William Smith

William, Willie, Will, Bill, or Billy Smith may refer to:

Academics

• William Smith (Master of Clare College, Cambridge) (1556–1615), English academic
• William Smith (antiquary) (c. 1653–1735), English antiquary and historian of University College, Oxford
• William Smith (scholar) (1711–1787), English classical scholar and Anglican Dean of Chester
• William Smith (Episcopal priest) (1727–1803), Scottish-born first provost of University of Pennsylvania
• William Pitt Smith (1760–1796), American physician, educator and theological writer
• William Andrew Smith (1802–1870), American college president and clergyman
• William Smith (lexicographer) (1813–1893), English editor and publisher of dictionaries
• William Robertson Smith (1846–1894), Scottish philologist, physicist, archaeologist and Biblical critic
• William Benjamin Smith (1850–1934), American professor of mathematics at Tulane University
• William Ramsay Smith (1859–1937), Australian anthropologist
• William George Smith (1866–1918), Scottish psychologist
• William Hall Smith (1866–after 1920), President of Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College, 1916–1920
• William Cunningham Smith (1871–1943), American academic of English literature, university administrator and writer
• William Roy Smith (1876–1938), American academic historian
• William Charles Smith (1881–1972), English musicologist
• William Newton-Smith (1943–2023), Anglo-Canadian philosopher of science

Arts and entertainment

• William "Gentleman" Smith (1730–1819), English stage star
• William Henry Smith (1806–1872), American author of 1844 temperance play The Drunkard
• William Smith (actor) (1933–2021), American character performer
• William Smith (17th-century actor) (died 1696), British actor
• William Smith (teacher) (born 1939), South African television science and mathematics presenter
• Will Smith (comedian) (born 1971), English actor and writer

Art and literature

• William Smith (poet) (before 1570–after 1606), English sonneteer
• William Thompson Russell Smith (1812–1896), Scottish-American painter
• William Collingwood Smith (1815–1887), English painter
• William Jardine Smith (1834–1884), Australian writer and editor
• William Brooke Smith (before 1880–1908), American artist
• William Twigg-Smith (1883–1950), New Zealand artist
• William Hart-Smith (1911–1990), New Zealand/Australian poet
• William E. Smith (artist) (1913–1997), African American illustrator
• W. Eugene Smith (1918–1978), American photojournalist
• William Craig Smith (1918–1986), American art director
• William Arthur Smith (1918–1989), American artist
• William Jay Smith (1918–2015), American poet
• William Gardner Smith (1927–1974), African-American novelist
• Bill Smith (jewelry designer) (born 1933), first African American recipient of Coty Award
• Willi Smith (1948–1987), American fashion designer
• Will Smith, American tech journalist, 2010 founder of Tested.com

Characters

• Bill Smith (Red Green Show character), from Canadian comedy The Red Green Show, played by Rick Green
• Billy Smith (SNL), a recurring character on the live television variety show Saturday Night Live
• Billy Smith, a character in Coronation Street
• Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), from American sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, based on the real-life rapper
• Will Smith (Home and Away), from Australian soap opera Home and Away
• Will Smith, child character in Wee Sing The Best Christmas Ever!

Music

• Barkin' Bill Smith (1928–2000), American Chicago blues singer
• Bill Smith (Canadian musician) (born 1938), Canadian record producer, musician, writer, editor
• Bill Smith (English musician) (born 1940), founding member of the Quarrymen
• Bill Smith (jazz musician) (1926–2020), folk jazz clarinetist, professor of music at the University of Washington
• Major Bill Smith (1922–1994), American record producer and executive
• William Smith (composer) (1603–1645), English composer from the city of Durham
• William "Smitty" Smith (1944–1997), keyboardist and session musician
• Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (1936–2011), blues drummer and singer
• Willie "Long Time" Smith, dates unknown, Chicago blues pianist and singer
• Willie Smith (alto saxophonist) (1910–1967), jazz alto saxophonist
• Willie "the Lion" Smith (1893–1973), jazz pianist
• William Oscar Smith, jazz double bassist and music educator

