List of people with surname Brown

Brown is a common English-language surname derived from the color brown as a personal feature. This list provides links to biographies of people who share this common surname, organized by area of endeavor.

Activism

* H. Rap Brown, American civil rights activist
* Gerald W. Brown, American whistleblower
* John Brown (abolitionist) (1800-1859), American abolitionist
* John W. Brown (1867-1941), a Canadian-born labour leader in the United States
* Oliver Brown (civil rights), plaintiff of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education- case concerning segregation
* Olympia Brown (1835-1926), American women's suffragist

Art and architecture

* Bob Brown (comics), comic book artist
* Christy Brown, an Irish author, painter and poet
* Capability Brown, English landscape gardener
* Ford Madox Brown (1821-1893), English painter
* Henry Kirke Brown (1814-1886), American sculptor
* John Brown (architect), English architect in the 19th century
* John George Brown (1831-1913), American painter born Durham, England
* Sheldon Brown (artist) (b. 1962), artist and professor of computer art

Business

* Bobbi Brown, makeup artist and entrepreneur
* Sir David Brown (entrepreneur) (1904-1993), English entrepreneur
* Howard Brown, spokesman for Halifax bank in the U.K.

Crime

* David P. Brown, convicted kidnapper and child sexual assaulter
* Jason Derek Brown, suspected murderer listed on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
* John A. Brown, Jr. (died 1997), an American murderer executed in Louisiana for the murder of Omer Laughlin
* John Ronald Brown, unlicensed United States sex-change operation surgeon
* Nixzmary Brown, American murder victim from Brooklyn, New York

Engineering, science, and medicine

* Alexander Crum Brown, Scottish chemist who devised the diagramatic system of representing chemical bonds
* Barnum Brown (1873-1963), American paleontologist
* Ernest William Brown (1866-1938), English mathematician and astronomer
* George H. Brown (engineer) (1908-1987), American research engineer who developed color television
* G. Spencer-Brown (born 1923), English mathematician
* Harold P. Brown, inventor of the electric chair
* Herbert C. Brown, (1912–2004) Nobel Prize chemist
* Howard J. Brown (1924–1975), physician, public health official, and gay-rights activist
* John Brown (doctor) (1735-1788), a Scottish physician who developed his own medical system
*John Brown (orthodontic technician), Scottish lecturer in orthodontics and OTA councillor
* John Brown (physician) (1810-1882), a Scottish physician and essayist
* John Brown (professor), Scottish Royal Astronomer
* Sir John Brown (industrialist) (1816-1896), the inventor of a process for rolling armour-plate
* Michael E. Brown, astronomer
* Michael Stuart Brown (born 1941), American geneticist
* Moses Brown (1738-1836), American inventor
* Rachel Fuller Brown, American scientist, co-developer of Nystatin
* Robert Brown (botanist) (1773-1858), botanist
* Robert Hanbury Brown (1916-2002), British astronomer and physicist
* Roger Brown (psychologist) American social psychologist
* Captain Samuel Brown (1774-1852), British civil engineer
* Thomas Brown (engineer) (1772-1850) English surveyor, engineer, businessman, and landowner
* Thomas Brown (naturalist) (1785-1862), English naturalist
* Thomas Townsend Brown (1905-1985), American physicist
* William Brown (bridge designer) (1928-2005), British bridge designer

