This is a list of people from Wigan, in North West England. The demonym of Wigan is Wiganer; however, this list may include people from the wider Metropolitan Borough of Wigan—from Ashton-in-Makerfield, Hindley, Ince-in-Makerfield, Atherton, Leigh, Tyldesley, and other areas in the borough. This list is arranged alphabetically by surname:
- Andy Ainscow (born 1968), former footballer[1]
- James Anderton, former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police[2]
- Richard Ashcroft, lead singer of The Verve, born in Billinge[3]
- Chris Ashton, England rugby league and rugby union international, born in Wigan[4]
- Bill Ashurst, rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s for Great Britain, Lancashire, Wigan, Penrith Panthers, Wakefield Trinity, and Runcorn Highfield, born in Wigan[5]
- Alan R. Battersby, (born 1925) is a FRS and organic chemist known for his work on the genetic blueprint, structure, and synthetic pathway of Cyanocobalamin.[6]
- Tom Billington, professional wrestler under the ring name 'Dynamite Kid', one half of tag-team 'The British Bulldogs' with Davey Boy Smith, born in Golborne[7]
- Margery Booth, opera singer and World War II spy, born in Wigan[8]
- Thomas Burke, international operatic tenor; born in Leigh in 1890 and attended St Joseph's School in Leigh; the Leigh Wetherspoon's pub is named after him[9]
- Kay Burley, presenter and newsreader on Sky News, born in Beech Hill, Wigan[citation needed]
- James Burton, built several early cotton mills in Hindsford and Tyldesley, born in Clitheroe[10]
- Duncan Cleworth, born in Leigh and a member of Tyldesley Swimming Club competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.[11]
- Georgie Fame, real name Clive Powell, R&B singer and keyboard player, born in Leigh[16]
- Joseph Farington (1747–1821), watercolour artist, diarist and Royal Academician was born in Leigh where his father was the vicar.[17]
- Andrew Farrell, former international rugby player of both codes, born and raised in Wigan[18] and current head coach of the Ireland rugby union team
- Brian Finch, Wigan-born script-writer who contributed 151 episodes of Coronation Street over a period of 12 years[19]
- Henry Finch (1633–1704), Presbyterian minister ejected from Church of England, born in Standish[20]
- Phil Fletcher, puppeteer [21]
- George Formby, Jr., comedian, ukulele player and actor[22]
- Eddie Halliwell (born 1979 or 1980), disc jockey[27]
- Roger Hampson (1925–1996), artist, printmaker and teacher, born in Tyldesley[28]
- Keith Harris, music industry consultant & artist manager (Stevie Wonder), former chair of UK Music's Diversity & Equality Taskforce, grew up in Wigan.[29]
- Thomas Highs (1718–1803), inventor of cotton spinning machinery, born in Leigh[30]
- James Hilton, author of Goodbye, Mr Chips, born in Leigh[31]
- Arthur John Hope (1875–1960), architect and partner in Bradshaw Gass & Hope, was born and lived in Atherton[32]
- Eric Roberts Laithwaite (1921–1997), engineer, known for his development of the linear induction motor and Maglev rail system[39]
- John Lennard-Jones (1894–1954), born in Leigh and attended Leigh Grammar School. He was a physicist and Fellow of the Royal Society.[40]
- Limahl, real name Christopher Hamill, pop rock/dance vocalist, lead singer of Kajagoogoo
- James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford (1783–1869), Earl of Balcarres, built Haigh Hall[41]
- Luke Lowe (1889–?), Wigan-born football player. He briefly played in the Football League Second Division.[42]
- Mary Pownall (1862–1937), sculptor, was the daughter of James Pownall the silk manufacturer. She was born and raised in Leigh.[46]
- James Caldwell Prestwich (1852–1940), architect, born in Atherton, who designed many of Leigh's buildings including the town hall.[47]
- Pete Shelley (1955–2018), born Peter Campbell McNeish in Leigh, singer, songwriter and guitarist with the Buzzcocks.[51]
- Nigel Short, chess grandmaster, grew up in Atherton and attended St Philip's School[52]
- Davey Boy Smith, professional wrestler for the WWF and WCW as The British Bulldog[53]
- Danny Sonner, Wigan-born association football player who has represented Northern Ireland national football team[54]
- John Stopford, Baron Stopford of Fallowfield, physician and anatomist, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester[55]
- George Taylor, born in Wigan, footballer[56]
- Georgia Taylor, actress best known for playing Toyah Battersby in Coronation Street
- Ella Toone, born in Wigan, footballer for England
- Addin Tyldesley who was born in Tyldesley and a member of the town's swimming and water polo club, competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.[57]
- Elizabeth Tyldesley, (1585–1654) the daughter of Thomas Tyldesley of Morleys Hall, Astley, was a 17th-century abbess at the Poor Clare Convent at Gravelines.[58]
- Thomas Tyldesley, died in the Battle of Wigan Lane[59]
- Charles Walmesley (1722–1797), Roman Catholic Titular Bishop of Rama; born in Langtree[20]
- Dave Whelan, businessman nicknamed "Mr Wigan", founder of JJB Sports, former owner of Wigan Athletic, and former owner of Wigan Warriors[60][61]
- Katie White, member of The Ting Tings, born and brought up in Lowton[62]
- Danny Wilson, Wigan-born association football player and manager[63]
- Gerrard Winstanley, founder of the 17th-century Diggers, born in Wigan.[64]
- James Wood (1672–1759), Presbyterian minister of the first Atherton and Chowbent Chapels, led a force that successfully defended the bridge over the River Ribble at Walton le Dale in the Battle of Preston in 1715.[65]
- Thomas Woodcock, recipient of the Victoria Cross, born in Wigan[66]
- Caleb Wright (1810–1898), Member of Parliament and mill owner who built Barnfield Mills in Tyldesley[67]
"Andy Ainscow". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
God's Cop : Biography of James Anderton (Michael Prince, 1989). New English Library Ltd. ISBN 0-450-49362-8
McCoy, Heath. Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling, Revised Edition.
"Edmonds, Edith". Benezit Dictionary of Artists. 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
Simpson, Ray (2007). The Clarets Chronicles: The Definitive History of Burnley Football Club. Burnley: Burnley Football Club. p. 486. ISBN 978-0-9557468-0-2.
Paul Mason, The BBC, 5 August 2003, retrieved 30 January 2018
"Mary Pownall (Bromet)", Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow, retrieved 30 January 2018
Old Bryn Hall, Wigan Archaeological Society Retrieved on 8 December 2008.
Nigel Short, chessbase.com, June 2005, retrieved 26 April 2013