:
In chronological order. Academics •
John Smith (astronomer) (1711–1795), Lowndean Professor of Astronomy and Master of Caius •
John Smith (anatomist and chemist) (1721–1797), professor of anatomy and chemistry at the University of Oxford, 1767–1797 •
John Smith (antiquary) (1747–1807), Scottish antiquary and Gaelic scholar •
John Blair Smith (1764–1799), president of Union College, New York •
John Smith (professor of languages) (1752–1809), professor of languages at Dartmouth College •
John Augustine Smith (1782–1865), president of the College of William and Mary, 1814–1826 •
John Smith (botanist) (1798–1888), curator of Kew Gardens •
J. Lawrence Smith (chemist) (1818–1883), American doctor and chemist •
John Smith (dentist) (1825–1910), founder of Edinburgh's School of Dentistry •
John Campbell Smith (1828–1914), Scottish writer, advocate and Sheriff-Substitute of Forfarshire •
John Donnell Smith (1829–1928), biologist and taxonomist •
John McGarvie Smith (1844–1918), Australian metallurgist and bacteriologist •
John Bernhardt Smith (1858–1912), American entomologist •
John Alexander Smith (1863–1939), British Idealist philosopher •
John Merlin Powis Smith (1866–1932), English-born, American orientalist and biblical scholar •
John E. Sharwood Smith (1919–2007), English professor of classics •
John Edwin Smith (1921–2009), American philosopher •
John Cyril Smith (1922–2003), leading authority on English criminal law •
John Derek Smith (1924–2003), Cambridge molecular biologist •
John Smith (sociologist) (1927–2002), English sociologist •
John D. Smith (born 1946), indologist at the University of Cambridge •
John H. Smith (mathematician), Boston College educator (retired 2005)
Arts •
John Smith (engraver) (1652–1742), English mezzotint engraver •
John Smith (English poet) (1662–1717), English poet and playwright •
John Christopher Smith (1712–1795), English composer •
John Warwick Smith (1749–1831), British watercolour landscape painter and illustrator •
John Stafford Smith (1750–1836), composer of the tune for "The Star-Spangled Banner" •
John Raphael Smith (1751–1812), English mezzotint engraver and painter •
John Thomas Smith (engraver) (1766–1833), draughtsman, engraver and antiquarian •
John Rubens Smith (1775–1849), London-born painter, printmaker and art instructor who worked in the United States •
John Smith (art historian) (1781–1855), British art dealer •
John Orrin Smith (1799–1843), English wood engraver •
John Frederick Smith (1806–1890), English novelist •
John Rowson Smith (1810–1864), American panorama painter •
John Kelday Smith (1834–1889), Scottish bellhanger and songwriter •
John Moyr Smith (1839–1912), British architect, artist and designer •
John G. Smith (poet) (died 1891), Scottish poet •
John Berryman (1914–1972), originally John Allyn Smith, American poet •
John Smith (Canadian poet) (1927–2018), Canadian poet •
John Smith (actor) (1931–1995), American actor •
John N. Smith (born 1943), Canadian film director and screenwriter •
John F. Smith (musician) (born 1950), British musician and trade unionist •
John Smith (English filmmaker) (born 1952), avant-garde filmmaker •
John Noel Smith (born 1952), Irish artist •
John Warner Smith (born 1952), American poet and educator •
John F. Smith (writer), American soap opera writer and producer •
John Douglas Smith (born 1966), Canadian sound editor •
John Smith (comics writer) (born 1967), British comics writer •
John Smith (folk musician), English contemporary folk musician and recording artist •
John Smith (comedian), British comedian, actor and performer
Business •
John Smith (vegetarian) (–1870), English banker and vegetarianism activist •
John Smith (banker) (1797–1866), Scottish banker and philanthropist, working in England •
John Russell Smith (1810–1894), English bookseller and bibliographer •
John J. Smith (1820–1906), African-American abolitionist, Underground Railroad contributor and politician •
John Smith (brewer) (1824–1879), Tadcaster brewery founder in North Yorkshire, UK •
John K. Smith (1805–1845), American pharmacist and businessman, founder of the company which would later become SmithKline, a major pharmaceutical company •
John L. Smith (pharmaceutical executive) (1889–1950), German-born American chemist, pharmaceutical executive and Major League Baseball team owner •
John F. Smith Jr. (born 1938), former chairman and chief executive officer of General Motors •
John Smith (BBC executive) (born 1957), former chief executive officer of BBC Worldwide Ltd
Crime •
John Smith (housebreaker) (1661–after 1727), London housebreaker who evaded hanging thrice and was eventually transported to Virginia •