Business

• William Henry Smith (1792–1865), entrepreneur whose business was about both newsagents and book shops
  • William Henry Smith (1825–1891), son of the above, and politician
• William Smith (businessman) (1818–1912), nurseryman and donor to Hobart and William Smith Colleges
• William Reardon Smith (1856–1935), British shipowner
• Willie Reardon Smith (1887–1950), British shipowner
• William Wensley Smith (1887–1955), founder of W. W. Smith Insurance Ltd

Law and crime

• Sir William Cusack-Smith, 2nd Baronet (1766–1836), baronet
• William A. Smith (Iowa judge) (1870–1958), justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
• William A. Smith (Kansas judge) (1888–1968), Associate Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court
• William E. Smith (judge) (born 1959), judge on the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island
• Sir William James Smith (1853–1912), British judge who served as the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Cyprus, British Guiana and the Transvaal
• William Francis Smith (1904–1968), judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• William Kennedy Smith (born 1960), physician and Kennedy family scion who was acquitted of rape in 1991
• William Nimmo Smith, Lord Nimmo Smith (born 1942), former Senator of the College of Justice and a judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland
• William Owen Smith (1848–1929), lawyer involved in overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii
• William Redwood Smith (1851–1935), Associate Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court
• William Scott Smith (born 1959), American serial killer and kidnapper
• William Smith (judge, born 1728) (1728–1793), historian, Chief Justice of the Province of New York, and Chief Justice of the Province of Quebec and later Lower Canada
• William Smith (judge, born 1697) (1697–1769), father of John Smith, Doctor Thomas Smith, Joshua Hett Smith, and Chief Justice William Smith
• William Smith (murderer) (1957–2005), executed by the State of Ohio in 2005
• William "Tangier" Smith (1655–1705), Chief Justice of the Province of New York from 1692
• William Trickett Smith (1937–2021), American lawyer who was disbarred
• William Trickett Smith II (born 1981), his son, American drug trafficker convicted of murdering his wife in Peru in 2007

Military

• Sir Sidney Smith (Royal Navy officer) (William Sidney Smith, 1764–1840), British admiral
• William Smith (1746–1787), commanding officer of the Lincoln minutemen in the battles of Lexington and Concord
• William Alexander Smith (Boys' Brigade) (1854–1914), founder of the Boys' Brigade
• William Danvers Smith, 2nd Viscount Hambleden (1868–1928), known as Frederick Smith, officer in the British Army
• William Douglas Smith (1865–1939), British general
• William D. Smith (1933–2020), United States Navy admiral
• William Duncan Smith (1825–1862), career United States Army officer
• William Farrar Smith (1824–1903), Union Army general
• William F. Smith (US Army Air Corps), piloted the US Army Air Corps B-25 Billy Mitchell Bomber that crashed into the Empire State Building
• William H. Smith (Medal of Honor) (1847–1877), American Indian Wars soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
• William James Lanyon Smith, New Zealand naval officer
• William Osborne Smith (1833–1887), first Acting Commissioner of the North West Mounted Police
• William Ruthven Smith (1868–1941), United States Army officer
• William Smith (c. 1872–1941), Master of the SS Sauternes, English merchant seaman killed in World War II
• William Smith (Medal of Honor, 1864) (1826–?), American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient
• William Smith (Medal of Honor, 1869) (1838–?), American Indian Wars soldier and Medal of Honor recipient
• William Smith (Royal Navy officer) (died 1756), served as Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Station and rose to Rear Admiral
• William Smith (ship captain) (1768–1846), American ship captain and Revolutionary War veteran
• William Smith (Virginia governor) (1797–1887), Governor of Virginia (1846–1849, 1864–1865) and Confederate general
• William Sooy Smith (1830–1916), American Civil War general
• William Thomas Smith (1896–1994), World War I flying ace
• William Watson Smith (1892–?), World War I flying ace
• William W. Smith (admiral) (1888–1966), United States Navy admiral during World War II
• William Y. Smith (1925–2016), United States Air Force general

