University Of Edinburgh Notable Alumni

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Discover the notable alumni of University Of Edinburgh. The list includes people like Charles Darwin, Alexander Graham Bell, Adam Smith, Sarojini Naidu & Gordon Brown. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as scientists, writers, intellectuals & academics, miscellaneous and inventors & discoverers etc.
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 1 
Charles Darwin
(Naturalist known for His Contributions to Evolutionary Biology)
Charles Darwin
84
Birthdate: February 12, 1809
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: The Mount House, Shrewsbury, England
Died: April 19, 1882
 2 
Alexander Graham Bell
(Inventor of Telephone & Co-Founder of 'American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T)')
Alexander Graham Bell
49
Birthdate: March 3, 1847
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: August 2, 1922
 3 
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
(British Writer Who Created the Character of Sherlock Holmes)
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
28
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 22, 1859
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Scotland
Died: July 7, 1930
 4 
Robert Louis Stevenson
(Author of Famous Novels: 'Treasure Island' and 'Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde')
Robert Louis Stevenson
19
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 13, 1850
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: December 3, 1894
 5 
David Hume
(Best Known for His Highly Influential System of Philosophical Empiricism, Scepticism and Naturalism)
David Hume
14
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 26, 1711
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: August 25, 1776
 6 
James Maxwell
(Scottish Mathematician and Scientist Who Gave the Classical Theory of Electromagnetic Radiation)
James Maxwell
6
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: June 13, 1831
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: November 5, 1879
Sir James Matthew Barrie
10
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 9, 1860
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland
Died: June 19, 1937
 8 
Julius Nyerere
(Politician)
Julius Nyerere
5
Birthdate: April 13, 1922
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Butiama, Tanzania
Died: October 14, 1999
 9 
Susie Wolff
(British Former Professional Racing Driver)
Susie Wolff
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 6, 1982
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Oban, Scotland
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 10 
Pippa Middleton
(English Socialite, Author, Columnist and Younger Sister of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge)
Pippa Middleton
16
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 6, 1983
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Reading, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 11 
Chris Hoy
(Former Scottish Track Cyclist)
Chris Hoy
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 23, 1976
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 12 
Eric Liddell
(Scottish Sprinter, Rugby Player and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Eric Liddell
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 16, 1902
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tianjin, China
Died: February 21, 1945
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 13 
Oliver Goldsmith
(Anglo-Irish Novelist, Playwright, Dramatist and Poet)
Oliver Goldsmith
6
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 10, 1728
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: County Longford, Ireland
Died: April 4, 1774
 14 
Maggie Cheung
(Hong Kong Former Actress)
Maggie Cheung
5
Birthdate: September 20, 1964
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Hong Kong
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 15 
Klaus Fuchs
(Theoretical Physicist and Atomic Spy)
Klaus Fuchs
6
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: December 29, 1911
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Rüsselsheim, German Empire
Died: January 28, 1988
 16 
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
(Politician)
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 20, 1784
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Westminster, Middlesex, England
Died: October 18, 1865
 17 
Robert Liston
(Surgeon)
Robert Liston
3
Listed In: Physicians
Birthdate: October 28, 1794
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Ecclesmachan, West Lothian, Scotland
Died: December 7, 1847
 18 
Amber Rudd
(Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (2018 - 2019))
Amber Rudd
5
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 1, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Marylebone, London, England, United Kingdom
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 19 
Richard Owen
(Biologist)
Richard Owen
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: July 20, 1804
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Lancaster, England
Died: December 18, 1892
 20 
Edward VII
(King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, Emperor of India (1901 - 1910))
Edward VII
18
Birthdate: November 9, 1841
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England
Died: May 6, 1910
 21 
Angus Macfadyen
(Actor)
Angus Macfadyen
5
Birthdate: September 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 22 
Robert Stephenson
(Engineer, Civil engineer, Politician)
Robert Stephenson
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: October 16, 1803
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Willington Quay
Died: October 12, 1859
 23 
Jane Alexander
(Actress)
Jane Alexander
3
Birthdate: October 28, 1939
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 24 
Max Richter
(One of the Best-Selling German Composers and Pianists)
Max Richter
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: March 22, 1966
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hamelin, Germany
 25 
Ian Charleson
(Scottish actor)
Ian Charleson
1
Birthdate: August 11, 1949
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: January 6, 1990
 26 
Tom Chaplin
(English Singer-Songwriter and the Lead Singer of Keane)
Tom Chaplin
3
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: March 8, 1979
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hastings, East Sussex, England
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 27 
Kevin McKidd
(Actor Best Known for His Role in the Film 'Trainspotting' and TV Series 'Grey's Anatomy')
Kevin McKidd
8
Birthdate: August 9, 1973
