Douglas (surname)

For other uses of this term, see Douglas (disambiguation).

For the Scottish family of Douglas see Earl of Douglas, Earl of Angus or House of Douglas.

Douglas (occasionally spelled Douglass) is a common surname of Scottish origin, thought to derive from the Scottish Gaelic Dubh Glas, meaning black, or black-green, (with an implied meaning of black water), referring to locations either at Douglas in Scotland or Douglas in Ireland.

Douglas is also used as a masculine given name. It is often shortened to Doug.

Arts

Visual arts

• Aaron Douglas (1900–1979), American artist
• John Douglas (architect) (1830–1911), English architect

Literature

• Lord Alfred Douglas (1870–1945), British poet
• Gavin Douglas (1474–1522), Scottish poet and bishop
• John Douglas (bishop) (1721–1807), Scottish man of letters and Anglican bishop
• Keith Douglas (1920–1944), English poet of World War II
• Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890–1998), American conservationist and writer
• Mark Douglas-Home (1951–), Scottish editor-in-chief of The Herald in Glasgow, Scotland
• Michael Douglas (pen name Michael Crichton), American author
• Norman Douglas (1868–1952), British writer
• William Douglas-Home (1912–1992), British playwright

Music

• Ashanti (singer) (Ashanti Shaquoya Douglas) (1980–), American R&B singer
• Carl Douglas (1942–), Jamaican-born singer
• Dave Douglas (trumpeter) (1963–), American jazz composer and trumpeter
• Dean Douglas (producer) (1971–), UK record producer and music publisher
• Jerry Douglas (1955–), American country music and bluegrass musician
• John Douglas (musician) (1973–), drummer for English band Anathema (band)
• K. C. Douglas (1913–1975), American blues musician

Business

• Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. (1892–1981), Scottish businessman, founder of Douglas Aircraft
• Gustaf Douglas (1938–), Swedish businessman, vice chairman and largest single shareholder in security firm Securitas AB

Law

• Lori Douglas, Manitoba judge
• William O. Douglas (1898–1980), American Associate Justice of the Supreme Court

Military

• Lt. Col. Angus Falconer Douglas-Hamilton (1863–1915), Scottish soldier and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Lt. Col. Campbell Mellis Douglas (1840–1909), Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Sir James Douglas, Lord of Douglas (James 'the Good', 1286–1330), Scottish soldier and knight in the Scottish wars of independence