Religion

• William Smith (minister) (died 1647), buried in the Prophet's Grave near Largs, North Ayrshire, Scotland
• William Smith (Archdeacon of Armagh) (died 1673), English priest in Ireland
• William Smith (Provost of St Andrew's Cathedral, Aberdeen), 18th-century Scottish priest
• William Smith (Latter Day Saints) (1811–1893), younger brother of Joseph Smith, Jr. and himself a Mormon leader
• William Smith (bishop) (1819–1892), Catholic archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh
• William R. Smith (Mormon) (1826–1894), Mormon leader in Davis County, Utah Territory
• William Saumarez Smith (1836–1909), Anglican bishop/archbishop of Sydney
• William Smith (monsignor) (1939–2009), Catholic theologian
• William Carr Smith (1857–1930), Church of England clergyman
• William Angie Smith (1894–1974), bishop of the Methodist Church and the United Methodist Church

Science and architecture

• Bill Smith (Motorola engineer) (1929–1993), one of the creators of Six Sigma
• William Gardner Smith (botanist) (1866–1928), Scottish botanist and ecologist
• William Smith (architect) (1817–1891), Scottish architect
• William Smith (geologist) (1769–1839), English geologist
• William Wright Smith (1875–1956), Scottish botanist and horticulturalist
• W. Wheeler Smith (c. 1838–c. 1908), American architect and real estate developer

Sports

American football

• Bill Smith (American football, born 1912) (1912–1999), American football end
• Bill Smith (American football, born 1926) (1926–2009), American football tackle and end
• Billy Ray Smith Jr. (born 1961), American football player
• Billy Ray Smith Sr. (1935–2001), American football player
• Wee Willie Smith (American football) (1910–1996), American football player
• William F. Smith (American football) (1888–?), American college football player and coach
• Willie Smith (American football coach) (born 1931), 12th head college football coach for the North Carolina Central University Eagles
• Willie Smith (offensive tackle, born 1937) (born 1937), former American football player
• Willie Smith (offensive tackle, born 1986) (born 1986), American football offensive tackle
• Willie Smith (tight end) (born 1964), American football tight end
• Will Smith (defensive end) (1981–2016), American football defensive end
• Will Smith (linebacker, born 1992), American football linebacker

Association football

• Bill Smith (footballer, born 1887) (1887–1929), English footballer with Brentford, Southampton and Halifax Town
• Bill Smith (footballer, born 1897) (1897–?), English footballer with Durham City and York City
• Bill Smith (footballer, born 1906) (1906–1979), English footballer with Norwich City and Exeter City
• Bill Smith (footballer, born 1926) (1926–2014), English footballer with Birmingham City and Blackburn Rovers
• Bill Smith (footballer, born 1938), Scottish footballer with Raith Rovers and Darlington
• Bill Smith (soccer), Canadian soccer player, active 1943–1963
• Billy Smith (footballer, born 1872) (1872–?), English footballer with Wolverhampton Wanderers
• Billy Smith (footballer, born 1873) (1873–1914), Scottish footballer for Newcastle United
• Billy Smith (footballer, born 1882) (1882–?), English footballer for West Bromwich Albion and Birmingham
• Billy Smith (footballer, born 1895) (1895–1951), English footballer with Huddersfield Town
• Billy Smith (footballer, born 1900) (1900–?), English footballer with Hartlepool United, Huddersfield Town and Rochdale
• Billy Smith (footballer, born 1906) (1906–1963), English footballer with South Shields, Portsmouth and Stockport County
• Billy Smith (Scottish footballer) (c. 1931–2009), Scottish footballer with Aberdeen
• Buxton Smith (William Smith), English footballer with Buxton and Manchester City
• Stockport Smith (William Smith), English footballer with Stockport and Manchester United
• William A. Smith (footballer), English footballer with Blackburn Rovers
• William Smith (footballer, born 1865) (1865–?), English goalkeeper with Burnley
• William Smith (footballer, born 1868) (1868–1907), English footballer with Lincoln City, Loughborough, Notts County and Nottingham Forest
• William Smith (footballer, born 1886) (1886–1956), footballer with Bradford City and Stoke
• William Smith (footballer, born 1903) (1903–?), English footballer
• William Smith (Scottish footballer), footballer with Hibernian
• Willie Smith (footballer, born 1943), Scottish footballer with Brentford
• Willie Smith (footballer, born 1948), English footballer with Wimbledon
• Will Smith (footballer, born 1998), English footballer for Harrogate Town
• W. J. "Billy" Smith, football manager, Aston Villa