John Smith (died 1835) (1795–1835), one of the last two Englishmen who were hanged for sodomy in 1835 •
John Eldon Smith (1930–1983), convicted of the murders of Ronald and Juanita Akins •
John Smith (murderer) (born 1951), American convicted murderer
Law •
John Witherspoon Smith (1778–1829), American lawyer •
John Sidney Smith (legal writer) (1804–1871), English legal writer •
John William Smith (legal writer) (1809–1845), English barrister and legal writer •
John Smalman Smith, (1847–1914), British judge in the Colony of Lagos •
John Lewis Smith Jr. (1912–1992), United States federal judge •
John Smith (police officer) (born 1938), British police officer, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, 1991–1995 •
John Smith (South African judge) (born 1958), South African judge •
Jack Smith (lawyer) (born 1969), American lawyer
Medicine •
John Gordon Smith (surgeon) (1792–1833), Scottish surgeon and professor of medical jurisprudence •
John Smith (physician) (c. 1800–1879), Scottish physician specialising in treating the insane •
John Alexander Smith (physician) (1818–1883), Scottish physician, antiquarian, archaeologist and ornithologist
Military •
John Smith (banneret) (1616–1644), Englishman who supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War •
John Kilby Smith (1752–1842), Continental Army brigadier general during the American Revolutionary War •
John Smith (British Army officer, born 1754) (1754–1837), British artillery officer in the American Revolutionary War, later promoted to major-general •
John Smith (United States Navy officer) (1780–1815), United States Navy captain •
Frederick Smith (British Army officer, born 1790) (John Mark Frederick Smith, 1790–1874), British general and colonel-commandant of the Royal Engineers •
John Smith (sergeant) (1814–1864), soldier in the Bengal Sappers and Miners, and Indian Mutiny Victoria Cross recipient •
John E. Smith (general) (1816–1897), Swiss emigrant, Union general during the Civil War •
John Smith (private) (1822–1866), soldier in the 1st Madras (European) Fusiliers and Indian Mutiny Victoria Cross recipient •
John Smith (Medal of Honor, born 1826) (1826–1907), American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient •
John Smith (Medal of Honor, born 1831) (1831–?), American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient •
John Smith (Medal of Honor, born 1854) (1854–?), United States Navy sailor and Medal of Honor recipient •
John Manners Smith (1864–1920), British Indian Army lieutenant awarded the Victoria Cross, later promoted to lieutenant-colonel • John Smith, the pseudonym adopted by
Gopal Mukund Huddar (1902–1981) during the Spanish Civil War •
John Smith (flying ace) (1914–1972), United States Marine Corps flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient •
John Malcolm Smith (1922–1981), United States Navy flying ace in World War II
Politics Australia •
John Smith (New South Wales politician, born 1811) (1811–1895), pastoralist and member of the New South Wales Legislative Council •
John Smith (Victoria politician) (1816–1879), mayor of Melbourne •
John Smith (New South Wales politician, born 1821) (1821–1885), Scottish/Australian professor and member of the New South Wales Legislative Council •
John Samuel Smith (1841–1882), pastoralist and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly (Wellington) •
John Gordon Smith (politician) (1863–1921), member of the Queensland Legislative Council •
John Henry Smith (politician) (1881–1953), member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia
Canada •
John David Smith (Upper Canada politician) (1786–1849), businessman and politician in Upper Canada •
John Shuter Smith (c. 1813–1871), lawyer and politician in Canada West •
John Smith (Manitoba politician) (1817–1889), English-born farmer and politician in Manitoba •
John Smith (Peel MPP) (1831–1909), Scottish-born Ontario businessman and politician •
John Smith (Kent MPP), member of the 1st Ontario Legislative Assembly, 1867–1871 •
John W. Y. Smith (1869–1936), member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick •
John Smith (Ontario MP) (1894–1977), member of the Canadian House of Commons •
Jack Smith (politician) (John Eachern Smith, 1901–1967), Canadian politician and newspaper editor •
John James Smith (1912–1987), member of the Canadian House of Commons •
John Donald Smith (1919–1997), Canadian politician in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia •
John Roxburgh Smith (1938–2018), Canadian politician in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario •
John David Smith (Ontario politician), Canadian politician in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in 1975
United Kingdom •