Nobility

• Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Duke of Hamilton (1767–1852), Scottish politician
• Alfred Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton and 9th Earl of Selkirk (1862–1940)
• Archibald I, Lord of Douglas (d.c.1238), Scottish nobleman
• Sir Archibald Douglas (the Tyneman) (k. 1333), Guardian of Scotland, leader of Scots army at Halidon Hill]
• Archibald the Grim (Archibald Douglas, 3rd Earl of Douglas, c.1328–1400), Scottish nobleman
• Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas (1372–1424), Scottish nobleman and warlord, Duke of Touraine
• Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Douglas (1390–1439), Scottish nobleman, de jure Duke of Touraine
• Archibald Douglas, 5th Earl of Angus (1453–1514), warden of the east marches
• Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus (1490–1557)
• Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus and 5th Earl of Morton (1556–1588)
• Archibald Douglas, 8th Marquess of Queensberry (1818–1858)
• Charles Douglas, 2nd Earl of Selkirk (1663–1739), younger brother of 4th Duke of Hamilton
• Charles Douglas, 6th Marquess of Queensberry (1777–1837), great-great-great-great-grandson of the 1st Earl of Queensberry
• Charles Douglas-Hamilton, 7th Earl of Selkirk (1847–1886), younger brother of 12th Duke of Hamilton
• Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensberry and 2nd Duke of Dover (1698–1778)
• David Douglas, 7th Earl of Angus (c.1515–1558), grandson of George, Master of Douglas
• David Douglas, 12th Marquess of Queensberry (1929–)
• Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton (1903–1973), Aviator, politician and landowner
• Dunbar Douglas, 4th Earl of Selkirk (1722–1799), grandnephew of 3rd Earl of Selkirk
• Dunbar Douglas, 6th Earl of Selkirk (1809–1885)
• Francis Douglas, 11th Marquess of Queensberry (1896–1954), son of the 10th Marquess of Queensberry
• George Douglas, 1st Earl of Angus (1378–1402)
• George Douglas, 4th Earl of Angus (1429–1462)
• George Douglas, Master of Angus (1469–1513)
• George Douglas, 13th Earl of Morton (1662–1738), younger brother of the 12th Earl of Morton
• George Douglas, 16th Earl of Morton (1761–1827)
• George Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton (1789–1858), grandson of the 14th Earl of Morton
• George Douglas-Hamilton, 10th Earl of Selkirk (1906–1994), younger son of the 13th Duke of Hamilton
• Guillelmo de Duglas, son of the mythical Sholto Douglas, progenitor of the House. Served Charlemagne in Italy in the late 8th century
• Hugh the Dull, Lord of Douglas (1294–1342/1346)
• James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas (1358–1388), influential lord in the Kingdom of Scotland
• James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas (1371–1443)
• James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton (d.1493)
• James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas (1426–1488)
• James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus (1426)–1446)
• James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton (d.1548)
• James Douglas, 5th Baron Drumlanrig (d.1498), son of the 4th Baron Drumlanrig
• James Douglas, 7th Baron Drumlanrig (d.1578), son of the 6th Baron Drumlanrig
• James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (c.1525–1581), younger brother of 7th Earl of Angus; the last of the four regents of Scotland during the minority of King James VI
• James Douglas, 8th Baron Drumlanrig (d.1615), grandson of the 7th Baron Drumlanrig
• James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Queensberry (d.1671), son fo the 1st Earl of Queensberry
• James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas (1646–1699)
• James Douglas, Earl of Angus (1671–1692), Scottish nobleman and soldier, son of the previous
• James Douglas, 4th Duke of Hamilton (1658–1712), eldest son of William Douglas, Duke of Hamilton and his wife Anne
• James Douglas, 2nd Duke of Queensberry and 1st Duke of Dover (1662–1711)
• James Douglas, 10th Earl of Morton (d.1686), younger brother of the 8th Earl of Morton
• James Douglas, 11th Earl of Morton (d.1715), son of the 10th Earl of Morton
• James Douglas, 14th Earl of Morton (c.1703–1768)
• James Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas (briefly 11th Earl of Selkirk) (1942–), younger son of the 14th Duke of Hamilton and Brandon
• John Douglas, 2nd Earl of Morton (d.1513)
• John Douglas, 7th Marquess of Queensberry (1779–1856), younger brother of the 6th Marquess of Queensberry
• John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry (1844–1900), Scottish nobleman
• John Douglas, 21st Earl of Morton (1927–), grandson of the 19th Earl of Morton
• John Douglas, Lord Aberdour (1952–), son and heir of the 21st Earl of Morton
• John Douglas-Hamilton, Master of Selkirk, Lord Daer (1978–), son and heir of 11th Earl of Selkirk
• John Douglas, Master of Aberdour (1986–), son and heir of the Lord Aberdour
• Margaret Douglas (1515–1578), the daughter of Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, and Margaret Tudor
• Nina Douglas-Hamilton, Duchess of Hamilton and Brandon (1878–1951), the daughter of Major Robert Poore
• Percy Douglas, 10th Marquess of Queensberry (1868–1920), son of the 9th Marquess of Queensberry
• Robert Douglas, 8th Earl of Morton (d.1649), son of the 7th Earl of Morton
• Robert Douglas, 12th Earl of Morton (d.1730), younger brother of the 11th Earl of Morton
• Sholto Douglas (d.unknown), mythical progenitor of the House of Douglas
• Sholto Douglas, 18th Earl of Morton (1818–1884), son of the 17th Earl of Morton
• Sholto Douglas, 19th Earl of Morton (1844–1935), son of the 18th Earl of Morton
• Sholto Douglas, 20th Earl of Morton (1907–1976), grandson of the 19th Earl of Morton
• Sholto Douglas, 15th Earl of Morton (1732–1774)
• Sholto Douglas, Viscount Drumlanrig (1967–), son and heir of the 12th Marquess of Queensberry
• Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirk (1771–1820), Scottish philanthropist who sponsored immigrant settlements in Canada
• Walter Montagu Douglas Scott, 5th Duke of Buccleuch (1806–1884), British politician and nobleman
• William I, Lord of Douglas (d.c.1214)
• William Longleg, Lord of Douglas (c.1220–c.1274), Scoto-Norman nobleman
• Sir William Douglas the Hardy, Lord of Douglas (c.1240–1299), Governor of Berwick Castle, Scottish warrior and freedom-fighter
• William IV, Lord of Douglas (d.1333)
• William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale (c.1300–k.1353)
• William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (d.1384)
• William Douglas, 1st Baron Drumlanrig (d.1427), illegitimate son of the 2nd Earl of Douglas
• William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus (c.1398–1437)
• William Douglas, 2nd Baron Drumlanrig (d.1458), son of the 1st Baron Drumlanrig
• William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (c.1424–1440)
• William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas (1425–1452)
• William Douglas, 3rd Baron Drumlanrig (d.1464), son of the 2nd Baron Drumlanrig
• William Douglas, 4th Baron Drumlanrig (d.1484), son of the 3rd Baron Drumlanrig
• William Douglas, 6th Baron Drumlanrig (d.1513), son of the 5th Baron Drumlanrig
• William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus (d.1571)
• William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton (1540–1606)
• William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus (1553–1611)
• William Douglas, 1st Earl of Queensberry (d.1640), son of the 8th Baron Drumlanrig
• William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton (1582–1648)
• William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas (1590–1660), son of the 10th Earl of Angus
• William Douglas-Hamilton, Duke of Hamilton and 1st Earl of Selkirk (1635–1694), younger son of the previous
• William Douglas, 9th Earl of Morton (d.1681), son of the 8th Earl of Morton
• William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry (1637–1695), Scottish politician
• William Douglas, 1st Earl of March (d.1705), son of 1st Duke of Queensberry
• William Douglas, 2nd Earl of March (c.1696–1730/31), son of the 1st Earl of March
• William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry (1724–1810), son of 2nd Earl of March
• William Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton and 8th Earl of Selkirk (1845–1895)