Fiction

* the Browns, a hobbit family mentioned in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien
* Bob Brown (The Unit), a character in the American TV show "The Unit"
* Charlie Brown, central hero of "Peanuts" cartoon by Charles Schultz
* Doctor Emmett Brown, the "crazy, wild-eyed" scientist from the "Back to the Future trilogy", played by Christopher Lloyd
* Encyclopedia Brown, boy detective
* Father Brown, Catholic priest and detective in stories by G. K. Chesterton
* John Brown, protagonist of the 1999 film "Inspector Gadget"
* Lavender Brown, fellow student in the "Harry Potter" series by J. K. Rowling
* Rembrandt Brown, musician in US TV show "Sliders"
* Sally Brown, sister of Charlie Brown in "Peanuts" cartoon by Charles Schultz
* Teela Brown, heroine of Larry Niven's "Ringworld" SF series with in-born good luck
* Tom Brown (character), plucky student in semi-autobiographical "Tom Brown's Schooldays" by Thomas Hughes, later mentioned in George MacDonald Fraser's "Flashman" series
* William Brown (fictional boy), naughty schoolboy hero of "Just William" by Richmal Crompton
* Agent Brown in "The Matrix"

Film, television, and theater

* A. Whitney Brown, American comedian
* Aaron Brown, American broadcast journalist
* Alton Brown, American TV chef
* Arnold Brown (comedian), Scottish comedian
* Barry Brown, (1951-1978), American actor
* Clarence Brown, American movie director
* David Brown (producer) (born 1916), American movie producer
* George Brown (Union official), president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employes
* Harry Brown (journalist), Canadian radio and television host
* James Brown (TV personality) (born 1951), American television sports personality
* Jaclynn Tiffany Brown (Jackie Brown) American Actress
* Joe Brown (judge) (born 1947), television judge on the "Judge Joe Brown" show
* Joe E. Brown (comedian) (1892-1973), American actor and comedian
* Robert Brown (actor) (1921-2003), English actor
* Robert Latham Brown, producer, production manager, and author
* Samantha Brown, Travel Channel host
* Theo Wade Brown (1950-2002), British designer and eccentric, well-known member of the London special effects community
* Tom Brown (actor) (1913-1990), film and television actor

History, philosophy, and religion

* Arnold Brown (General of The Salvation Army) (1913-2002), 11th General of The Salvation Army
* George Brown (missionary) (1835-1917), English missionary to Fiji, Samoa
* John Brown (clergyman) (1784-1858), Scottish clergyman and writer
* John Brown (theologian) (1722-1787), Scottish clergyman and Biblical commentator
* John Brown (vicar) (died 1845), an eloquent British evangelical preacher and Vicar of St. Mary's Leicester
* Peter Brown (historian) (born 1935), Irish historian specializing in the period of Late Antiquity and study of the cult of saints
* Thomas Brown (philosopher) (1778-1820), Scottish philosopher
* William Brown (clergyman) (1766-1835), Scottish clergyman and Hebraist

Literature

* Alice Brown (writer) (1856-1948), American novelist
* Bill Brown (critical theory), American author and professor of English at the University of Chicago
* Charles Brockden Brown, American novelist
* Dale Brown (born 1956), American novelist
* Dan Brown, American novelist; author of "The Da Vinci Code"
* Dee Brown (novelist), American novelist and historian
* Eric Brown, science fiction author
* Fredric Brown, science fiction and mystery author
* George Douglas Brown (1869-1902), Scottish novelist
* George Mackay Brown (1921-1996), Scottish poet, author, and dramatist
* Harry Brown (writer) (1917-1986), American screenwriter and novelist
* Helen Gurley Brown (born 1922), author, publisher, and businesswoman
* James Cooke Brown (1921-2000), sociologist
* John Brown (essayist) (1715-1766), English divine and author
* John Brown (fugitive slave) (c. 1810-1876), writer of "Slave Life in Georgia: A Narrative of the Life, Sufferings and Escape of John Brown"
* Norman O. Brown (1913-2002), American literary scholar
* Rita Mae Brown (born 1944), American writer and social activist
* Rosel George Brown (1926-1967), American science fiction author
* Thomas Edward Brown (1830-1897), Manx poet, scholar, and divine
* Tina Brown (born 1953), English journalist and author, biographer of Princess Diana
* Tom Brown (naturalist) (born 1950), an American outdoorsman and nature writer
* Tom Brown (satirist) (c. 1663-1704), English translator and satirist
* William Wells Brown (1814-1884), African American writer and abolitionist