John Smith alias Dyer (1498/99–1571), member of parliament (MP) for Ipswich •
John Smith (High Sheriff of Kent) (1557–1608), MP for Aylesbury and Hythe •
John Smith (steward of Berkeley) (1567–1640), English genealogical antiquary and politician who sat in the House of Commons, 1621–1622 •
John Smith (explorer) (1580–1631), helped found the Virginia Colony and became Colonial Governor of Virginia • Sir
John Smith of Grothill (c. 1600–c. 1675), Scottish landowner, merchant and Lord Provost of Edinburgh •
John Smith (Cavalier, born 1608) (1608–1657), English politician who sat in the House of Commons, 1640–1644 •
John Smith (Chancellor of the Exchequer) (1655/56–1723), English Chancellor of the Exchequer and Speaker of the House of Commons, 1705–1708 •
John Smith (English judge) (1657–1726), Justice of Common Pleas in Ireland until 1702, then Baron of the Exchequer •
John Smith (Southampton MP), MP for Southampton from 1698 to 1700 •
John Smith (Bath MP) (1727–1775), MP for Bath •
John Smith (Wendover MP) (1767–1842), member of Parliament for Wendover •
John Spencer Smith (1769–1845), British diplomat, politician, and writer •
John Smith (Deputy Governor of Anguilla) (died 1776), Deputy Governor of Anguilla •
John Benjamin Smith (1796–1879), British Liberal MP for Stirling Burghs 1847–1852 and Stockport 1852–1874 •
John Abel Smith (1802–1871), British Member of Parliament for Chichester and Midhurst •
John Smith (Conservative politician) (1923–2007), MP for the Cities of London and Westminster, founded the Landmark Trust*
John Hilary Smith (born 1928), colonial governor and administrator •
John Smith, Baron Kirkhill (1930–2023), life peer in the House of Lords •
John Smith (Labour Party leader) (1938–1994), leader of the British Labour Party •
John Smith (Welsh politician) (born 1951), Welsh politician and Labour Party member of Parliament
United States •
John Smith (President of Rhode Island) (died 1663), colonial president (governor) of Rhode Island •
John Smith (Virginia burgess) (1620–1663), Virginia colonial politician •
John Smith (Ohio politician, died 1824) (c. 1735–1824), United States senator from Ohio •
John Smith (Virginia representative) (1750–1836), United States representative from Virginia's 3rd Congressional District •
John Smith (New York politician, born 1752) (1752–1816), United States senator from New York •
John Cotton Smith (1765–1845), eighth Governor of Connecticut •
John Smith (Vermont politician) (1789–1858), United States representative from Vermont's 4th Congressional District •
John Speed Smith (1792–1854), United States representative from Kentucky •
John T. Smith (congressman) (1801–1864), United States representative from Pennsylvania's 3rd Congressional District, 1843–1845 •
John B. Smith (Wisconsin politician) (1811–1879), Wisconsin politician •
John Derby Smith (1812–1884), minister, physician, and Massachusetts state legislator •
John Armstrong Smith (1814–1892), United States representative from Ohio •
J. Lawrence Smith (New York politician) (1816–1889), New York lawyer, assemblyman, district attorney, county judge •
J. Gregory Smith (1818–1891), governor of Vermont •
John Hugh Smith (1819–1870), three-time mayor of Nashville, Tennessee between 1845 and 1865 •
J. Hyatt Smith (1824–1886), United States representative from New York's 3rd Congressional District •
John Quincy Smith (1824–1901), United States representative from Ohio's 3rd Congressional District •
John Lyman Smith (1828–1898), member of the 2nd Utah Territorial Legislature •
John Peter Smith (Texas politician) (1831–1901), known as the 'Father of Fort Worth' •
John Y. T. Smith (1831–1903), three-time member of Arizona Territorial Legislature •
John C. Smith (politician) (1832–1910), Lieutenant Governor of Illinois •
John Montgomery Smith (1834–1903), Wisconsin politician •
John B. Smith (Washington politician) (1837–1917), Canadian-born American politician •
John Butler Smith (1838–1914), 52nd governor of New Hampshire •
John B. D. Smith (died 1839), American politician •
John E. Smith (New York politician) (1843–1907), New York politician •
John Day Smith (1845–1933), Minnesota politician, lawyer, and judge •
John Walter Smith (1845–1925), 44th governor of Maryland •
John Ambler Smith (1847–1892), United States representative from Virginia •
John A. Smith (Mississippi politician) (1847–?), American state senator in Mississippi •
John Peter Smith (Montana politician) (1848–?), mayor of Missoula, Montana •
John M. C. Smith (1853–1923), United States representative from Michigan's 3rd Congressional District •
J. H. Smith (mayor) (1858–1956), mayor of Everett, Washington and co-founder of Anchorage, Alaska •
John M. Smith (politician, born 1872) (1872–1947), American businessman and politician •
