Famous British Men

“Be British!” Captain Edward Smith’s command to his fellow Britons as the RMS Titanic was going down into the icy ocean might be one of the most famous utterances by a British man as he displayed great strength of character in the face of imminent death. The British have always been famous for their strong character, and dedication, or somewhat obsession with their ‘Britishness’. Today British men might be more famous for their love of drinking and their bad food habits, but it does not take away from Britain what all Britishers have contributed towards the world!

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 1 
Freddie Mercury
(One of the Greatest Rock Singers and the Lead Vocalist of the Rock Band 'Queen')
Freddie Mercury
221
Birthdate: September 5, 1946
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Stone Town, Tanzania
Died: November 24, 1991
 2 
Stephen Hawking
(Theoretical Physicist - First to Set Out a Theory of Cosmology)
Stephen Hawking
227
Birthdate: January 8, 1942
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: March 14, 2018
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 3 
Tom Hardy
(Known for His Roles in the Movies 'Inception', 'The Revenant' and 'Venom')
Tom Hardy
145
Birthdate: September 15, 1977
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
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 4 
William Shakespeare
(English Playwright & Poet Who is Regarded as the Greatest Writer in the English Language)
William Shakespeare
200
Birthdate: April 26, 1564
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Stratford-upon-Avon, England
Died: April 23, 1616
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 5 
Winston Churchill
(Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1940 - 1945, 1951 - 1955))
Winston Churchill
111
Birthdate: November 30, 1874
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Blenheim Palace, England, United Kingdom
Died: January 24, 1965
 6 
David Bowie
(Regarded as One of the Most Influential Musicians of the 20th Century)
David Bowie
143
Birthdate: January 8, 1947
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Died: January 10, 2016
 7 
Ed Sheeran
(Singer)
Ed Sheeran
248
Birthdate: February 17, 1991
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 8 
Harry Styles
(Singer and Actor)
Harry Styles
216
Birthdate: February 1, 1994
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Redditch, Worcestershire, England
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 9 
John Lennon
(The Founder, Co-Songwriter, Co-Lead Vocalist & Rhythm Guitarist of 'The Beatles')
John Lennon
165
Birthdate: October 9, 1940
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Died: December 8, 1980
 10 
Elton John
(Singer, Pianist and Composer- One of the Best-Selling Artists of All Time)
Elton John
122
Birthdate: March 25, 1947
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pinner, England
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 11 
Rowan Atkinson
(Actor & Comedian Best Known for His Role in the Sitcom 'Mr Bean')
Rowan Atkinson
95
Birthdate: January 6, 1955
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: County Durham, England, United Kingdom
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 12 
Alan Rickman
(Actor and Director)
Alan Rickman
88
Birthdate: February 21, 1946
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England
Died: January 14, 2016
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 13 
Daniel Craig
(English Actor Who Became Popular for Portraying the Secret Agent James Bond)
Daniel Craig
79
Birthdate: March 2, 1968
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chester, Cheshire, England
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 14 
Gordon Ramsay
(One of the Most Influential Chefs)
Gordon Ramsay
138
Birthdate: November 8, 1966
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Johnstone, Scotland
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 15 
Paul McCartney
(Co-Lead Vocalist of the Rock Band 'The Beatles' and One of the Most Successful Composers of All Time)
Paul McCartney
112
Birthdate: June 18, 1942
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 16 
George Michael
(English Singer Who is Considered One of the Most Significant Cultural Icons of the MTV Generation)
George Michael
80
Birthdate: June 25, 1963
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: East Finchley, London, England
Died: December 25, 2016
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 17 
Benedict Cumberbatch
(English Actor Known for His Work on Screen and Stage)
Benedict Cumberbatch
118
Birthdate: July 19, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 18 
Jason Statham
(British Actor Best Known for His Action-Thriller Films)
Jason Statham
83
Birthdate: July 26, 1967
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Shirebrook. England
 19 
David Beckham
(English Former Professional Footballer Who was One of the Greatest Midfielders of His Generation)
David Beckham
118
Birthdate: May 2, 1975
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 20 
Lewis Hamilton
(British Formula One Driver and Winner of Seven World Drivers' Championship Titles)
Lewis Hamilton
103
Birthdate: January 7, 1985
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England
 21 
Alan Turing
(English Mathematician Who is Considered as the Father of Theoretical Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence)
Alan Turing
122
Birthdate: June 23, 1912
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Maida Vale, London, England
Died: June 7, 1954
 22 
Idris Elba
(Known for His Roles in the Series 'The Wire' and 'Luther')
Idris Elba
110
Birthdate: September 6, 1972
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 23 
Christian Bale
(British Actor Best Known for His Versatility and Recurring Physical Transformations for His Roles)
Christian Bale
58
Birthdate: January 30, 1974
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 24 
Isaac Newton
(One of the Most Influential Scientists of All Time )
Isaac Newton
108
Birthdate: January 4, 1643
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lincolnshire, England
Died: March 31, 1727
 25 
Charlie Chaplin
(The Greatest Comic Artist Ever & One of the Most Important Figures in Motion-Picture History)
Charlie Chaplin
88
Birthdate: April 16, 1889
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Walworth, London, England
Died: December 25, 1977
 26 
Tom Hiddleston
