From Norfolk •
George VI, King/Emperor of the United Kingdom. Born and died on the
Sandringham estate •
Joseph Ames, naval commander. Born and lived in Great Yarmouth •
Joseph Ames, bibliographer and antiquary. Born in Great Yarmouth •
Hannah Amond, pop singer from Norwich. •
Diana Athill, literary editor and author, South Norfolk and
Ditchingham •
Alexander Baker (Jesuit), missionary to India •
Peter Bellamy, folk singer and musician, who was brought up in North Norfolk •
Henry Blofeld,
Cricket commentator •
Henry Blogg, the UK's most decorated
lifeboatman, who was from
Cromer •
Francis Blomefield, Anglican rector, early topographical historian of Norfolk •
James Blunt, English acoustic folk rock singer-songwriter who was raised in Norfolk during his childhood •
Boudica, scourge of the occupying
Roman Army in first century Britain and queen of the
Iceni, British tribe occupying an area slightly larger than modern Norfolk •
Martin Brundle, former
motor racing driver and now a commentator was born in King's Lynn •
Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, writer, born at
Heydon •
George Russell (racing driver), Formula 1 driver, born in Kings Lynn, and educated at Wisbech grammar school. •
Dave Bussey, former
BBC Radio 2 and current BBC
Radio Lincolnshire presenter •
Caroline Butler, English TikToker •
Michael Carroll (29 March 1983–) lottery winner •
Howard Carter, archaeologist who discovered
Tutankhamun's tomb; his childhood was spent primarily in
Swaffham •
Edith Cavell, a nurse executed by the Germans for aiding the escape of prisoners in World War I •
Sam Claflin, actor, grew up in Norwich and studied at
Costessey High School •
Sam Clemmett, actor, from
Brundall known for starring in West End stage play
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Haribo Tangfastics television advert and the
BBC documentary
Murder Games: The Life and Death of Breck Bednar where he played
Breck Bednar the teen murdered by
Lewis Daynes •
Edward Coke, 17th-century jurist and author of the
Petition of Right was born in
Mileham and educated at
Norwich School •
Olivia Colman, actress, born and educated in Norfolk • Jamie Cutter, co-founder of
Cutter & Buck, America's largest golf apparel providers, born in Norwich •
Cathy Dennis, singer and songwriter, from Norwich •
Diana, Princess of Wales, first wife of
Charles, Prince of Wales, was born and grew up in Park House near the
Sandringham estate •
Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer brother of
Diana, Princess of Wales and maternal uncle to
William, Prince of Wales and
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex •
Anthony Duckworth-Chad, landowner and Deputy
Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk •
Sir James Dyson, inventor and entrepreneur, was born at Cromer, grew up at
Holt and was educated at Gresham's School •
Bill (1916–1986),
Brian (1922–2009),
Eric (1914–1993),
Geoff (1918–2004),
John (1937–2020), and
Justin Edrich (1961–), cricketers •
Nathan Fake, electronic dance music producer/DJ •
Pablo Fanque, equestrian and popular Victorian circus proprietor, whose 1843 poster advertisement inspired
The Beatles song,
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!, born in Norwich •
Natasha and
Ralph Firman, racing drivers, were both born and brought up in Norfolk and educated at Gresham's School •
Caroline Flack, television presenter, who grew up in
East Wretham and went to school in
Watton •
Margaret Fountaine, butterfly collector, was born in Norfolk, and her collection is housed in
Norwich Castle Museum •
Elizabeth Fry, prominent 19th century
Quaker prison reformer pictured on the
Bank of England £5 note, born and raised in Norwich •
Stephen Fry, actor, comedian, writer, producer, director and author who was brought up in the village of
Booton near
Reepham. He now has a second home near King's Lynn •
Samuel Fuller, signed the
Mayflower Compact •
William Gooderham Sr. (29 August 1790 – 20 August 1881) was an English distiller, businessman, and banker. He was a founder of the
Gooderham and Worts distillery in Toronto, Canada. •
Claire Goose, actress who starred in
Casualty, was raised in Norfolk •
Ed Graham, drummer of
Lowestoft band
The Darkness, was born in Great Yarmouth •
Sienna Guillory, actress, from north Norfolk, who was educated at Gresham's School •
Henry Rider Haggard, novelist, author of
She, ''King Solomon's Mines'', born
Bradenham 1856 and lived after his marriage at
Ditchingham •
Lilias Rider Haggard, daughter of Henry Rider Haggard and author of books about Norfolk •
Lauren Hemp, footballer for England, part of the squad that won the
UEFA Women's Euro 2022, was born in
North Walsham and played for
Norwich City Women FC •
Jake Humphrey, BBC presenter, spent most of his childhood in Norwich •
Andy Hunt, footballer, grew up in
Ashill. •
Julian of Norwich, mediaeval mystic, born probably in Norwich in 1342; lived much of her life as a recluse in Norwich •
Margery Kempe, mediaeval mystic, born in
King's Lynn •
Robert Kett, leader of
Kett's Rebellion in East Anglia 1549, from Wymondham •
R. W. Ketton-Cremer, Norfolk historian and former owner of
Felbrigg Hall •