John Smith (Maine politician) (1874–1936), mayor of Saco, Maine •
John W. Smith (Detroit mayor) (1882–1942), politician from Detroit •
John Lee Smith (1894–1963), Lieutenant Governor of Texas •
John R. Smith (agriculture commissioner) (fl. 1898–1899), North Carolina politician •
J. Joseph Smith (1904–1980), United States representative from Connecticut and Federal judge •
J. Clay Smith Jr. (1942–2018), American lawyer and educator •
John Arthur Smith (1941–2024), Democratic member of the New Mexico Senate •
John R. Smith (politician, born 1945), Louisiana state senator •
John Robert Smith, mayor of Meridian, Mississippi •
John Smith (Washington politician) (born 1973), American politician
Other countries •
John Hope Smith (c. 1787–1831), governor of colonial Ghana, 1817–22 •
John William Smith (politician) (1792–1845), Republic of Texas politician and mayor of San Antonio •
J. Valentine Smith (John Valentine Smith, 1824–1895), New Zealand politician
Religion •
John Smith (bishop of Llandaff) (died 1479), Welsh bishop •
John Smith (Platonist) (1618–1652), one of the founders of the Cambridge Platonists •
John Smith (Unitarian) (fl. 1648–1727), Unitarian writer •
John Smith (priest, born 1659) (1659–1715), English editor of Bede •
John Smith (bishop of Killala and Achonry) (died 1680), Irish Anglican priest •
John Smith (uncle of Joseph Smith) (1781–1854), Presiding Patriarch and member of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints •
John Smith (Restoration Movement) (1784–1868), early Restoration Movement leader •
John Smith (missionary) (1790–1824), English missionary in Demerara •
John Smith (priest, born 1799) (1799–1870), first person to transcribe the Diary of Samuel Pepys •
John Smith (nephew of Joseph Smith) (1832–1911), Presiding Patriarch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints •
John Henry Smith (1848–1911), apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints •
John Smith (moderator) (1854–1927), moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1922 •
John Taylor Smith (1860–1938), Anglican bishop of Sierra Leone •
John Smith (archdeacon of Llandaff), Welsh Anglican priest •
John Smith (archdeacon of Wiltshire) (1933–2000), Anglican priest •
John M. Smith (bishop) (1935–2019), American Roman Catholic bishop •
John H. Smith (bishop) (1939–2012), American Episcopal prelate, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Virginia, 1989–1999 •
John Smith (God's Squad) (died 2019), Australian founder of the God's Squad motorcycle club
Sports American football •
Clipper Smith (American football, born 1904) (1904–1973), American football player and coach •
John Smith (tackle), American football tackle in 1945 •
John L. Smith (born 1948), American college football coach •
John Smith (placekicker) (born 1949), former New England Patriots kicker •
John Smith (running back) (born 1954), American football running back •
J. T. Smith (American football) (John Thomas Smith, born 1955), former professional American football player •
JuJu Smith-Schuster (born 1996 as John Smith), American football wide receiver •
L. J. Smith (born 1980), American football player
Association football •
John Smith (sportsman, born 1855) (1855–1934), Scottish footballer and rugby union player •
John Smith (footballer, born 1865) (1865–1911), Scottish football inside-right born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire •
Jackie Smith (footballer) (born John Smith, 1886–1916), English footballer for Hull City •
Jack Smith (footballer, born 1898) (born John William Smith, 1898–1977), English international footballer born in Whitburn, County Durham •
John Smith (footballer, born 1898) (1898–?), Scottish international footballer for Ayr United and Middlesbrough •
John Richard Smith (footballer, born 1898) (1898–1986), English footballer •
John Smith (footballer, born 1901), English footballer born in Eccleshill, West Riding of Yorkshire •
Ted Smith (footballer, born 1914) (born John Edward Smith, 1914–1989), English football player and manager born in Grays, Essex •
John Smith (football chairman) (1920–1995), chairman of Liverpool (1973–90) •
John Smith (footballer, born 1921) (1921–?), English footballer born in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire •
John Smith (footballer, born 1927) (1927–2000), English footballer for Liverpool and Torquay United •
John Smith (footballer, born 1939) (1939–1988), English footballer born in Shoreditch, London •
John Smith (footballer, born 1944), Welsh footballer born in Johnstown, Wrexham •
John Smith (footballer, born 1970), English football full back born in Liverpool •
