barnes.
How many famous people were born in Burnley? 209 people born in Burnley have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 229 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Burnley known for? Among its famous people, athletes: 128 of the 209. That is 61% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Burnley? John Towneley, born in 1697. The youngest on the list was born in 2004.
Who counts as from Burnley? People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Burnley’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 (61) Ian McKellen: Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Jay Rodriguez: Adam Haworth, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Harvey Barnes: Pottercomuneo, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Oliver Norwood: Vickerman625, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons James Anderson: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Sophie Hitchon: Citizen59, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Steven Burke: Nicola, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Lucien Laviscount: Dian, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Rachel Brown: joshjdss, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons J. Pat O'Malley: CBS Television, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Adnan Ahmed: Németh Miklós, www.magyarfutball.hu, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Neil Hodgson: Marcus Liversedge, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Edwin Southern: Jane Gitschier, CC BY 2.5 , Wikimedia Commons Paul Abbott: Paul_Abbott.jpg: University of Salford Press Office derivative work: Off2riorob, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ross Sykes: Sidney.Cortez, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Daniel McBreen: Camw, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Jean-Luc Baker: Rama, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Jimmy Crabtree: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Liam Grimshaw: Preston North End F.C., CC0 , Wikimedia Commons Margaret Hartley: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Stephen Booth: Stephen Booth, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Bobby Elliott: Imperial Records, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Harry Dean: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Phil Willis, Baron Willis of Knaresborough: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ryan Fulton: Dowson20, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Betty Snowball: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Christian Wakeford: ©House of Commons, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Richie Baker: Ingy The Wingy, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Wajid Khan: ©House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Adnan Hussain: ©House of Commons / Laurie Noble, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Andrew Lewer: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons David Readman: david readman, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Fabian Coulthard: DustyFapper, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Joe Davis: EchetusXe, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Julie Cooper: Chris McAndrew, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Christopher Anderson: Christopher Michel, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Daniel Barritt: Foto: Stefan Brending, (cropped by Louis.attene), CC BY-SA 3.0 de , Wikimedia Commons Harry Davis: Jonesy702, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Joe Bulcock: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Naomi Hartley: James Boyes from UK, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Jody Latham: James English, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Joyce Taylor-Papadimitriou: Ioannismits, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Martin Taylor: The original uploader was Rashaun at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Paul Sculthorpe: The Rambling Man & John Percival, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Chris Turner: User:Christurner16, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ian McWhinney: William Meyer, CC0 , Wikimedia Commons John Reginald Hindley: photographer of IOC, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Keith Coventry: Ingmark, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons N. M. Browne: c l jenkins, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Tony Livesey: Xmastree, CC0 , Wikimedia Commons Danial Ibrahim: Dave Morton, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Herbie Farnworth: https://www.flickr.com/photos/naparazzi/, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Peter Salmon: Peter_Salmon_at_Nations_&_Regions_Media_Conference.jpg: University of Salford Press Office derivative work: January, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Shakira Khan: JaceMerlyn, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Charles John Thomas: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Hugh Colvin: photographer not identified, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Mike Phelan: Saadick Dhansay, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Wallace Hartley: Wallace Henry Harvey, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Harold Davenport: Konrad Jacobs, CC BY-SA 2.0 de , Wikimedia Commons Alexander Nowell: British – School Details on Google Art Project, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Carey Foster: 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.
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