#1Writing & Arts
Barbara Hepworth
1903–1975English sculptor (1903–1975)
41 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Most of the 293 famous people born in Wakefield came into the world in the 20th century
Barbara Hepworth, the English sculptor, is the most widely known, written about in 41 languages. The next two names are George Gissing and David Storey. 77 of them were born since 1970. Only 4 of the 90 towns in West Yorkshire with anyone on record list more.
Born here
293
notable people
Best known
Barbara Hepworth
in 41 Wikipedia languages
First
1627
Joseph Moxon
Youngest
2001
Leah Crisp
Most common field
Sports
198 people
What stands out about Wakefield’s famous people
★ What stands out · Through the years
When Wakefield’s famous people were born
The 1960s alone account for 37 of the births charted here.
SportsWriting & ArtsScience & MedicineFilm, TV & StagePolitics & LawMusicBusinessFaithNotableMilitary
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
The best known
Born in Wakefield
Counted by languages, Barbara Hepworth is ahead of George Gissing and David Storey: 41, 40 and 31.
#1
#2DS#3
Known for
What Wakefield is known for
No other field is as far above the usual share as athletes, at 1.4 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Wakefield
290 more; the 197 best known are listed here.
Martin Creed
born 1968British conceptual artist, composer, and performer (born 1968)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
John Radcliffe
1650–1714English physician, academic and politician (1650-1714)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Norman Clapham
1879–1934British comedian, performing under the stage name of 'John Henry'
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Jean Denton, Baroness Denton of Wakefield
1935–2001British industrial manager and politician (1935-2001)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, Baron Bruce-Lockhart
1942–2008British politician (1942-2008)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Benjamin Loxley
1720–1801Prominent Philadelphia master-builder and carpenter-architect
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Charles Verity
1814–189919th-century English builder, and mayor of Doncaster
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Frank Marshall, Baron Marshall of Leeds
1915–1990British politician (1915–1990)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Jimmy Ledgard
1922–2007English rugby union footballer, and rugby league footballer and coach
SportsWikipedia ↗
Steve Hollings
born 1946British steeplechase runner, athletics coach and statistician
SportsWikipedia ↗
Alan Hunte
born 1970English rugby league footballer and coach, and rugby union footballer
SportsWikipedia ↗
Donald Metcalfe
1932–2006English rugby union footballer, and rugby league footballer and coach (1932–2006)
SportsWikipedia ↗
Geoffrey Clarkson
1943–2001English rugby union and rugby league footballer (1943-2001)
SportsWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The longest list nearby is Normanton’s, with 29.
Normanton · 4 miMartin Frobisher & 28 more
Ossett · 3 miColin Sturgess & 12 moreRASharlston · 4 miReginald Allen & 8 moreSBHorbury · 3 miStan Barstow & 4 more
Crofton · 4 miRichard Fleming & 4 more
East Ardsley · 4 miKenneth Murray & 2 moreMGCrigglestone and Durkar · 3 miMalcolm Graham & 1 morePDWalton · 3 miPhil Daley & 1 moreQuestions about famous people from Wakefield
Who is the most famous person from Wakefield?
Barbara Hepworth (English sculptor (1903–1975)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 41 languages. Next come George Gissing and David Storey.
How many famous people were born in Wakefield?
293 people born in Wakefield have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 337 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Wakefield known for?
Among its famous people, athletes: 198 of the 293. That is 68% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Wakefield?
Joseph Moxon, born in 1627. The youngest on the list was born in 2001.
Who counts as from Wakefield?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Wakefield’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 (70)
- Barbara Hepworth: Erling Mandelmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George Gissing: Published by R.F. Fenno & Co, New York, 1896, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Healey: U.S. Secretary of Defense, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Anne Treisman: National Science Foundation, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Oliver Wood: Nicola, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Bree: Timmy96, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Barry Hoban: Brian Townsley, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Martyn Bernard: Graham Campbell from Glasgow, Scotland, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bill Nelson: Jean-Luc, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Martin Creed: Jimmycr16, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Claire Cooper: Ian Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ron Barber: US House, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alicia Blagg: Paul8032, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Anne O'Hare McCormick: Unknown (Life time: Unknown), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Potter: Thomas Hudson, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Radcliffe: User Magnus Manske on en.wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Margaret Harrison: Waltercolor, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Denton: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kenneth Leighton: Robert Leighton, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Madley: @cfcunofficial (Chelsea Debs) London, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Greenacre: Camw, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Travers Wood: "The Idaho Staesman" (Boise, Idaho)., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mark Cooper: Jonesy702, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michelle Hardwick: DarkGlow, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nellie Spindler: Madelgarius, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Benson, 1st Baron Bingley: Attributed to Godfrey Kneller, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Arthur Pendragon: Chris Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Mercer: maya mercer, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Johnny Longden: Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- The Haxan Cloak: swimfinfan from Chicago, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alan M. Taylor: Bank of England, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Whitton: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Wooldridge: Mateusz Malta, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nick Hegarty: https://www.flickr.com/photos/phototheque/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Oli Johnson: NCFCQ, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dave Penney: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ingythewingy/, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Josh Shaw: Dave Morton, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Norman Clapham: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Scott: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ingythewingy/, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Philip Adrian Wright: User:Jemma360, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Adam Milner: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ben Thaler: Gerard Barrau, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Brian McDermott: Lando09, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Chester: Gerard Barrau, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Leah Evans: Hawkeye7, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nigel Boocock: Lawson Speedway, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Percy Metcalfe: Bassano Ltd, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alex Sutcliffe: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Andrew Moynihan: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Verity: Studio of Whaley, Doncaster Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Fred Verity: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Holliday Bickerstaffe Kendall: H B Kendall, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James Lockwood: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joe Batchelor: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Dews: Lawson Speedway, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Tole: New Zealand Graphic, 30 April 1898, page 546 - photographer unknown, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Matthew Wildie: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nick Fozzard: Gerard Barrau, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sam Day: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Trevor H. Hall: Trevor H. Hall, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Adeem Younis: Adeem Younis, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alan Hunte: https://www.flickr.com/photos/8363028@N08/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Andy Kelly: paddynapper, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Craig Lingard: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Danny Ansell: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Derrell Olpherts: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Martin Frobisher: Cornelis Ketel, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Colin Sturgess: Cs-wolves, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Fleming: Rudolph Ackermann, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kenneth Murray: Rob Bogaerts for Anefo, 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.