Campbell is a Scottish surname —derived from the Gaelic roots cam ("crooked") and beul ("mouth")—that had originated as a nickname meaning "crooked mouth" or "wry mouthed". Clan Campbell, historically one of the largest and most powerful of the Highland clans, traces its origins to the ancient Britons of Strathclyde. Between 1200 and 1500, the Campbells emerged as one of the most powerful families in Scotland, dominant in Argyll and capable of wielding a wider influence and authority from Edinburgh to the Hebrides and western Highlands.
Today, the name is found throughout the world as a consequence of large-scale emigration from Scotland, from the 18th century onwards, and the settlement of the Scottish diaspora in many countries, particularly the United States, Canada and Australia. Due to significant Scottish immigration in the 17th and 18th centuries, the name is found within Ulster.
Campbell is the third most common surname in Northern Ireland, fourth most common in Jamaica, seventh most common in Scotland, 12th most common in Canada, 18th most common in Australia, 41st most common in the United States and 65th most common in England.
Notable persons named Campbell
Several people
Several people named Alan Campbell Several people named Alexander Campbell Several people named Alistair Campbell Several people named Allan Campbell Several people named Andrew Campbell Several people named Archibald Campbell Several people named Arthur Campbell Several people named Ashley Campbell Several people named Carol Campbell Several people named Catherine Campbell Several people named Chris Campbell Several people named Christine Campbell Several people named Charles Campbell Several people named Colin Campbell Several people named Daniel Campbell Several people named Dave Campbell Several people named David Campbell Several people named Donald Campbell Several people named Douglas Campbell Several people named Duncan Campbell Several people named Edward Campbell Several people named Eric Campbell Several people named Felicity Campbell Several people named Fiona Campbell Several people named Geoffrey Campbell Several people named George Campbell Several people named Glen Campbell Several people named Gordon Campbell Several people named Graeme Campbell Several people named Gregory Campbell Several people named Ian Campbell Several people named Jack Campbell Several people named James Campbell Several people named Jeff Campbell Several people named Jim Campbell Several people named Jimmy Campbell Several people named John Campbell Several people named Joseph Campbell Several people named Julia Campbell Several people named Ken Campbell Several people named Kevin Campbell Several people named Larry Campbell Several people named Lorne Campbell Several people named Luke Campbell Several people named Mary Campbell Several people named Michael Campbell Several people named Neil Campbell Several people named Patrick Campbell Several people named Paul Campbell Several people named Peter Campbell Several people named Phil Campbell Several people named Philip Campbell Several people named Robert Campbell Several people named Roy Campbell Several people named Samuel Campbell Several people named Scott Campbell Several people named Steven Campbell Several people named Thomas Campbell Several people named Timothy Campbell Several people named William, or Bill, Campbell
A–C A. B. Campbell (1881–1966), British naval officer and radio broadcaster Aaron Campbell (voice actor) (born 1991), American voice actor Aileen Campbell (born 1980), Scottish National Party member of the Scottish Parliament for Clydesdale and Minister for Local Government and Planning Alan Campbell, Baron Campbell of Alloway (1917–2013), British judge, barrister and writer Alastair Campbell (born 1957), British political editor and spokesman Albert Ralph Campbell (1875–1925), American Medal of Honor recipient Alexander Buchanan Campbell (1914–2007), Scottish architect Alfred Walter Campbell (1868–1937), English neuroanatomic scientist Ali Campbell (born 1959), singer-songwriter of the English reggae band UB40 Ali Campbell (field hockey) (born 1991), American hockey player Allison A. Campbell (born 1963), American chemist Amare Campbell (born 2005), American football player Ami Campbell (born 1991), English cricketer Andy Campbell (born 1979), English footballer Ann-Marie Campbell (born 1965), Jamaican-American business executive Ballard C. Campbell (born 1940), American historian
Bartley Campbell (1843–1888), American playwright Basil Campbell (born 1956), Australian rules footballer
Beatrix Campbell (born 1947), English writer and activist
Ben Campbell (musician), New Zealand musician Ben Campbell (Scottish golfer) (born 1861), Scottish golfer Ben Campbell (New Zealand golfer) (born 1991), New Zealand professional golfer
Benjamin Campbell (consular agent) (1802–1859), British merchant and consular agent
Benton J. Campbell, American lawyer
Beth Campbell (artist) (born 1971), American artist Beth Campbell (jurist), Australian magistrate Beth Newlands Campbell, Ex-president of Canadian pharmacy chain
Betty Campbell (1934–2017), Welsh community activist and headteacher
Bill Campbell (mayor) (born 1953), American politician, mayor of Atlanta, Georgia
Bill Campbell (sportscaster) (1923–2014), American sportscaster Bill Campbell (Victorian politician) (1920–1996), Australian politician
Bill Campbell (illustrator) (1920–2017), American cartoonist and illustrator
Black Angus Campbell (1934–2005), Scottish professional wrestler
Blake Campbell (born 1982), Australian rules footballer Bland Hayden Campbell (1905–1989), American politician Blind James Campbell (1906–1981), American singer
Bobby Campbell (English footballer) (1937–2015), English footballer and manager Bobby Campbell (footballer, born 1922) (1922–2009), Scottish footballer and manager Bobby Campbell (Northern Irish footballer) (1956–2016), Northern Irish footballer
