This page serves as a central navigational point for lists of more than 2,350 members of the University of Oxford, divided into relevant groupings for ease of use. The vast majority were students at the university, although they did not necessarily take a degree; others have held fellowships at one of the university's colleges; many fall into both categories. This page does not include people whose only connection with the university consists in the award of an honorary degree or an honorary fellowship.
The list has been divided into categories indicating the field of activity in which people have become well known. Many of the university's alumni/ae, or old members, as they are more traditionally known, have attained a level of distinction in more than one field. These appear only in the category with which it is felt they are most often associated, or in which they have been more recently involved. Hence Jeffrey Archer (Brasenose), a novelist, is listed as a life peer; Imran Khan (Keble), a former captain of the Pakistani cricket team, is listed as a Pakistani politician. Some academic disciplines are more difficult to define than others. In particular, many theologians, lawyers, and sociologists work in areas that might be thought to be encompassed by philosophy.
Oxonians (a term for members, students or alumni of the university derived from its Latin name, Academia Oxoniensis) have included two British kings and at least fifteen monarchs of eleven other sovereign states (including five reigning monarchs), twenty-eight British prime ministers, and thirty-five presidents and prime ministers of nineteen other countries. As of July 2019 there are seven Oxonians in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom and two in the Shadow Cabinet. The university lays claim to thirteen saints, ten blesseds, an antipope, nineteen cardinals, and eighty-nine archbishops (including thirty-two of Canterbury and twenty-two of York). The university claims forty-seven Nobel Laureates and three Fields Medallists. The university's oldest student was Gertrud Seidmann, who was awarded a Certificate of Graduate Attainment aged 91.
This list also includes twenty-five princes and princesses (among them the heirs apparent of Belgium and Brunei), thirty-four dukes, nineteen marquesses, eighty-two earls and countesses, forty-six viscounts and viscountesses, and 188 barons and baronesses; 246 bishops (Anglican and Catholic); 291 Members of Parliament (excluding MPs who were subsequently peers), eleven Members of the European Parliament (excluding MEPs also serving at Westminster), twelve Lord Chancellors, nine Lord Chief Justices and twenty-two law lords; ten US Senators, ten US Representatives (including a Speaker of the House), three state governors, and four associate justices of the US Supreme Court; as well as six puisne justices of the Supreme Court of Canada and a chief justice of the now defunct Federal Court of Canada.
Government
Monarchs
British
Foreign
Royalty
British
Foreign
Heads of state and heads of government
British Prime Ministers
Other countries
His Majesty's Government
Shadow Cabinet
House of Lords and House of Commons
Members of the European Parliament
British local politicians
British civil servants
British diplomats
Members of the British Royal Household
British military, security, and police personnel
Foreign politicians, civil servants, diplomats, and military personnel
Non-government people in British public life
Non-government people in public life overseas
Law
Lord Chancellors and Lord Chief Justices
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (Law Lords)
Other judges and lawyers: United Kingdom
Judges and lawyers: other countries
Legal academics
Religions
Christianity
Saints
Blessed
Pope
Cardinals
Archbishops of Canterbury
Archbishops of York
Other Archbishops, Presiding Bishops, and Metropolitans
Other Bishops
Clergy and other ministers
Theologians
Islam
Judaism
Sikhism
Bahá'í
Buddhism
Study of Religions
Literature
Poets
Poets Laureate
Other Poets
Novelists and story writers
Dramatists
Children's writers
Scholars, critics, diarists, publishers, librarians
Travel and non-fiction writers
- Katharine Lee Bates
Media
Many journalists work in both print and broadcast media. The following are listed under the medium for which they are best known. Those who are known solely as sports commentators will be found at List of University of Oxford people in sport, exploration, and adventuring.
Editors
Writers
Broadcast
Administration
The arts
Stage and television
Comedy
Film
Dance
- Baisali Mohanty (Wolfson)
Music
Composers
Conductors
Organists
Pianists
Singers
Musicologists
Administration
- Tony Hall, Baron Hall of Birkenhead (Keble) Chief Executive Royal Opera House 2001–
- Nicholas Kenyon (Balliol) Contr Radio 3 1992–, Dir Proms 1996–2000, Contr Proms, Live Events & TV Classical Music 2000–
- Anthony Russell-Roberts (New College) Administrative Director of the Royal Ballet 1983–
Didgeridoo
- Graham Wiggins
Jazz
- Bill Ashton
- Pat Fish (Patrick Huntrods) (Merton)
- Soweto Kinch (Hertford)
Country
- Kris Kristofferson (Merton)
Folk
- June Tabor (St Hugh's)
Rock and pop
- Mira Aroyo (attended but did not graduate)
- Edwin Congreave
- Guthrie Govan (attended but did not graduate)
- Myles MacInnes (Mylo) (Brasenose)
- Yannis Philippakis (St John's)
- Mike Ratledge (University)
- Mr Hudson
Museum and gallery directors
Art and history of art
Architecture
- Thomas Graham Jackson (Wadham)
- Edward James (Christ Church)
- John Martin Robinson
- Sacheverell Sitwell (Balliol)
- Christopher Wren (Wadham and All Souls)
- Jack Diamond
Academic disciplines
This includes:
Educationalists
Sports people, explorers and adventurers
Business people
Chefs and wine experts
- Oz Clarke (Pembroke)
- Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (St Peter's)
- Nigella Lawson (Lady Margaret Hall)
- Jancis Robinson (St Anne's)
- Rick Stein (New College)
Fictional Oxonians
See also
- List of Rhodes Scholars
- List of Vice-Chancellors of the University of Oxford
- List of Current Heads of Oxford University Colleges, Societies, and Halls
External links
- British Society for the History of Mathematics: Oxford individuals
- Famous Oxford Alumni
- Short Alumni List Published by Oxford
References