Baseball

• Big Bill Smith (1869–?), Negro leagues baseball catcher and manager
• Bill Smith (baseball executive) (born 1958), Minnesota Twins general manager
• Bill Smith (baseball manager), National Association player-manager for the Baltimore Marylands
• Bill Smith (pitcher) (1934–1997), American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, 1958–59; 1962
• Bill Smith (outfielder) (1865–1886), American baseball outfielder for the 1884 Cleveland Blues
• Billy Smith (baseball coach) (born 1930), American minor league first baseman and manager and Major League coach and scout
• Billy Smith (1980s pitcher) (born 1954), American pitcher in Major League Baseball, 1981
• Billy Smith (1880s pitcher) (1861–1928), American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, 1886
• Billy Smith (second baseman) (born 1953), American infielder in Major League Baseball, 1975–79; 1981
• Willie Smith (outfielder) (1939–2006), American outfielder in Major League Baseball, 1963–1971
• Willie Smith (third baseman), American third baseman in Negro league baseball, 1938
• Willie Smith (1940s pitcher), American pitcher in Negro league baseball, 1948
• Willie Smith (1990s pitcher) (born 1967), American pitcher in Major League Baseball, 1994
• Will Smith (pitcher) (born 1989), American pitcher in Major League Baseball
• Will Smith (catcher) (born 1995), American baseball catcher
• Dark Night Smith (William C. Smith), American pitcher in Negro league baseball, 1920–1924

Basketball

• Bill Smith (basketball, born 1939), American basketball player
• Wee Willie Smith (1911–1992), American basketball player
• William Smith (basketball, born 1949), American basketball player
• Willie Smith (basketball) (born 1953), American professional basketball player

Cricket

• Bill Smith (cricketer) (1937–2018), English cricketer
• William Brook-Smith (1885–1952), New Zealand cricketer
• William Smith (cricketer, born 1839) (1839–1897), first class cricketer for Yorkshire
• William Smith (cricketer, born 1875) (1875–1942), first-class cricketer for London County
• William Smith (cricketer, born 1882) (1882–?), English cricketer
• William Smith (cricketer, born 1900) (1900–1990), English cricketer
• William Smith (cricketer, born 1902) (1902–1937), Scottish cricketer
• William Smith (Kent cricketer) (1819–1883), English cricketer
• William Smith (Somerset cricketer) (1871–1946), English cricketer
• Willie Smith (cricketer) (1885–1964), English cricketer
• Will Smith (cricketer) (born 1982), English cricketer

Rugby football

• Bill Smith, Australian rugby league footballer in the Bulimba Cup
• Bill Smith, rugby league right wing of the 1950s for Whitehaven
• Billy Smith (rugby league, born 1942), Australian rugby league player
• Billy Smith (rugby league, born 1999), Australian rugby league player
• W. Smith (rugby league) (active 1908–1912), Australian rugby league player
• Will Smith (rugby league) (born 1992), Australian rugby league player
• William Smith (rugby union) (1881–1945), New Zealand rugby union player

