Dictionary of National Biography

British dictionary

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June 25, 2026

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The Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) is a comprehensive collection of biographies of notable British individuals. It was first published in 1885 by George Smith, a British publisher known for his work with many Victorian writers. The initial publication was completed in 1901 across 66 volumes, with a subsequent rearrangement into 22 volumes in 1908. The DNB is considered a monumental work, with its supplements later continued by the Oxford University Press.12

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A. F. Pollard
…the editorial staff of the Dictionary of National Biography, to which he contributed about 500 entries, mainly on figures in the Tudor period. During that period, before the Dictionary was completed (through the first supplement), he completed two biographical volumes, England Under Protector Somerset (1900) and Henry VIII (1902).
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…the editorial staff of the Dictionary of National Biography, to which he contributed about 500 entries, mainly on figures in the Tudor period. During that period, before the Dictionary was completed (through the first supplement), he completed two biographical volumes, England Under Protector Somerset (1900) and Henry VIII (1902).
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Sir Leslie Stephen
…enduring legacy, however, is the Dictionary of National Biography, which he edited from 1882 to 1891; he edited the first 26 volumes and contributed 378 biographies. In recognition of this service to letters he was knighted in 1902. Stephen’s English Literature and Society in the Eighteenth Century (1904) was a…
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…enduring legacy, however, is the Dictionary of National Biography, which he edited from 1882 to 1891; he edited the first 26 volumes and contributed 378 biographies. In recognition of this service to letters he was knighted in 1902. Stephen’s English Literature and Society in the Eighteenth Century (1904) was a…
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biography
Reference collections
…biographical dictionaries such as the Dictionary of National Biography in Britain and the Dictionary of American Biography in the United States; general encyclopaedias contain extensive information about figures of world importance; classified collections such as Lives of the Lord Chancellors (Britain) and biographical manuals devoted to scholars, scientists, and other…
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…biographical dictionaries such as the Dictionary of National Biography in Britain and the Dictionary of American Biography in the United States; general encyclopaedias contain extensive information about figures of world importance; classified collections such as Lives of the Lord Chancellors (Britain) and biographical manuals devoted to scholars, scientists, and other…
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George Smith
…was the publication of the Dictionary of National Biography, the first volume of which was issued in 1885, it was completed in 1901, in 66 volumes, and this monumental work was the crowning effort of a successful career.
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…was the publication of the Dictionary of National Biography, the first volume of which was issued in 1885, it was completed in 1901, in 66 volumes, and this monumental work was the crowning effort of a successful career.
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