(British Actor Who Gained Fame for Portraying Loki in Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Tom Hiddleston
72
Birthdate: February 9, 1981
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Westminster, London, England
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 27 
George Harrison
(Achieved Fame As the Lead Guitarist of the Beatles)
George Harrison
74
Birthdate: February 25, 1943
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
Died: November 29, 2001
 28 
Harry Kane
(One of the Best Football Strikers in the World)
Harry Kane
106
Birthdate: July 28, 1993
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Walthamstow, United Kingdom
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 29 
David Attenborough
(English Broadcaster, Biologist and Natural Historian)
David Attenborough
128
Birthdate: May 8, 1926
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Isleworth, England
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 30 
Ewan McGregor
69
Birthdate: March 31, 1971
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Perth, Scotland
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 31 
Charles Darwin
(Naturalist known for His Contributions to Evolutionary Biology)
Charles Darwin
85
Birthdate: February 12, 1809
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: The Mount House, Shrewsbury, England
Died: April 19, 1882
 32 
J. R. R. Tolkien
(Author of 'The Hobbit' & 'The Lord of the Rings')
J. R. R. Tolkien
56
Birthdate: January 3, 1892
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bloemfontein, South Africa
Died: September 2, 1973
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
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 33 
Ozzy Osbourne
(Lead Vocalist of the Heavy Metal Band 'Black Sabbathe')
Ozzy Osbourne
64
Birthdate: December 3, 1948
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Aston, Birmingham, England
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 34 
Gary Oldman
(Actor, Comedian & Singer)
Gary Oldman
50
Birthdate: March 21, 1958
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New Cross, London, England
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 35 
Henry VIII of England
(King of England (1509 - 1547))
Henry VIII of England
65
Birthdate: June 28, 1491
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kent, England
Died: January 28, 1547
 36 
Mick Jagger
(British Singer-Songwriter and Founding Member of the Rock Band 'Rolling Stones')
Mick Jagger
71
Birthdate: July 26, 1943
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dartford, England, United Kingdom
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 37 
Patrick Stewart
29
Birthdate: July 13, 1940
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mirfield, Yorkshire, England
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 38 
George V
(King of the United Kingdom (1910-36))
George V
58
Birthdate: June 3, 1865
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: London, England
Died: January 20, 1936
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 39 
Tyson Fury
(British Professional Boxer and Two-Time World Heavyweight Champion)
Tyson Fury
65
Birthdate: August 12, 1988
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wythenshawe, Manchester, England
Height: 6'9" (206 cm)
 40 
Ralph Fiennes
(English Actor Best Known for His Films: 'Schindler's List', and 'The English Patient')
Ralph Fiennes
53
Birthdate: December 22, 1962
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ipswich, England
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 41 
Ringo Starr
(The Drummer of the Rock Band 'The Beatles')
Ringo Starr
72
Birthdate: July 7, 1940
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Dingle, Liverpool, England
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 42 
Christopher Nolan
(Film Director - Known for His Ambitious & Visually Impressive Films)
Christopher Nolan
48
Birthdate: July 30, 1970
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Westminster, London, England
 43 
Wayne Rooney
(English Professional Football Manager and Former Player Who Played as a Forward and Midfielder)
Wayne Rooney
65
Birthdate: October 24, 1985
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Croxteth, Liverpool, England
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 44 
Charles Dickens
(The Greatest Novelist of the Victorian Era)
Charles Dickens
30
Birthdate: February 7, 1812
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Landport, Hampshire, England
Died: June 9, 1870
 45 
Eric Clapton
(One of the Greatest Guitarists of All Time)
Eric Clapton
45
Birthdate: March 30, 1945
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Ripley, England
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 46 
Roald Dahl
(One of the World's Greatest Authors)
Roald Dahl
75
Birthdate: September 13, 1916
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales
Died: November 23, 1990
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 47 
King James I
(King of Scotland)
King James I
56
Birthdate: June 19, 1566
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
Died: March 27, 1625
 48 
Sacha Baron Cohen
(Known for Portrayal of the Fictional Satirical Characters)
Sacha Baron Cohen
79
Birthdate: October 13, 1971
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 49 
Phil Collins
(Drummer & Lead Singer of the Rock Band 'Genesis')
Phil Collins
57
Birthdate: January 30, 1951
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Chiswick, Middlesex, London, United Kingdom
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 50 
Chris Martin
(Lead Vocalist of the Rock Band 'Coldplay')
Chris Martin
51
Birthdate: March 2, 1977
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Whitestone, England, United Kingdom
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

Britain has always had a rich literary tradition and it is unimaginable what the literary world would have been like had the likes of William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens and Milton not existed? British men’s contribution to science has also been immense. After all Charles Dickens who propounded the theory of evolution was a proud British man, as was the eminent physicist, Sir Isaac Newton who is considered among the top scientists to have ever lived. The contemporary British man too is not someone to be left behind his ancestors when it comes to his achievements! Browse this section to read all about the famous British men who helped shape the world.