Sid Kipper, Norfolk humourist, author, songwriter and singer •
Myleene Klass, former
Hear'Say singer, comes from
Gorleston •
Holly Lerski, singer and songwriter, former member of the band
Angelou, grew up and resides in Norfolk •
Henry Leslie, actor and playwright, born 1830 at Walsoken •
Samuel Lincoln, ancestor of US president
Abraham Lincoln •
Matthew Macfadyen, actor who starred in
Spooks, was born in
Great Yarmouth •
Kenneth McKee, surgeon who pioneered
hip replacement surgery techniques, lived in
Tacolneston •
Danny Mills, footballer, born in Norwich • Sir
John Mills, actor, born in
North Elmham •
R. H. Mottram, author and former
Lord Mayor of Norwich •
Horatio, Lord Nelson, Admiral and British hero who played a major role in the
Battle of Trafalgar, born and schooled in Norfolk •
Nimmo Twins, sketch comedy duo well known in Norfolk •
King Olav V of Norway, born at
Flitcham on the
Sandringham estate •
Beth Orton, singer-songwriter, was born in
Dereham and raised in Norwich •
Thomas Paine, philosopher, born in
Thetford •
Ronan Parke,
Britain's Got Talent 2011 finalist and runner up •
Margaret Paston, author of many of the
Paston Letters, born 1423, lived at
Gresham •
Barry Pinches,
snooker player who comes from Norwich •
Matthew Pinsent, Olympic champion
rower, was born in
Holt •
Prasutagus, 1st-century king of the
Iceni, who occupied roughly the area which is now Norfolk •
Philip Pullman, author, born in Norwich •
Miranda Raison, actress, from north Norfolk, who was educated at Gresham's School •
Anna Sewell, writer, author of
Black Beauty, born at
Great Yarmouth, lived part of her life at
Old Catton near Norwich and buried at
Lamas, near Buxton •
Thomas Shadwell, playwright, satirist and
Poet Laureate •
Allan Smethurst, 'The Singing Postman' who sang songs in his Norfolk dialect, was from
Sheringham •
Hannah Spearritt, actress and former
S Club 7 singer, who is from
Gorleston •
Roger Taylor, drummer of the rock band
Queen was born in King's Lynn and spent the early part of his childhood in Norfolk •
Adam Thoroughgood, colonial leader in Virginia, namer of New Norfolk County, which later became Norfolk, Virginia •
Peter Trudgill,
sociolinguist specialising in accents and dialects including his own native Norfolk dialect, was born and bred in Norwich •
George Vancouver, born King's Lynn. Captain and explorer in the
Royal Navy •
Stella Vine, English artist, spent many of her early years in Norwich •
Sir Robert Walpole, first
Earl of Orford, regarded as the first
British prime minister •
Tim Westwood, rap DJ and
Radio 1 presenter, grew up in and around Norwich •
Parson Woodforde, 18th century clergyman and
diarist •
Nick Youngs (1959–) and his two sons,
Ben (1989–) and
Tom (1987–) were both raised close to the town of
Aylsham on their father's farm Youngs is a former
rugby union player for
Leicester Tigers and
England. Both sons went on to represent the national rugby union team.
Associated with Norfolk The following people were not born or brought up in Norfolk but are long-term residents of Norfolk, are well known for living in Norfolk at some point in their lives, or have contributed in some significant way to the county. •
Verily Anderson (1915–2010), writer, lived in North Norfolk •
Stuart Ashen, comedian, animator, actor and online reviewer, born and lives in Norfolk •
Julian Assange, Australian publisher, journalist, writer, computer programmer,
Internet activist and editor in chief of
WikiLeaks, lived in
Ellingham Hall, the mansion of
Vaughan Smith, under house arrest whilst fighting extradition to Sweden from December 2010 to December 2011 •
Peter Baker (1921–1966), British Conservative MP for South Norfolk •
Mary Bristow (1781–1805), landscape gardener, owner of
Quidenham Hall •
Bill Bryson, writer, has lived in the county since 2003 •
Adam Buxton, comedian and one half of Adam and Joe, moved to Norfolk in 2008 •
Richard Condon (1937–1991),
Theatre Royal, Norwich and
Pavilion Theatre, Cromer Pier manager •
Revd Richard Enraght (1837–1898), 19th century clergyman, religious controversialist, Rector of St Swithun,
Bintree •
Liza Goddard TV and stage actress, lives in the village of
Syderstone •
Trisha Goddard, TV personality, lives in Norwich and writes a column in the local newspaper the
Eastern Daily Press •
Roderick Gordon, writer of
Tunnels series, lives in North Norfolk •
Adriana Hunter, translator of French novels, lives in Norfolk •
John Major, British prime minister from 1990 to 1997, has a holiday home in
Weybourne •
Alan Partridge, fictional tongue-in-cheek media personality portrayed by
Steve Coogan. His feature film
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa was set, filmed and had its world premiere in Norwich in 2013 •
Pocahontas (c. 1596–1617), who lived at
Heacham Hall for part of her life when she was married to
John Rolfe •
Martin Shaw, stage, television and film actor, is based in Norfolk •
Delia Smith, cookery writer and major Norwich City Football Club shareholder •
Liz Truss, who was MP for
South West Norfolk 2010-2024 and
prime minister for 49 days in 2022, had home in Thetford during that time •
John Wilson (1943–2018),
angler, writer and broadcaster ==Gallery==