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Elgin, Moray, Scotland
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 28 
James Boswell
(Best Known for His Biography of His Friend and Older Contemporary the English Writer 'Samuel Johnson')
James Boswell
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 29, 1740
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Edinburgh, Scotland
Died: May 19, 1795
 29 
Benjamin Rush
(Founding Father of the United States)
Benjamin Rush
4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 4, 1746
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Byberry, Philadelphia, United States
Died: April 19, 1813
 30 
Philippa Gregory
(Novelist, Writer)
Philippa Gregory
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 9, 1954
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Nairobi
 31 
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
(English Property Developer, Founder and Chief Executive of ‘Banda’ Property)
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi
3
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: 1983
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: London, England
 32 
Darius Campbell
(Singer, Opera singer, Songwriter)
Darius Campbell
1
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: August 19, 1980
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Glasgow
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 33 
Michael McIntyre
(One of the Highest-Grossing Stand-Up Comedians in the World)
Michael McIntyre
6
Birthdate: February 21, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: London, England
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 34 
Ian Rankin
(Writer, Novelist)
Ian Rankin
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: April 28, 1960
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Scotland
 35 
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
(Indian Islamic Reformer and Educationist Who Founded the ‘Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College’, the First Muslim University in Southern Asia)
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan
28
Birthdate: October 17, 1817
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Delhi, India
Died: March 27, 1898
 36 
David Brewster
(Scientist)
David Brewster
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: December 11, 1781
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Jedburgh, Scotland
Died: February 10, 1868
 37 
Geoffrey Hinton
(Computer scientist)
Geoffrey Hinton
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: December 6, 1947
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Wimbledon
 38 
Prafulla Chandra Ray
3
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: August 2, 1861
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Khulna
Died: June 16, 1944
 39 
Alexander McCall Smith
(British Writer Known for the Series of Novels ‘The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency’)
Alexander McCall Smith
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 24, 1948
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
 40 
Patrick Malahide
(Actor)
Patrick Malahide
0
Birthdate: March 24, 1945
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Berkshire, England, UK
 41 
Talal Asad
(Anthropologist known for his writing calling for the anthropology of secularism)
Talal Asad
0
Birthdate: 1932
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Medina, Saudi Arabia
 42 
Ed Stoppard
0
Birthdate: September 16, 1974
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: London, England
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 43 
Robert Brown
(Botanist)
Robert Brown
7
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: December 21, 1773
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Montrose, Scotland
Died: June 10, 1858
 44 
Mungo Park
(Explorer)
Mungo Park
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 11, 1771
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Selkirkshire, Scotland
Died: July 19, 1806
 45 
Peter C. Doherty
(Scientist, Nobel Prize Winner)
Peter C. Doherty
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: October 15, 1940
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brisbane, Australia
 46 
James Hutton
(Geologist)
James Hutton
2
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: June 3, 1726
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Edinburgh
Died: March 26, 1797
 47 
Judy Murray
(Tennis coach from Scotland who became the captain of the British Fed Cup team in 2011)
Judy Murray
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 8, 1959
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 48 
Bill Turnbull
(Journalist, Presenter)
Bill Turnbull
3
Birthdate: January 25, 1956
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Guildford
 49 
Bruce Chatwin
(Writer)
Bruce Chatwin
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 13, 1940
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, UK
Died: January 18, 1989
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 50 
Sam Denby
(Youtuber)
Sam Denby
14
Listed In: YouTubers
Birthdate: March 17, 1997
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: United States
Being one of Scotland’s ancient universities, the University of Edinburgh traces back its foundation to the year 1582. Essentially being a research university, the University of Edinburgh is currently ranked 19th as per the 2016-2017 QS Rankings. It has the third largest endowment in the United Kingdom, and was ranked 4th in the UK and 1st in Scotland for its research power, as per the Research Excellence Framework. The three colleges offer various programs in the areas of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine and Science and Engineering. Being the fourth most popular university in the United Kingdom, in terms of applicants, it is considered as one of the most difficult colleges to get into in Scotland. With the mission to be one of world’s leading research and teaching institutes internationally, the university improvises, innovates and improves, while sticking to its rich heritage and the highest quality of teaching. The University of Edinburgh is renowned for creating various legends that have made an everlasting impression on the world, in several areas of study. Charles Darwin, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Bayes, James Clerk Maxwell and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are some esteemed personalities who were once students of the University of Edinburgh. Brace yourself and keep reading this list to know more eminent individuals who have made the University Of Edinburgh proud with their contribution to society.