Military

* Chris Wreford-Brown, commanded HMS Conqueror (S48), first nuclear-powered submarine to sink a ship.
* George Brown (soldier) (1790-1865), British Army officer
* George Scratchley Brown (1918-1978), Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
* Harry Brown (VC) (1898-1917), Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross
* Jacob Jennings Brown (1775-1828), U.S. Army officer in the War of 1812
* John Brown (spy), British POW and spy during the Second World War
* Peter Brown (VC) (1837-1894), Swedish recipient of the Victoria Cross
* Tom Brown (hero) (1705-1746), hero of the Battle of Dettingen
* Walter Ernest Brown VC, DCM (1885-1942) Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross
* William Brown (soldier) (18th century), American Revolutionary War soldier
* William Brown (admiral) (1777-1857), Irish-born Argentine Navy admiral
* William Brown (sailor), Black woman who served in the Royal Navy disguised as a man

Music

* Andy Brown (Zimbabwean musician), a musician from Zimbabwe
* Arthur Brown (musician), English rock and roll singer
* Ayla Brown, (born 1988) American singer, college basketball player and former "American Idol" contestant
* Barry Brown (singer), Jamaican reggae singer
* Bill Brown (composer) (born 1969), American composer
* Bobby Brown, (born 1969) American rhythm and blues singer
* Chris Brown (singer), American rhythm and blues singer and dancer
* Charles Brown (musician), American blues singer
* Clifford Brown, American jazz trumpeter
* David Brown (musician), American musician
* David Brown (Australian musician), Australian musician
* Dennis Brown, Jamaican reggae singer
* Earle Brown, American experimental composer
* George Brown (musician) (born 1949), drummer for Kool & the Gang
* Harold Ray Brown (born 1946, member of the 1970s band, War
* Ian Brown solo artist and former lead singer in The Stone Roses
* James Brown (musician) (1933-2006), American soul and funk singer and bandleader
* Jason 'J' Brown, former member of boy-band, 5ive.
* Jocelyn Brown, American R&B and dance music singer
* Joe Brown (singer) (born 1941), British singer
* Julie Brown, American actress and singer
* Junior Brown, American country singer
* Les Brown (bandleader), big band leader
* Lew Brown, American lyricist
* Melanie Brown, English pop singer
* Peter Brown (singer) (born 1953), singer, songwriter, and producer
* Robert E. Brown (1927-2005), American ethnomusicologist
* Rosemary Brown (spiritualist) (1916-2001), spirit medium and classical pianist
* Ruth Brown, American singer
* Steve Brown (bass player) (1890-1965), American jazz musician and string bass player from New Orleans
* Steve Brown (composer), British television composer
* Tom Brown (trombonist) (1888-1958), American jazz trombonist and bandleader
* The Five Browns; classical piano musical group; Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra, and Desirae.
* Wilfred Brown English tenor
* Willie Brown (musician) (1900-1952), American delta blues guitarist and singer

Politics

Australia

* Bob Brown (born 1944), Australian green politician
* Bob Brown (Australian Labor politician)
* Carol Brown, Australian Senator
* Robert Leslie Brown, Australian Shooters Party politician
* Peter Nicholas Brown (1797-1846), first Colonial Secretary of Western Australia (1829-1846)
* Thomas Brown (Western Australian politician) (1803-1863), Australian pastoralist and politician

Canada

* Bill Brown (politician) (born 1973), Canadian city councillor at Dryden, Ontario
* George Brown (Canadian politician) (1818-1880), Scottish-born Canadian politician
* Rosemary Brown (politician) (1930-2003)
* William Brown (Manitoba politician), politician in Manitoba, 1922-1927

New Zealand

* Peter Brown (politician) (born 1939), New Zealand First MP

outh Africa

* Peter Brown (South African politician) (1924-2004), founding member of the South African Liberal Party

