John Smith

John Smith is a common personal name. It is also commonly used as a placeholder name and pseudonym, and is sometimes used in the United States and the United Kingdom as a term for an average person.

Notable people with the name include:

People

 * In chronological order.

Academics

 * John Smith (anatomist and chemist) (1721–1797), professor of anatomy and chemistry at the University of Oxford, 1766–1797
 * John Blair Smith (1764–1799), president of Union College, New York
 * John Smith (Cambridge, 1766), vice chancellor of the University of Cambridge, 1766 until 1767
 * John Smith (astronomer) (1711–1795), Lowndean Professor of Astronomy and Master of Caius
 * John Smith (antiquary) (1747–1807), Scottish antiquary and Gaelic scholar
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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 Maynard Smith (1920–2004), geneticist
 * 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)
 * John E. Sharwood Smith, English professor of classics
 * John Edwin Smith, American philosopher
 * John Merlin Powis Smith, English-born, American orientalist and biblical scholar

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 Smith (clockmaker) (1770–1816), Scottish clockmaker
 * John Rubens Smith (1775–1849), London-born painter, printmaker and art instructor who worked in the United States
 * John Smith (architect) (1781–1852), Scottish architect
 * John Smith Murdoch (1862–1945), Scottish architect
 * 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 G. Smith (poet) (died 1891), Scottish poet
 * John Moyr Smith (1839–1912), British artist and designer
 * 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 Smith (English filmmaker) (born 1952), avant-garde filmmaker
 * John Warner Smith (born 1952), American poet and educator
 * John F. Smith, American soap opera writer and producer
 * John Smith (comics writer) (born 1967), British comics writer
 * John Smith (folk musician), English contemporary folk musician and recording artist
 * John F. Smith (musician) (born 1950), British musician and trade unionist
 * John Smith (comedian), British comedian, actor and performer

Business

 * John Smith (banker) (1797–1866), Scottish banker and philanthropist, working in England
 * John K. Smith (died 1845), founder of SmithKline as in GlaxoSmithKline, the leading pharmaceutical business
 * 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 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, General Motors
 * John Smith (executive) (born 1957), former chief executive officer, 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 who killed his first and second wives

Law

 * John Eldrid Smith (born 1958), South African judge
 * John Gordon Smith (surgeon) (1792–1833), Scottish surgeon and professor of medical jurisprudence
 * 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

Military

 * John Smith (banneret) (1616–1644), Englishman who supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
 * John Smith (British Army officer, born 1754) (1754–1837), soldier in the American Revolutionary War
 * John Smith (naval officer) (1780–1815), United States Navy officer, who served during the First Barbary War and later in the War of 1812
 * 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 (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), recipient of the Victoria Cross
 * John Smith (flying ace) (1914–1972), United States Marine Corps flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient

Australia

 * John Smith (Victoria politician) (John Thomas Smith, 1816–1879), Mayor of Melbourne
 * John Smith (New South Wales politician, born 1811) (1811–1895), pastoralist and member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
 * 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 (1786–1849), businessman and political figure in Upper Canada
 * John Smith, 1800s Cree Chief and Treaty Six signatory; founder of the Muskoday First Nation in Saskatchewan
 * John Shuter Smith (c. 1813–1871), lawyer and political figure in Canada West
 * John Smith (Kent MPP), member of the 1st Ontario Legislative Assembly, 1867–1871
 * John Smith (Manitoba politician) (1817–1889), English-born farmer and politician in Manitoba
 * John Smith (Peel MPP) (1831–1909), Scottish-born Ontario businessman and political figure
 * John Smith (Ontario MP) (1894–1977), member of Canadian House of Commons, Lincoln electoral district
 * Jack Smith (politician) (John Eachern Smith, 1901–1967), Canadian politician and newspaper editor
 * John James Smith (1912–1987), member of Canadian House of Commons, Moose Mountain, Saskatchewan electoral district
 * 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 W. Y. Smith (1869–1936), member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick

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), 17th-century 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 (judge) (1657–1726), Justice of Common Pleas in Ireland until 1702, then Baron of the Exchequer
 * John Smith (Southampton MP), MP for Southampton from 1698–1700
 * John Smith (Bath MP) (1727–1775), MP for Bath
 * John Smith (Deputy Governor of Anguilla) (died 1776), Deputy Governor of Anguilla
 * John Smith (Wendover MP) (1767–1842), member of Parliament for Wendover
 * John Hilary Smith (born 1928), colonial governor and administrator
 * John Spencer Smith (1769–1845), British diplomat, politician, and writer
 * 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 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 William Smith (politician) (1792–1845), Texas political figure and mayor of San Antonio, Texas
 * 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
 * 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 Armstrong Smith (1814–1892), United States representative from Ohio
 * 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 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 in the state of Washington
 * John Butler Smith (1838–1914), 52nd Governor of New Hampshire
 * 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 Peter Smith (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 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 (born 1942), 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 of the Republican Party
 * John A. Smith (Mississippi politician) (1847–?), American state senator in Mississippi
 * John P. Smith, general superintendent of the Long Island State Park Commission
 * John Smith (Maine politician), mayor of Saco, Maine
 * John Smith (miller), a founding settler of Providence Plantation (later Rhode Island)

Other countries

 * John Hope Smith (c. 1787–1831), governor of colonial Ghana, 1817–22
 * 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 (bishop of Killala and Achonry) (died 1680), Irish Anglican priest
 * John Smith (Unitarian) (fl. 1648–1727), Unitarian writer
 * John Smith (priest, born 1659) (1659–1715), English editor of Bede
 * 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
 * "Raccoon" 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

American football

 * John "Clipper" Smith (1904–1973), American football player and coach
 * John Smith (tackle), American football tackle
 * 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), former 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

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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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

Baseball

 * John Smith (shortstop), shortstop, 1873–75
 * 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 (1930s first baseman) (1906–1982), first baseman in 1931
 * John G. Smith (coach) (1924–1998), American college baseball, football and basketball coach
 * Ford Smith (John Ford Smith, 1919–1983), American Negro leagues pitcher

Basketball

 * John Smith (basketball, born 1944), former American basketball player known for his American Basketball Association career
 * John Smith (basketball, born 1969), American college basketball coach
 * John Smith (basketball, born 1984), former 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
 * John Smith (rugby league) (fl. 1975–1980), New Zealand international
 * 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

Other sports

 * John Smith (Canadian rower) (1899–1973), Canadian rower at the 1924 Olympics
 * 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), former American sprint athlete and now coach
 * John Smith (American wrestler) (born 1965), American wrestler, two-time Olympic gold medalist
 * J. T. Smith (wrestler) (born 1967), American professional wrestler
 * John Smith (South African rower) (born 1990), South African rower at the 2012 Olympics
 * John Suttie Smith (1905–1975), Scottish Olympic runner

Other

 * Sir John Smith, 1st Baronet (1744–1807), baronet
 * John Kilby Smith (1752–1842), public servant from New England
 * John Smith (Chippewa Indian) (died 1922), reputed to have died at the age of 137
 * John Smith (abolitionist), 19th century American industrialist and abolitionist
 * John Chaloner Smith (1827–1895), Irish civil engineer and writer on mezzotints
 * John Brown Smith (1837–?), American author, shorthand developer, utopianist, tax resister
 * John Baptist Smith (1843–1923), invented and helped build a lantern system of naval signaling
 * J. E. Smith (c. 1862/1863–1912), English trade union leader
 * John Chabot Smith (1915–2002), American journalist and author
 * John Douglas Smith (born 1966), sound editor
 * John Henry Smith (reporter), American sports journalist, active 2000s
 * John Smith (Australian journalist), Australian journalist, winner of 2016 Kennedy Award

Fictional characters

 * Ranger Smith (John Francis Smith), a park ranger in Yogi Bear cartoons
 * J. Wesley Smith, a character in cartoons of Burr Shafer (1899–1965)
 * John Smith (Kyon), Kyon's alias in the novels and animations of the Haruhi Suzumiya series
 * John "Hannibal" Smith, a character in The A-Team
 * John Smith, the human identity of Red Tornado, a fictional superhero appearing in DC Comics
 * John Smith, also known as "Number Four", the protagonist of the young adult novel I Am Number Four
 * John Smith, the protagonist played by Bruce Willis in Last Man Standing (1996 film)
 * John Smith, the protagonist played by Brad Pitt in Mr. & Mrs. Smith
 * John Smith (Doctor Who), an alias of the Doctor in Doctor Who media
 * John Smith (Jericho), a character in the TV series Jericho
 * Agent Smith, also known as John Smith, the main villain in The Matrix franchise
 * John Smith, a Nazi SS-Obergruppenführer in the television series The Man in the High Castle, not appearing in the novel of the same name
 * John Smith, the main villain played by Zachary Quinto, in the movie Hitman: Agent 47
 * Johnny Smith (Dead Zone), main character in Stephen King's novel The Dead Zone and its subsequent adaptations
 * John Smith, lead character of John Smith (film)