Leading Figures in History

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

24408 persons found

William Propsting

b. 1861

Australian politician

William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath

English politician and peer (1684–1764)

William Quantrill

Confederate guerrilla leader (1837–1865)

William R. Day

b. 1849

US Supreme Court justice from 1903 to 1922

William R. Roy

American politician

William Randolph Hearst

b. 1863

American newspaper publisher (1863–1951)

William Randolph Hearst Jr.

American newspaper publisher (1908–1993)

William Refshauge

Australian general and public health administrator (1913 - 2009)

William Regal

b. 1968

English professional wrestler (born 1968)

William Reid (mining engineer)

b. 1906

William Ridenour

b. 1958

American politician (born 1958)

William Roberts (painter)

b. 1895

British painter (1895–1980)

William Rosenberg

b. 1916

American businessman (1916-2002)

William Russell (English actor)

English actor (1924–2024)

William S. Bowdern

American Catholic exorcist (1897–1983)

William S. Harney

United States Army general (1800–1889)

William S. Sessions

b. 1930

American judge (1930–2020)

William Salmon

b. 1644

17th and 18th-century English empiric doctor

William Saroyan

American writer (1908–1981)

William Scamp

b. 1801

English architect and engineer

William Schallert

American actor (1922-2016)

William Sealy Gosset

b. 1876

British statistician (1876–1937)

William Seawell

United States Air Force general

William Shakespeare

b. 1564

English playwright and poet (1564–1616)