Boniface Campbell (1895–1988), United States Army general
Bonnie Jo Campbell (born 1962), American novelist
Bonny Campbell (1898–1987), Australian rules footballer Boudreaux Campbell (born 1998), American bull rider
Bradley M. Campbell (born 1961), American lawyer Braeden Campbell (born 2002), Australian football league player Brandon Campbell (born 1991), American music composer Bret Campbell (born 1960), American basketball player and coach
Brian Campbell (game designer), American writer and game designer
Bruce Campbell (barrister) (1916–1990), New Zealand-born British lawyer, judge and politician
Bruce Campbell (historian) (born 1949), British economic historian
Bruce Campbell (Australian footballer) (1890–1964), Australian rules footballer
Buddy Campbell (born 1943), American speed skater Bullet Campbell (1896–1968), American baseball player
Buzz Campbell (born 1969), American singer-songwriter Calais Campbell (born 1986), American football player Cason Campbell, American professional pickleball player Cassie Campbell (born 1973), Canadian former ice hockey player Cecil Bustamente Campbell, better known as Prince Buster (1938–2016), musician from Kingston, Jamaica Chad Campbell (born 1974), American golfer Chance Campbell (born 1999), American football player Charlotte C. Campbell (1914–1993), American medical mycologist Christian Campbell (born 1972), Canadian actor and brother of Neve Campbell Christiana Burdett Campbell (c. 1723–1792), colonial American innkeeper Clarence Campbell (1905–1984), Canadian ice hockey executive
Colen Campbell (1676–1729), Scottish neo-Palladian architect Conchita Campbell (born 1995), Canadian actress Cornell Campbell (born 1945), Jamaican reggae singer
D–H Daisy Campbell (actress, born 2003) (born 2003), English actress Dalevon Campbell (born 2001), American football player Danielle Campbell (born 1996), American actress Dante Campbell (born 1999), Canadian soccer player Darius Campbell Danesh (1980–2022), Scottish singer, songwriter Darren Campbell (born 1973), English Olympic sprinter Dayton Campbell, Jamaican politician Dean Campbell (born 2001), Scottish footballer De'Vondre Campbell (born 1993), American professional football linebacker DJ Campbell (born 1981), English footballer Kurtis Campbell, British DJ Don Campbell (ice hockey) (1925–2012), Canadian ice hockey player
Earl Campbell (born 1955), American football player Eddie C. Campbell (1939–2018), American musician and singer Eddie Campbell (born 1955), Scottish graphic novelist, artist Eila Campbell (1915–1994), English geographer Elden Campbell (1968–2025), American basketball player Eliza Campbell (born 1995), Australian association footballer Elizabeth Duncan Campbell (1804–1878), Scottish poet and autobiographical writer Ella Campbell (1910–2003), New Zealand botanist Elspeth Campbell (1940–2023), British baroness and socialite Epsy Campbell Barr (born 1963), Presidential Candidate in Costa Rica Ernest T. Campbell (1923–2010), American Presbyterian clergyman Evelyn Campbell (actress) (1868–?), British-born American stage actress Ffyona Campbell (born 1967), British woman who was the first woman to walk around the world Fraizer Campbell (born 1987), English footballer Francis Eastwood Campbell (1823–1911), 2nd clerk of the New Zealand House of Representatives Frank Campbell (New York politician) (1858–1924), New York State comptroller 1892–93 Fred Campbell (English footballer), English footballer Gene Campbell (1932–2013), American ice hockey player Georgia Campbell (1926–2004), American baseball player Gordon Campbell (disambiguation), several people Grace Campbell (writer) (1895–1963), Canadian writer Sir Guy Campbell, 1st Baronet (1786–1849), British Army officer of the Napoleonic era Greg Campbell (cricketer) (born 1964), Australian cricketer Harvey Campbell (Canadian football) (born c. 1940), Canadian football player Harvey Campbell (politician) (1792–1877), American politician Hazel Campbell (1940–2018), Jamaican writer Helen Stuart Campbell (1839–1918), American author, editor, social reformer, home economist Hélène Campbell (born 1991), Canadian activist Henry Campbell-Bannerman (1836–1908), prime minister Hugh Campbell (baseball) (1846–1881), Irish baseball player
I–L Ian MacDonald Campbell (1922–1994), engineer Isaiah Campbell (born 1997), American baseball player Isobel Campbell (born 1976), Scottish musician J. Campbell (footballer), English footballer J. Kenneth Campbell, American actor J. Scott Campbell (born 1973), comic book artist Jacquelyn Campbell (born 1946), American nurse Jane Campbell (soccer) (born 1995), American soccer player Jane L. Campbell (born 1953), first female mayor of Cleveland, Ohio Jane Maud Campbell (1869–1947), American librarian and social reformer Jason Campbell (born 1981), American football player Jayden Campbell (born 2000), Australian rugby league player Jean Campbell (baseball) (1927–2004), American baseball player Jean Helen St. Clair Campbell (?–1956) Jeannette Campbell (1916–2003), Argentine swimmer Jerry Campbell (1944–2017), American Canadian football player Jewett Campbell (1912–1999), American painter, teacher Jihaad Campbell (born 2004), American football player Joel Campbell (born 1992), Costa Rican footballer * John Campbell (cricketer) (born 1993), Jamaican cricketer Jon Campbell (producer), singer-songwriter and producer of The Time Frequency Jonathan A. Campbell (born 1947), American herpetologist Judith Campbell, mistress of John F. Kennedy Keith Campbell (cricketer) (born 1943), New Zealand cricketer Kelon Campbell (born 1995), American influencer and comedian known online as Psyiconic Kieran Campbell (born 1979), Irish rugby union player Kim Campbell (pilot) (born 1975), US Air Force A-10 pilot