#1Famous people · Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Scientists and doctors stand out among the 16 famous people born in Kirkwall
The best known is the Scottish politician Neil Gray, with articles in 14 languages. 2 were born in 1970 or later. From Magnús Jónsson, Earl of Orkney to Sean Vendy, the births on the list run from 1250 to 1996.
Born here
16
notable people
Best known
Neil Gray
in 14 Wikipedia languages
First
1250
Magnús Jónsson, Earl of Orkney
Youngest
1996
Sean Vendy
Most common field
Science & Medicine
4 people
What stands out about Kirkwall’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Kirkwall is known for
Kirkwall has 3.4× the usual share of scientists and doctors.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
The best known
Born in Kirkwall
Neil Gray leads with articles in 14 languages, ahead of Sean Vendy (11) and Thomas Stewart Traill (11).
#1
#2TT#3
Science & Medicine
Thomas Stewart Traill
1781–1862Scottish physician, chemist, mineralogist, meteorologist, zoologist and scholar
11 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years
When Kirkwall’s famous people were born
No decade has more births than the 1880s, at 3.
Science & MedicineSportsWriting & ArtsPolitics & LawFilm, TV & StageMilitaryNotableFaith
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Kirkwall
Of the other 13, 3 are scientists and doctors.
John William Bews
1884–1938Scottish born South African botanist (1884-1938)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Angus Buchanan
1886–1954British explorer, naturalist, photographer and filmmaker (1886-1954)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Mary Anne Baikie
1861–1950Scottish suffragist who established the Orcadian Women's Suffrage Society (fl.1909-1946)
NotableWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Questions about famous people from Kirkwall
Who is the most famous person from Kirkwall?
Neil Gray (Scottish politician (born 1986)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 14 languages. Next come Sean Vendy and Thomas Stewart Traill.
How many famous people were born in Kirkwall?
16 people born in Kirkwall have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 20 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Kirkwall known for?
Among its famous people, scientists and doctors: 4 of the 16. That is 25% of the town’s list, against 7% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Kirkwall?
Magnús Jónsson, Earl of Orkney, born in 1250. The youngest on the list was born in 1996.
Who counts as from Kirkwall?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Kirkwall’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 (7)
- Neil Gray: Scottish Government, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sean Vendy: Griff88, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Flett: Tempest Anderson, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Angus Buchanan: Agence Rol, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Broadfoot: Broadfoot, William, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ann Scott-Moncrieff: Howard Coster, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ola Gorie: Red Draw, 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.