#1Writing & Arts
Samuel Johnson
1709–1784English writer and lexicographer (1709–1784)
134 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Lichfield, Staffordshire
Of the 55 famous people born in Lichfield, an unusual share are ministers and preachers
At the top of the list is the English writer and lexicographer Samuel Johnson, covered in 134 languages. Second and third on the list are Elias Ashmole and Henry Salt. In the 20th century, 19 were born, the most of any period. The list runs from Edmund Gennings, born in 1567, to Freya Gregory, born in 2003.
Born here
55
notable people
Best known
Samuel Johnson
in 134 Wikipedia languages
First
1567
Edmund Gennings
Youngest
2003
Freya Gregory
Most common field
Sports
24 people
What stands out about Lichfield’s famous people
Known worldwideSamuel Johnson is written about in 134 languages.A town of ministers and preachersAmong the 55 people born here, 4 are ministers and preachers: 4.1 times the usual share.Still making namesThe most recent birth on the list came in 2003, among 21 since 1950.55 notable peopleMore than most towns: 55 notable people were born in Lichfield.
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Lichfield
The three best known are all writers and artists.
#1
#2Writing & Arts
Elias Ashmole
1617–1692English antiquarian, politician, officer of arms, astrologer and alchemist (1617-1692)
32 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Writing & Arts
Henry Salt
1780–1827English artist, traveller, diplomat, and egyptologist (1780-1827)
22 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for
What Lichfield is known for
Compared with the usual town, ministers and preachers are the most over-represented field, at 4.1 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
Through the years
When Lichfield’s famous people were born
Count by decade and the 1960s come out on top, with 6 births.
SportsWriting & ArtsScience & MedicineFilm, TV & StageFaithMusicMilitaryNotable
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Lichfield
52 more names, born between 1567 and 2003.
Robert Darwin
1766–1848English medical doctor; father of naturalist Charles Darwin
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Richard Garnett
1835–1906British scholar, librarian, biographer and poet (1835-1906)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Selina Huntington Bakewell Campbell
1802–1897Leader in the Stone-Campbell Movement (1802–1897)
NotableWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The fullest list close by belongs to Brownhills, with 12.
Questions about famous people from Lichfield
Who is the most famous person from Lichfield?
Samuel Johnson (English writer and lexicographer (1709–1784)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 134 languages. Next come Elias Ashmole and Henry Salt.
How many famous people were born in Lichfield?
55 people born in Lichfield have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 75 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Lichfield known for?
Among its famous people, athletes: 24 of the 55. That is 44% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Lichfield?
Edmund Gennings, born in 1567. The youngest on the list was born in 2003.
Who counts as from Lichfield?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Lichfield’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 (21)
- Samuel Johnson: Joshua Reynolds, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Elias Ashmole: After John Riley, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Salt: John James Halls, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Darwin: James Pardon, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sophie Capewell: Nicola, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Siân Brooke: JaceMerlyn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Garnett: Leslie Ward, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sue Williamson: Suewilliamson, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Freya Gregory: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edmund Gennings: M. Bas, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Newton: Richard Earlom / After Benjamin West, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Porter: Jacek Poremba, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Penelope Boothby: Joshua Reynolds, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Adam Christodoulou: Skully Collins, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Philip John Bainbrigge: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Pritchard: Xfigpower, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Siobhan Dillon: Brecon at en.wikipedia, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Vyse: Andrewrabbott, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Erin O'Connor: The original uploader was ChrisTheDude at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Sturgeon: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Rock: Pvt pauline, CC BY-SA 3.0, 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.