#1Science & Medicine
George Biddell Airy
1801–1892English mathematician and astronomer (*1801 – †1892)
53 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Alnwick, Northumberland
Writers and artists stand out among the 47 famous people born in Alnwick
Most widely known is George Biddell Airy, the English mathematician and astronomer, with articles in 53 languages. In the 20th century, 15 were born, the most of any period. The list comes to 55.7 for every 10,000 residents, against 6.2 in the typical town in Northumberland. Among the 36 towns in Northumberland with famous people on record, the town ranks 3rd.
Born here
47
notable people
Best known
George Biddell Airy
in 53 Wikipedia languages
First
1090
Beatrix de Vesci
Youngest
1999
Kelland Watts
Most common field
Sports
13 people
What stands out about Alnwick’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Alnwick is known for
Set against the usual town, writers and artists come out 2 times as common.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
The best known
Born in Alnwick
Two of the three are scientists and doctors.
#1
#2Writing & Arts
Bernard Bosanquet
1848–1923English philosopher (1848–1923)
21 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
PS#3
Science & Medicine
Prideaux John Selby
1788–1867English ornithologist, botanist and illustrator (1788–1867)
20 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years
When Alnwick’s famous people were born
The busiest decade was the 1960s, with 5 births.
SportsWriting & ArtsPolitics & LawScience & MedicineFilm, TV & StageMilitaryFaithNotableBusiness
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Alnwick
A further 44 follow, born between 1090 and 1999.
Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland
1393–1455English nobleman and military commander
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland
born 1956English aristocrat, hereditary peer, and largely rural landowner (born 1956)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Katherine Percy
1423–1475English noblewoman (1423-1475); wife of Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Marion Isobel Newbigin
1869–1934Scottish geographer, biologist and zoologist (1869-1934)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
George Tate
1805–1871English antiquarian, topographer and naturalist from Alnwick
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Robert Henry Bow
1832–1908British photographer and civil engineer (1832–1908)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Close by, the fullest list is Amble’s, at 11 names.
Questions about famous people from Alnwick
Who is the most famous person from Alnwick?
George Biddell Airy (English mathematician and astronomer (*1801 – †1892)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 53 languages. Next come Bernard Bosanquet and Prideaux John Selby.
How many famous people were born in Alnwick?
47 people born in Alnwick have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 55 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Alnwick known for?
Among its famous people, athletes: 13 of the 47. That is 28% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Alnwick?
Beatrix de Vesci, born in 1090. The youngest on the list was born in 1999.
Who counts as from Alnwick?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Alnwick’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 (14)
- George Biddell Airy: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bernard Bosanquet: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland: Allan warren, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- T. J. Cobden-Sanderson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jeremy Darroch: Web Summit, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Day Bosanquet: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Norman Wilkinson: en:User:Dashwortley Original uploader was Dashwortley at en.wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Collingwood: Elliott & Fry, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Tate: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James Patterson: The original uploader was Adam Carr at English Wikipedia., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edmund Hodgson Smart: John Howard Paine, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Busby: Richard Read,, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Farrar: Charles H Kelly, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alexander Armstrong: StormCab, CC BY-SA 2.0, 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.