John Smith (footballer, born 1971), English football striker born in Wigan, Lancashire •
John Smith (inside-left), English footballer for Port Vale 1932–33 •
John Smith (1930s Gillingham footballer), English footballer who also played for Exeter City and Maidstone United
Baseball •
John Smith (1880s first baseman) (1858–1899), first baseman in 1882 •
Phenomenal Smith (John Francis Smith, 1864–1952), American baseball pitcher and manager •
John Smith (shortstop), shortstop, 1873–75 •
John Smith (1930s first baseman) (1906–1982), first baseman in 1931 •
Ford Smith (born John Ford Smith, 1919–1983), American Negro leagues pitcher •
John G. Smith (coach) (1924–1998), American college baseball, football and basketball coach
Basketball •
John Smith (basketball, born 1944), American basketball player known for his American Basketball Association career •
John Smith (basketball, born 1969), American college basketball coach •
John Smith (basketball, born 1984), American basketball player best known for his college career at Winona State University
Cricket •
John Smith (cricketer, born 1833) (1833–1909), Lancashire and Yorkshire cricketer •
John Smith (cricketer, born 1835) (1835–1889), English cricketer •
John Smith (Derbyshire cricketer) (1841–1898), English cricketer, played for Derbyshire •
John Smith (cricketer, born 1843) (1843–1873), English cricketer, played for Cambridgeshire 1863–72 •
John Smith (cricketer, born 1882) (1882–1959), English cricketer, played for Leicestershire 1921 •
John Smith (cricketer, born 1919) (1919–1999), New Zealand cricketer •
John Smith (cricketer, born 1924) (1924–1991), English cricketer, played for Leicestershire 1950–1955 •
John Smith (cricketer, born 1936) (1936–2020), Australian cricketer •
John Smith (New Zealand cricketer) (born 1960), New Zealand cricketer also known as Campbell Smith
Rugby •
John Sidney Smith (rugby union) (1860–?), Wales rugby union international •
Johnny Smith (rugby union) (1922–1974), New Zealand rugby player, baker, soldier, and sportsman •
J. V. Smith (John Vincent Smith, 1926–2021), English rugby player and RFU president •
John Smith (rugby union, born 1926) (1926–2006), Irish rugby player •
John Smith (rugby league) (), New Zealand international
Other sports •
John Smith (Canadian rower) (1899–1973), Canadian rower at the 1924 Olympics •
John Suttie Smith (1905–1975), Scottish Olympic runner •
John Smith (Australian footballer) (born 1933), footballer for St Kilda •
John Smith (Zambian wrestler) (born 1942), Zambian freestyle wrestler at the 1964 Olympics •
John Smith (sprinter) (born 1950), American sprint athlete and now coach •
John Smith (racing driver, born 1952), Australian racing driver •
John Smith (Down Gaelic footballer), won the
1961 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final •
John Smith (American wrestler) (born 1965), American wrestler, two-time Olympic gold medalist •
J. T. Smith (wrestler) (born 1967), American professional wrestler •
John Smith (Offaly Gaelic footballer), won the
1971 and
1972 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship finals •
John Smith (racing driver, born 1975), American stock car racing driver •
Johnboy Smith (John Charles Smith, born 1989), British parathlete and wheelchair racer •
John Smith (South African rower) (born 1990), South African rower at the 2012 Olympics
Other •
John Smith (settler) (c. 1595–c. 1649), a founding settler of Providence Plantation (later Rhode Island) •
Sir John Smith, 1st Baronet (1744–1807), a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London and of the Royal Society, High Sheriff of Dorset •
John Smith (clockmaker) (1770–1816), Scottish clockmaker •
John Smith (architect) (1781–1852), Scottish architect •
John Smith (Native American) (1785–1922), reputed to have died at the age of 137 •
John Smith (abolitionist) (1797–1886), American industrialist and abolitionist • John Smith (1813–1886), clockmaker, founder of
Smith of Derby Group •
John Chaloner Smith (1827–1895), Irish civil engineer and writer on mezzotints •
John Smith (hereditary chief) (c. 1836–1924), 1800s Cree Chief and Treaty Six signatory; founder of the
Muskoday First Nation in Saskatchewan •
John Brown Smith (1837–1917), American author, shorthand developer, utopianist, tax resister •
John Baptist Smith (1843–1923), invented and helped build a lantern system of naval signaling •
John Smith Murdoch (1862–1945), Scottish architect •
J. E. Smith (c. 1862/1863–1912), English trade union leader •
John Chabot Smith (1915–2002), American journalist and author •
John Henry Smith (reporter), American sports journalist, active 2000s •
John Smith (Australian journalist), Australian journalist, winner of the 2016
Kennedy Award ==Fictional characters==