Other sports

• Bill Smith (Australian rules footballer) (1936–2010), Australian rules footballer for Fitzroy
• Billy Smith (Australian footballer) (1894–1953), played with North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League
• Bill Smith (fell runner) (1936–2011), fell runner and author on the sport
• Bill Smith (motorcyclist) (born 1935), former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer
• Bill Smith (poker player) (1934–1996), professional poker player
• Bill Smith (swimmer) (1924–2013), two-time gold medalist in the 1948 Olympic games
• Billy Dee Smith (born 1982), professional lacrosse player
• Billy Smith (ice hockey) (born 1950), Canadian ice hockey goaltender
• Mysterious Billy Smith (1871–1937), Canadian boxer
• Will Smith (ice hockey) (born 2005), American ice hockey forward
• William Alexander Smith (boxer) (1904–1955), South African boxer of the 1920s
• William Smith (cyclist) (1893–1958), South African Olympic cyclist
• William Smith (ice hockey) (born 2005), American hockey player
• William Smith (field hockey) (1886–1937), British field hockey player who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics
• William Smith (golfer) (1865–1936), American golfer
• William Smith (sport shooter) (1877–1953), Canadian Olympic sport shooter
• William Smith (wrestler) (1928–2018), 1952 Olympic gold medalist
• Willie Smith (billiards player) (1886–1982), English professional player of snooker and English billiards
• Willie Smith (golfer) (1876–1916), Scottish golfer
• Willie Smith (hurdler) (born 1977), Namibian track and field hurdler
• Willie Smith (sprinter) (1956–2020), American 400 metres runner

Politics

Australia

• William Collard Smith (1830–1894), treasurer in colonial Victoria (Australia)
• William Laird Smith (1869–1942), Australian representative for Denison, 1910–1922 and Minister for the Navy, 1920–1921
• William Forgan Smith (1887–1953), Premier of the Australian state of Queensland, 1932–1942
• William Kennedy Smith (Australian politician) (1888–1933)

Canada

• William Smith (Nova Scotia politician) (died 1779), merchant, judge and politician in Nova Scotia
• Amor De Cosmos (William Alexander Smith, 1825–1897), Premier of British Columbia
• William Henry Smith (Canadian politician) (1826–1890), lawyer and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada
• William Smith (Canadian politician) (1847–1931), member of Canadian House of Commons 1887–1921
• William C. Smith (politician) (1875–1968), politician from Alberta, Canada
• William Haslam Smith (1891–?), businessman and political figure in Nova Scotia, Canada
• William Duncan Smith (politician) (1899–1977), Canadian politician in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
• Bill Smith (Alberta politician) (born 1935), former mayor of Edmonton
• William Smith (Newfoundland politician) (1910–1965), politician in Newfoundland
• J. William Smith, member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

New Zealand

• William Mein Smith (1798–1869), key actor in the early settlement of New Zealand's capital city, Wellington
• William Cowper Smith (1843–1911), Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand

United Kingdom

• William Goldsmith alias Smith (died 1517), MP for Gloucester
• William Smith (fl. 1553–54), MP for Newport (Cornwall)
• William Smith (died 1591), MP for Wells
• William Smith (MP for Ripon) (1550–1626), MP for Ripon
• William Smith (MP for Aylesbury) (1568–1620), MP for Aylesbury, 1604
• William Smith (surveyor), fl 1726
• William Smith (Ordnance) (1721–1803), of Chichester, UK, Treasurer of the Ordnance
• William Smith (abolitionist) (1756–1835), grandfather of Florence Nightingale, dissenter and British MP
• William Smith of Carbeth Guthrie (1787–1871), Lord Provost of Glasgow
• William Henry Smith (1825–1891), MP and Cabinet Minister (First Lord of the Admiralty, War Secretary)
• William Masters Smith (1802–1861), Member of Parliament for West Kent
• William Smith (1849–1913), Member of Parliament for North Lonsdale, 1892–1895
• William Smith, 3rd Viscount Hambleden (1903–1948), British peer
• William Smith, 4th Viscount Hambleden (1930–2012), British peer
• William Smith (loyalist) (1954–2016), Northern Irish loyalist politician

