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[update] 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.[ 1]
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 .
Heads of state and heads of government [ edit ]
British Prime Ministers [ edit ]
His Majesty's Government[ edit ]
House of Lords and House of Commons [ edit ]
Members of the European Parliament [ edit ]
British local politicians [ edit ]
British civil servants [ edit ]
Members of the British Royal Household [ edit ]
British military, security, and police personnel[ edit ]
Foreign politicians, civil servants, diplomats, and military personnel[ edit ]
Non-government people in British public life [ edit ]
Non-government people in public life overseas [ edit ]
Lord Chancellors and Lord Chief Justices [ edit ]
Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (Law Lords)[ edit ]
Other judges and lawyers: United Kingdom [ edit ]
Judges and lawyers: other countries [ edit ]
Saints
Blessed
Pope
Cardinals
Archbishops of Canterbury
Archbishops of York
Other Archbishops, Presiding Bishops, and Metropolitans
Other Bishops
Clergy and other ministers
Theologians
Poets Laureate
Novelists and story writers [ edit ]
Scholars, critics, diarists, publishers, librarians[ edit ]
Joseph Addison (The Queen's and Magdalen)
Jean Aitchison (Worcester)
Peter Bayley (University)
John Bayley (St Catherine's)
Max Beerbohm (Merton)
Stephen Bernard (Christ Church, Brasenose, and Univ)
Homi K. Bhabha
James H. Billington (Balliol)
Andrew Cecil Bradley (Balliol)
Melvyn Bragg (Wadham)
Jacky Bratton (St Anne's)
Katharine Mary Briggs (Lady Margaret Hall)
Vera Brittain (Somerville)
Cleanth Brooks (Exeter)
Robert Burchfield (Magdalen and Christ Church)
Sir Raymond Carr (Christ Church, New College, All Souls and St Antony's)
Alasdair Clayre (All Souls)
Peter Conrad (Christ Church and All Souls)
Janet E. Courtney (Lady Margaret Hall)
Jonathan Culler
Christopher de Hamel
Thomas de Quincey (Brasenose)
Susie Dent
Terry Eagleton (Wadham, Linacre, and St Catherine's)
Richard Ellmann (New College)
Paul Engle
Geoffrey Faber (Christ Church)
James Fenton (Magdalen)
Henry Watson Fowler (Balliol)
Adam Fox (Magdalen)
Leela Gandhi
William Gifford (Exeter)
Victor Gollancz (New College)
George Stuart Gordon (Oriel and Magdalen)
John Haffenden (St John's and Magdalen)
Ian Hamilton (Keble)
Richard Hakluyt (Christ Church)
Hugh Haughton
George Birkbeck Norman Hill (Pembroke)
Christopher Hitchens (Balliol)
Thomas James (New College)
Samuel Johnson (Pembroke)
Antony Kamm (Worcester)
Andrew Lang (Balliol)
Gerard Langbaine (University)
Monica Jones (St Hugh's)
John Lahr (Worcester)
Andrew George Lehmann
C.S. Lewis (University and Magdalen)
Alain LeRoy Locke (Hertford)
Edward Lucie-Smith (Merton)
Fiona MacCarthy
Peter McDonald (University and Christ Church)
Robert Macfarlane (Magdalen)
Norris McWhirter (Trinity) co-founder, Guinness Book of Records (1955)
Ross McWhirter (Trinity) co-founder, Guinness Book of Records (1955)
Chris Maslanka (St Catherine's)
Ved Mehta (Balliol)
Kate Millett (St Hilda's) author of Sexual Politics (1970), founder of Women's Art Colony Farm (1971)
Peter Milward (Campion Hall) Emeritus Professor of English Literature Sophia University
Toril Moi (Lady Margaret Hall and Pembroke)
Jan Morris (St Edmund Hall and Christ Church)
Brian Morris, Baron Morris of Castle Morris (Worcester)
Raymond Mortimer (Balliol)
Douglas Murray (Magdalen)
Beverley Nichols (Balliol)
Harold Nicolson (Balliol)