United Kingdom

* Ernest Brown (1881-1962), British politician
* Gordon Brown (born 1951), Current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
* George Brown, Baron George-Brown (1914-1985), British politician
* James Brown (politician) (1862-1939), Member of Parliament for Ayrshire, UK
* Robert Brown (English politician) (born 1921), English politician
* Robert Brown (Scottish politician) (born 1947), Scottish politician

United States

* Adam M. Brown (1826-1901), Mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1901
* Benjamin Gratz Brown (1826-1885), Governor of Missouri
* Charles Brown (California) (born 1949), candidate for Congress in Northern California
* Elon R. Brown (1857-1922), President pro tem of the NY State Senate 1915-1918
* Edward and Elaine Brown, New Hampshire tax protesters
* several people named George Brown, incluing:
** George Brown, Jr. (1920-1999), U.S. Representative from California
** George H. Brown (congressman) (1810-1865), represented New Jersey 's 4th congressional district from 1853 to 1855.
* Harold Brown (Secretary of Defense) (born 1927), American physicist
* Henry B. Brown (1836-1914), U.S. Supreme Court Justice
* Henry E. Brown, Jr. (born 1935), U.S. Representative from South Carolina
* James Brown (senator) (1766-1835), U.S. Senator from Louisiana
* James S. Brown (1824-1878), American mayor of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and U.S. Representative from Wisconsin
* Jerry Brown (born 1938), Governor of California from 1975-1983
* John Brown (Kentucky) (1757-1837), member of Continental Congress from Virginia
* John Brown (Maryland) (c.1760-1815), United States representative from Maryland
* John Brown (North Carolina) (1737-1812), pioneer and statesman from North Carolina
* John Brown (Pennsylvania) (1772-1845), United States representative from Pennsylvania
* John Brown (Rhode Island) (1736-1803), United States representative from Rhode Island
* John Brewer Brown (1836-1898), United States representative from Maryland
* John C. Brown (1827-1889), Tennessee governor
* John Robert Brown (judge) (1909-1993), a member of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
* John W. Brown (New York politician) (1796-1875), United States representative from New York
* John William Brown (1913-1993), Governor of Ohio for eleven days in 1957
* John Y. Brown, Sr. (1900-1985), United States Representative from Kentucky
* John Y. Brown, Jr. (born 1933), Democratic Governor of Kentucky from 1979 to 1983
* Joseph E. Brown (1821-1894) American governor of Georgia
* Joseph O. Brown (1848-1903), Mayor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1901-1903
* Melissa Brown, ophthalmologist and several-time candidate from Pennsylvania for the United States House of Representatives
* Pat Brown (1905-1996), Governor of California from 1959-1967
* Scott P. Brown, State Senator from Massachusetts
* Sherrod Brown (born 1952), U.S. Senator from Ohio
* Thomas Brown (politician) (1785-1867), American politician
* Willie Lewis Brown, Jr. (born 1934), American mayor of San Francisco