United States

• William Smith (Delaware politician), state politician from Delaware
• William Smith (Maryland politician) (1728–1814), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland (1789–1791)
• William Smith (New York state senator) (1720–1799), New York politician and judge
• William Smith (Oregon politician), Oregon state senator (1890s)
• William Smith (South Carolina representative) (1751–1837), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina (1797–1798)
• William Smith (South Carolina senator) (1762–1840), U.S. senator from South Carolina (1815–1830)
• William Smith (Virginia governor) (1797–1887), Governor of Virginia (1846–1849, 1864–1865) and Confederate general
• William Smith (Virginia representative), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia (1821–1827)
• William Alden Smith (1859–1932), member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1895–1906) and U.S. Senator (1905–1918) from Michigan
• William Alexander Smith (politician) (1828–1888), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina (1873–1874)
• William Burns Smith (1844–1917), mayor of Philadelphia
• William C. Smith Jr. (born 1982), Maryland State legislator
• William E. Smith (politician) (1824–1883), Governor of Wisconsin (1878–1882)
• William Ephraim Smith (1829–1890), member of the Confederate (1863–1865) and U.S. (1875–1881) House of Representatives from Georgia
• William Ernest Smith (1890–1973), mayor of Murray, Utah, 1946–1947
• William F. Smith (New York politician) (1901–1950), member of the New York State Assembly (1926–1933)
• William French Smith (1917–1990), U.S. Attorney General (1981–1985)
• William Grover Smith (1857–1921), Lieutenant Governor of Colorado, 1889–1891
• William H. Smith (Connecticut politician) (1842–1915), warden of the Borough of Norwalk, Connecticut
• William Henry Smith (American politician) (1833–1896), newspaper editor and politician, Ohio Secretary of State 1865–1868
• William Hugh Smith (1826–1899), governor of Alabama (1868–1870)
• William J. Smith (Maryland politician) (1850–1906), American politician
• William Jay Smith (Tennessee politician) (1823–1913), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee
• William L. Smith (barber) (1878–?), Socialist barber from Milwaukee who served three terms in the Wisconsin State Assembly
• William Loughton Smith (1758–1812), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina (1789–1798)
• William Lyman Smith (1878–1964), telephone businessman who served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly and two in the Wisconsin State Senate
• William M. Smith, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives
• William N. H. Smith (1812–1889), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina (1859–1860)
• William Orlando Smith (1859–1932), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania (1903–1906)
• William R. Smith (Mormon) (1826–1894), member of the Utah Territory House of Representatives
• William Robert Smith (1863–1924), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas (1903–1916)
• William Rudolph Smith (1787–1868), politician in the states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin
• William Russell Smith (1815–1896), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama (1851–1856)
• William Stephens Smith (1755–1816), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York (1813–1816) and son-in-law of President John Adams
• William T. Smith (1916–2010), member of the New York State Senate

Other persons

• William Smith (conservationist) (1852–1942), New Zealand gardener, naturalist and conservationist
• William Smith (shearer) (1896–1947), perhaps the most skilled sheep-shearer in the first half of the 20th century
• William Smith (mariner) (1790–1847), British mariner and discoverer of the South Shetland Islands
• William Smith (physician), Scottish American physician
• William Smith (registrar) (1816–1895), Ghanaian civil servant
• William Crawford Smith (1837–1899), American architect
• William R. Smith (physician) (born 1973), American emergency physician and wilderness medicine consultant
• William Robert Smith (physician) (1850–1932), British public health expert
• William Tyler Smith (1815–1873), English obstetrician, medical writer and journalist
• William Wragg Smith (1808–1875), American planter, lawyer, naturalist, translator and poet

See also

• Hobart and William Smith Colleges, a private liberal arts college in Geneva, New York
• William Smith House (disambiguation), several buildings
• Billy Ray Smith (disambiguation)
• Willard Smith (disambiguation)
• William Smyth (disambiguation)
• William Smythe (disambiguation)
• William Schmidt (disambiguation)
• Wilhelm Schmidt (disambiguation)
• List of people with surname Smith
• All pages with titles beginning with William Smith
• All pages with titles containing William Smith