Politics

• Alec Douglas-Home (1903–1995), British baron, politician, and prime minister
• Aretas Akers-Douglas, 1st Viscount Chilston (1851–1926), British statesman and politician
• Denzil Douglas (1953–), Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis
• Frederick Douglass (1818–1895), American abolitionist, editor, orator, author, statesman, and reformer
• Helen Gahagan Douglas (1900–1980), American actress and politician
• James Douglas (governor) (1803–1877), Scottish-Canadian governor of the colony of Vancouver Island
• James Douglas-Hamilton, Baron Selkirk of Douglas (1942–), Scottish nobleman, Conservative politician
• Jim Douglas (1952–), American politician
• John Douglas (Queensland politician) (1828–1904), Premier of Queensland, Australia
• Paul Douglas (1892–1976), American economist and United States Senator from Illinois
• Roger Douglas (1973–), former New Zealand politician
• Rosie Douglas (1941–2000), Dominican politician
• Stephen A. Douglas (1813–1861), American politician
• Tommy Douglas (1904–1986), Canadian politician, Premier of Saskatchewan, and father of Shirley Douglas
• Walburga Habsburg Douglas (1958–), Austrian-Swedish politician, member of the Swedish parliament since 2006
• William Lewis Douglas (1845–1924), American politician

Sport

• Andy Douglas (1978–), American professional wrestler
• Billy Douglas (rugby player) (1863–1945), Welsh international rugby player
• Bobby Douglas, American Olympian wrestler
• David Douglas (fighter) ("Tarzan" Douglas), American mixed martial artist
• Hugh Douglas (American football) (1971–), American NFL football player
• James Douglas (boxer) ("Buster" Douglas, 1960–), American heavyweight boxer
• Katie Douglas (1979–), American Women's National Basketball Association player
• Shane Douglas (1964–), American professional wrestler

Science

Biology

• David Douglas (1799–1834), Scottish botanist

Earth sciences

• R. J. W. Douglas (1920–1979) Canadian geologist

Engineering

• C. H. Douglas (1879–1952), Scottish engineer and pioneer of the social credit concept
• Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. (1892–1981), American aircraft industrialist

Mathematics

• Jesse Douglas (1897–1965), American mathematician and professor of mathematics
• Ronald G. Douglas (1938–), American mathematician

Physics

• James Douglas (physician) (1675–1742), Scottish physician and anatomist
• Michael R. Douglas, American physicist at Rutgers University

Other scientists

• Mary Douglas (1921–), British anthropologist

Television and film

Actors

• Colin Douglas (actor) (1912–1991), British stage and television actor
• Don Douglas (1905–1945), Scottish film actor
• Donald Douglas (actor), British actor
• Donna Douglas (1933–), American actress
• Gordon Douglas (director) (1907–1993), American actor and director
• Hal Douglas (1924–), voice actor
• Illeana Douglas (1965–), American actress
• Kirk Douglas (1916–), American actor
• Kyan Douglas (1970–), American cosmetologist
• Melvyn Douglas (1901–1981), American actor
• Michael Douglas (1944–), American actor and producer
• Michael Keaton, born Michael John Douglas (1951–), American actor
• Mike Douglas (1925–2006), American entertainer and former TV talk-show host
• Paul Douglas (actor) (1907–1959), American actor
• Paul Douglas (cameraman) (1958–2006), British CBS News cameraman
• Saba Douglas-Hamilton (1970–), television presenter and naturalist
• Sarah Douglas (1952–), English actress
• Shirley Douglas (1934–), Canadian actress, former wife of Donald Sutherland and mother of Kiefer Sutherland

Other fields

• Alexander Douglas Douglas (1843–1914), Australian inspector of police and explorer
• Michael Dutton Douglas (1945–1963), road accident victim

External links

• Genealogisches Handbuch der baltischen Ritterschaften Teil 2,3: Estland, Görlitz 1930 Genealogy handbook of Baltic nobility