ports

* Andrew Brown (soccer) (1870-1948), Scottish American soccer player/coach
* Bill Brown (cricketer) (born 1912), Australian cricketer
* Bill Brown (goalkeeper) (1931-2004), Scots/English goalkeeper
* Bill Brown (football) (born 1938), American football running back
* Bob Brown (footballer), football manager
* Bob Brown (NFL) (born 1941), American NFL football player
* Bob Brown (runner) (born 1969), British ultra-distance runner
* Bobby Brown (third baseman) (born 1924), American Major League Baseball player and American League president
* Bobby Brown (football), Scottish football player and manager
* Charles Wreford-Brown, former captain of the England Soccer Team
* David Brown (cricketer) (born 1942), English cricketer
* David Brown (golfer) (died 1930), Scottish golfer
* Dougie Brown, Scottish cricketer
* George Brown (cricketer) (1887-1964), English cricketer
* Gilbert Brown (born 1971), American NFL football defensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers
* Godfrey Brown (1915-1995), British runner
* Ike Brown (1942-2001), American baseball player
* Jackie Brown (boxer), professional boxer
* Jammal Brown (born 1981), American NFL football left tackle for the New Orleans Saints
* James Brown (footballer) (born 1987), English footballer for Hartlepool United F.C.
* Jeff Brown Canadian ice hockey player
* Jim Brown (baseball) (1860-1908), American baseball player
* Jim Brown (born 1936), American football player and film actor
* Joe Brown (climber) (born 1930), English climber
* Joe Brown (boxer) (1926-1997), American boxer
* Joe Brown (footballer born 1920), English footballer
* Joe Brown (footballer born 1929), English footballer and manager
* Joe Brown (footballer born 1988), English footballer
* José Luis Brown (born 1956), Argentine football (soccer) player
* John Brown (bridge expert), a contract bridge expert
* John Brown (footballer), football player for Rangers Football Club
* Kerrith Brown (born 1962), British judoka
* Kwame Brown (born 1982), American Basketball Player
* Larry Brown (basketball), professional basketball coach
* Marian Brown, part of the San Francisco Twins
* Martha Brown (born 1900), American figure skater
* Michael Brown (English footballer) (born 1977), English footballer for Wigan Athletic
* Monty Brown, American professional wrestler
* Mordecai Brown ("Three Fingers"), pitcher in Major League Baseball
* Nathan Brown (rugby league), Australian rugby league player and coach
* Nathan D. Brown (born 1976), Australian rules footballer
* Nathan G. Brown (born 1978), Australian rules footballer
* Paul Brown, American football coach
* Peter Brown (rugby league), New Zealand rugby league footballer
* Peter Brown (rugby union) (born 1941), Scottish rugby union footballer
* Phil Brown (footballer born 1959) (born 1959), English football player and manager of Derby County F.C.
* Phil Brown (footballer born 1966) (born 1966), English football player and manager of Matlock Town F.C.
* Rachel Brown (born 1980), English football player
* Ronnie Brown (born 1981), American football player
* Ruben Brown (born 1972), American football player
* Sailor Brown (born 1915), English footballer
* Scott Brown, (born 1985) Scottish footballer
* Sean Brown, professional ice hockey player
* Shannon Brown (born 1985), American basketball player
* Sheldon Brown (football player) (b. 1979), professional American football player
* Steve Brown (footballer born 1966) (born 1966), English footballer
* Steve Brown (footballer born 1972) (born 1972), English footballer
* Tom Brown (baseball) (1860-1927), Liverpool-born American baseball player and manager
* Tom Brown (tennis player) (born 1921), a fine amateur tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s
* Troy Brown (born 1971), wideout for the New England Patriots
* Tommy Brown (born 1927), American Major League Baseball infielder
* Wesley Brown (born 1979), English football player for Manchster United
* Willie Brown (football player) (born 1940), American football Hall-of-Fame cornerback
* Vivian Brown, part of the San Francisco Twins
* Wendy Brown (born 1966), American heptathlete

Other fields

* Archie Brown, British academic and historian
* Arthur Whitten Brown (1886-1948), Scottish aviator
* David M. Brown (1956-2003), American astronaut
* Derren Brown, English magician and psychological illusionist
* Henry Box Brown (born 1815), slave who had himself mailed in a box to freedom
* John Brown (servant) (1826-1883), Scottish servant of Queen Victoria
* Louis M. Brown (1909-1996), US lawyer and pioneer of preventive law
* Louise Brown (1978- ), the first "test-tube baby"
* Margaret Brown (1867-1932), American socialite and philanthropist, "Titanic" survivor, also known as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"
* mrbrown, a prominent Singaporean blogger
*Robert A. Brown, President of Boston University
* Sheldon Brown (bicycle mechanic) (1944 – 2008), bicycle mechanic, writer, and webmaster