David Norbrook (Balliol, Magdalen, and Merton)
Michael O'Neill (Exeter)
Francis Turner Palgrave (Balliol and Exeter)
Walter Pater (The Queen's)
William Paton Ker (Balliol and All Souls)
Reynolds Price (Merton)
Arthur Quiller-Couch (Trinity)
Walter Alexander Raleigh (Merton)
Nick Rees-Roberts (Keble)
C. Allen Thorndike Rice publisher of the North American Review
Christopher Ricks (Balliol and Worcester)
Neil Leon Rudenstine (New College) President of Harvard University 1991–2001
John Campbell Shairp (Balliol)
Susan Sontag (St Anne's)
Richard Steele (Merton)
Percy Stephensen (The Queen's)
J. I. M. Stewart (Oriel and Christ Church)
Jonathan Swift (Hertford)
Ann Thwaite (St Hilda's)
J. R. R. Tolkien (Exeter and Pembroke)
Jenny Uglow (St Anne's)
Guðbrandur Vigfússon
Elizabeth Wade White
Fredric Warburg (Christ Church)
Marina Warner (Lady Margaret Hall)
Joseph Warton (Oriel)
Raymond Williams
Simon Winchester (St Catherine's)
George Woodcock
Ghil'ad Zuckermann (St Hugh's)
Travel and non-fiction writers [ edit ]
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 .
Paul Anderson (Balliol) Tribune 1991–93, Deputy New Statesman 1993–96
Perry Anderson (Worcester) New Left Review 1962–82 & 2000–03
Lionel Barber (St. Edmund) The Financial Times 2005–
Paul Barker (Brasenose) New Society 1968–86
Peter Beinart (University) The New Republic 1999–2006, Editor-at-large 2006–
Tina Brown (St Anne's) Tatler 1979–83, Vanity Fair 1984–92, The New Yorker 1992–98
George Earle Buckle (New College and All Souls) The Times 1884–1912
Alastair Burnet (Worcester) The Economist 1965–74, The Daily Express 1974–76
Charles C. W. Cooke (LMH) National Review Online 2016-
William Percival Crozier (Trinity) The Manchester Guardian 1932–44
Matthew d'Ancona (Magdalen and All Souls) The Spectator 2006–
Geoffrey Dawson (Magdalen and All Souls) The Times 1912–19 & 1923–41
John Thadeus Delane (Magdalen Hall) The Times 1841–77
Bill Emmott (Magdalen) The Economist 1993–2006
James Fallows (The Queen's) U.S. News & World Report 1996–98
Kim Fletcher (Hertford) The Independent on Sunday 1998–99, Ed Dir Telegraph New Media 2000-03, Ed Dir Telegraph Group 2003-05
Paul Foot (University) Socialist Worker 1972–78
John Gross (Wadham) Times Literary Supplement 1974–81, New York Times Book Review (Dep. Editor) 1985–1989
John Lawrence Hammond (St John's) The Speaker 1899–1906
Max Hastings The Daily Telegraph 1986–95, The Evening Standard 1996–2001
Alastair Hetherington (Corpus Christi) The Guardian 1956–75
Ian Hislop (Magdalen) Private Eye 1986–
Anthony Howard (Christ Church) New Statesman 1972–78, Deputy The Observer 1981–88
Brian Inglis (Magdalen) The Spectator 1959–62
Richard Ingrams (University) co-founder Private Eye 1961, Editor 1963–86, founder The Oldie 1992
Aboubakr Jamaï (University) co-founder Le Journal Hebdomadaire 1997, co-founder Assahifa al-Ousbouiya 1998
Simon Jenkins (St John's) Evening Standard 1976–78, The Times 1990–92
Paul Johnson (Magdalen) New Statesman 1965–70
Mehreen Khan Financial Times 2016-22, The Times 2022–
Michael Kinsley (Magdalen) The New Republic 1979–81 & 1985–89, Slate 1996–2002, sometime of Harper's Magazine
Andrew Knight (Balliol) The Economist 1974–86
Richard Lambert (Balliol) Financial Times 1991–2001, Director General Confederation of British Industry 2006–
Dominic Lawson (Christ Church) The Spectator 1990–95, The Sunday Telegraph 1995–2005
John Micklethwait (Magdalen) The Economist 2006–
