Leading Figures in History

Discover the people who shaped our world — from rulers and scientists to artists and activists.

62243 persons found

William Attewell

English cricketer

William Auld

Scottish poet and translator (1924–2006)

William B. Bankhead

American politician (1874–1940)

William B. Jordan

b. 1940

American art historian (1940–2018)

William B. Ogden

b. 1805

American politician (1805–1877)

William B. Saxbe

b. 1916

American politician (1916–2010)

William B. Travis

b. 1809

Texian Army officer and lawyer (1809–1836)

William B. Whiting

New York politician (1731–1796)

William B. Ziff Jr.

American publishing executive (1930–2006)

William Babcock Hazen

b. 1830

United States Army general (1830–1887)

William Babington (physician)

Anglo-Irish physician and mineralogist

William Bainbridge

b. 1774

United States Navy officer (1774–1833)

William Bartram (North Carolina politician)

American scientist (1711–1770)

William Bartram (Pennsylvania politician)

Quaker politician and settler (1674–1711)

William Basinski

b. 1958

American composer (born 1958)

William Bast

American screenwriter and author (1931–2015)

William Baziotes

American painter (1912–1963)

William Beckford (novelist)

b. 1760

British writer and politician (1760–1844)

William Bedloe

b. 1650

English fraudster and Popish Plot informer

William Bell (singer)

b. 1939

American soul singer and songwriter (born 1939)

William Bennett

b. 1943

3rd United States Secretary of Education

William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland

b. 1649

Dutch-born British courtier and diplomat

William Berenberg

American physician

William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford

b. 1768

Anglo-Portuguese General