Ferdinand Mount (Christ Church) Times Literary Supplement 1991–2003
Rowan Pelling (St Hugh's) Erotic Review 1997–
Peter Preston (St John's) The Guardian 1975–95
William Rees-Mogg (Balliol) The Times 1967–81, Chairman Arts Council 1982–89
C. P. Scott (Corpus Christi) The Manchester Guardian 1872–1929
Edward Taylor Scott The Manchester Guardian 1929–32
Paul Spike (St Catherine's) Punch 1997
Richard Stengel (Christ Church) Managing Editor Time 2006–
Peter Stothard (Trinity) The Times 1992–2002, Times Literary Supplement 2002–
Andrew Sullivan (Magdalen) The New Republic 1991–96
Hilary Wainwright Red Pepper
John Walter (Trinity) The Times 1803–09
Norman Webster (St John's) sometime editor-in-chief The Globe and Mail , Montreal Gazette
Jacob Weisberg (New College) sometime of Slate
Andreas Whittam Smith (Keble) The Independent 1986–93, Pres Brit Bd of Film Classification 1997-2002, First Church Estates Commr 2002–
Peregrine Worsthorne (Magdalen) The Sunday Telegraph 1986–89
David Aaronovitch (Balliol)
Tariq Ali (Exeter)
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown (Linacre)
Lynn Barber
Katharine Lee Bates
Nora Beloff (Lady Margaret Hall)
Catherine Bennett (Hertford)
Stephen Bernard (Christ Church, Brasenose College, University College)
Adrian Berry, 4th Viscount Camrose (Christ Church)
Michael Billington (St Catherine's)[ 2]
Grace Blakeley (St Peter's and St Antony's)
Anna Blundy
Emma Brockes (St Edmund Hall)
James Buchan (Magdalen)
David Caute (Wadham, St Antony's, and All Souls) Literary Editor New Statesman 1979–80
Hugh Chisholm (Christ Church) Editor of Encyclopædia Britannica (11th & 12th edns)
Alexander Cockburn (Keble)
Andrew Cockburn (Worcester)
Claud Cockburn
Patrick Cockburn (Trinity)
Peter Conradi (Brasenose)
Robert Crampton
George Dangerfield (Hertford) Literary Editor Vanity Fair 1933–35
Nick Denton (University)
E. J. Dionne
Cordelia Fine
Jonathan Freedland (Wadham)
Thomas Friedman – American journalist, author and a three-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize
Barton Gellman
Alan Gibson (Queen's)
Maurizio Giuliano (University)
Richard Gott
Tom Gross (Wadham)
John Harris (The Queen's)
Julia Hartley-Brewer (Magdalen)
Mehdi Hasan (Christ Church)
Christopher Hitchens (Balliol)
Anthony Holden
Austen Ivereigh (St Antony's) Director of Public Affairs Archbishop of Westminster 2004–06
Rachel Johnson (New College)
Owen Jones (University)[ 3]
Tobias Jones (Jesus)
John F. Jungclaussen (St Cross College)
Oliver Kamm (New College)
John Keay (Magdalen)
Robert Kee (Magdalen)
Lucy Kellaway (Lady Margaret Hall)
Ludovic Kennedy (Christ Church)
Martin Kettle (Balliol)
Miles Kington (Trinity)
Charles Krauthammer
Nicholas D. Kristof (Magdalen)
Christina Lamb (University)
Osbert Lancaster (Lincoln)
Nathaniel Lande Creative Director of Time , Director of Time World News Service & Time-Life
Paul Levy (Nuffield)
James McDonald (University)
Derek Malcolm (Merton)[ 4]
Peter Millar (Magdalen)
Seumas Milne (Balliol)[ 5]
Baisali Mohanty (Wolfson)
Sheridan Morley (Merton)
Harry Mount
Eustace Clare Grenville Murray (Hertford) diplomat 1851–68, founder Queen's Messenger 1869, co-founder World 1874
James Owen (University)
Melanie Phillips (St Anne's)
Adam Raphael (Oriel)
Kate Rew
W. Andrew Robinson (University) Literary Editor Times Higher Education Supplement
Miranda Sawyer (Pembroke)
William Shawcross (University)
Sonia Sodha (St Hilda's)
Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer (Magdalen)
Guy Spier (Brasenose)
George Steer (Christ Church)
Jonny Steinberg
Heather Stewart (Magdalen)
Frances Stonor Saunders (St Anne's)
David Stubbs
Matthew Sweet
Polly Toynbee (St Anne's)
Kenneth Tynan (Magdalen)
Sharon Waxman (St Antony's)
Michael Wharton (Lincoln)[ 6]
Geoffrey Wheatcroft (New College)[ 7]
Christine Whelan (Worcester) author of Why Smart Men Marry Smart Women
George Will (Magdalen)
Tom Wintringham (Balliol) founder Daily Worker (1930) and Left Review (1934)
John Woodcock (Trinity)
Adrian Wooldridge (Balliol and All Souls)
Hugo Young (Balliol)
Toby Young (Brasenose)
Jana Bennett Head of Science BBC 1994–2002, Director of Television 2002–06, Director of Vision 2006–
Seymour Berry, 2nd Viscount Camrose (Christ Church) MP 1941–45, Dep Chmn Telegraph 1939–87, Vice Chmn Amalgamated Press 1942–59
Michael Berry, Baron Hartwell (disclaimed 3rd Viscount Camrose) (Christ Church) Chmn & Ed-in-Chief Daily & Sunday Telegraph until 1986
John Birt, Baron Birt (St Catherine's) BBC Director-General 1992 to 2000
Michael Checkland (Wadham) BBC Director-General 1987 to 1992
Calvin Cheng (Hertford) founder Looque International (2004)
Arthur fforde (Trinity) Headmaster of Rugby 1948–57, Chairman of the BBC 1957–64
Maurice Gorham (Balliol) Controller BBC Television Service 1946–47, Director Radio Éireann 1953–59
Hugh Greene (Merton) BBC Director-General 1960 to 1969
Tony Hall (Keble) BBC Director-General 2013 to 2020
George Howard, Baron Howard of Henderskelfe (Balliol) Chairman of the BBC 1980–83
Jeremy Isaacs (Merton) Channel 4 Chief Executive 1981–87
Walter Isaacson (Pembroke) Chairman & CEO of CNN 2001–3, President & CEO of Aspen Institute 2003–
Roly Keating (Balliol) Controller of BBC Four 2002–04, Controller of BBC Two 2004–
Alasdair Milne (New College) BBC Director-General 1982 to 1987
Rupert Murdoch (Worcester) founder, Chairman, and CEO News Corporation 1980–
Frederick Ogilvie (Jesus) BBC Director-General 1938 to 1942
Cathy Rogers Creative Director RDF Media (Los Angeles) 2001–
Howard Stringer (Merton) Chairman and CEO Sony Corporation 2005–
Mark Thompson (Merton) BBC Director-General 2004 to 2012
Stage and television [ edit ]
Composers
Conductors
Organists
Pianists
Singers
Musicologists
Administration
Didgeridoo
Jazz
Country
Folk
Rock and pop
Museum and gallery directors [ edit ]
Robert Anderson (St John's) Director British Museum 1992–2002
Thomas P. Campbell Director Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York 2009–
Kenneth Clark, Baron Clark of Saltwood (Trinity) Director National Gallery 1933–46, Surveyor King's Pictures 1934–44, Chairman Arts Council 1953–60
Henry Ellis (St John's) Principal Librarian British Museum 1827–56
T. D. Kendrick (Oriel) Director and Principal Librarian British Museum 1950–59
Frederic G. Kenyon (Magdalen) Director and Principal Librarian British Museum 1909–31
Michael Levey (Exeter) Director National Gallery 1973–86
Neil MacGregor (New College) Director National Gallery 1987–2002, Director British Museum 2002–, Chairman World Collections 2008–
Edward Maunde Thompson (University) Principal Librarian British Museum 1888–98, Director and Principal Librarian 1898–1909
Nicholas Penny (Balliol) Director National Gallery 2008–
John Pope-Hennessy (Balliol) Director Victoria and Albert Museum 1967–73, Director and Principal Librarian British Museum 1974–76, Director 1976–79
John Wolfenden, Baron Wolfenden (Magdalen) V-C Reading Univ 1950–63, Chmn Wolfenden Cttee 1954–57, Chmn Univ Grants Cttee 1963–68, Dir & Prin Lib Brit Mus 1969–74
Art and history of art [ edit ]
Academic disciplines [ edit ]
This includes:
Law
Theology and the Study of Religions
Historians
Classicists, Byzantinists, Archaeologists
Modern Languages
Philosophers
Economists
Geography
Anthropology and ethnography
Sociology
Politics, political philosophy, and international relations
Asian studies
Mathematicians and statisticians
Scientists
Naturalists, botanists, and zoologists
Medicine
Psychologists, psychiatrists, and physiologists of the brain
Chemists
Physicists and astronomers
Astronomers Royal
Other physicists and astronomers
Computers, electronics, and robotics
Engineering and agriculture
Geology
Meteorology
Sports people, explorers and adventurers[ edit ]
Chefs and wine experts [ edit ]
^ "Gertrud Seidmann awarded a Certificate of Graduate Attainment" . School of Archaeology . University of Oxford. 28 March 2011. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. Retrieved 15 July 2018 .
^ "St Catherine's, Oxford v Peterhouse, Cambridge" . BBC Online . Retrieved 18 April 2021 .
^ Cooper-Beglin, Charlotte (6 January 2014). "Interview: Owen Jones" . Cherwell . Retrieved 6 May 2021 .
^ Levens, R.G.C., ed. (1964). Merton College Register 1900-1964 . Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p. 416.
^ "How Seumas Milne quietly became Labour's power player" . The New European . 3 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2021 .
^ Purser, Philip (25 January 2006). "Michael Wharton" . The Guardian . Retrieved 11 May 2021 .
^ Howard, Anthony (7 December 1989). "Murder in the Cathedral" . London Review of Books . Retrieved 18 August 2021 .
^ "Obituary: Frank Bough" . BBC News. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 2 May 2021 .
^ "Gyles Brandreth (New College, 1967)" . alumni.ox.ac.uk . 19 January 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2021 .
^ "Jo Coburn" . BBC Online . Retrieved 8 May 2021 .
^ "Michael Crick, BA" . University of Manchester . Retrieved 6 May 2021 .
^ "Chris Hollins" . Talent4 Media . Retrieved 4 May 2021 .
^ "Tributes to Magnus Magnusson, KBE, 1929-2007" . BBC Online . 8 January 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2021 .
^ Iqbal, Nosheen (19 March 2018). "Cathy Newman: 'The internet is being written by men with an agenda' " . The Guardian . Retrieved 6 May 2021 .
^ "40 Years of Women: Katie Razzall" . Pembroke College, Oxford . 31 October 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2021 .
^ Billen, Andrew. "Sophy Ridge, the woman changing on-screen politics" . Royal Television Society . Retrieved 1 May 2021 .
^ Katbamna, Mira (17 August 2011). "My first year at university" . The Guardian . Retrieved 6 May 2021 .
^ Morris, Sophie (22 October 2011). "Dan Snow: History boy" . The Independent . London. Retrieved 8 May 2021 .
^ Dainty, Sophie (7 June 2023). "Hollyoaks star Niamh Blackshaw explains exit from Juliet role" . Digital Spy . (Hearst Communications ). Retrieved 7 June 2023 .
^ "Sophie Hunter Biography" . Sophie Hunter Central .
^ Hayward, Anthony (7 October 2010). "Louis Marks obituary" . The Guardian . Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ "Ian Marter" . Goodreads . Retrieved 3 May 2021 .
^ Durrant, Sabine (23 October 2011). "INTERVIEW / Plowman's half-hour: Jon Plowman is the straight man behind the funny women played by French and Saunders. Life's a gag, the TV producer tells Sabine Durrant" . The Independent . London. Retrieved 3 May 2021 .