This is a list of the high sheriffs of County Durham, England.

In most counties the high sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. In the Palatinate of Durham the officeholder was appointed by and was accountable to the Bishop of Durham until 1836 when the Crown claimed authority. The High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions are now largely ceremonial. The High Sheriff changes every March.

Pre-13th century Gilbert (appointed by Bishop Walcher) Philip fil. Haimonis (appointed by Bishop Ranulf Flambard) c. 1100–1146: Osbert (appointed by Bishop William of St. Barbara) c. 1152–1153: Gilbert Haget (appointed by Bishop Hugh de Puiset) c. 1153–1180: Ralph Haget c. 1180: William c. 1180–1195: Philip son of Hamo c. 1196–1197: Raynold Ganaunt c. 1198–1200: Leo de Heriz

13th century c. 1200: Reynold le Veneur c. 1200: Geoffrey Sarescut c. 1237–1242: William Grat (appointed by Bishop Nicholas Farnham) c. 1250: John Haldan (appointed by Bishop Walter of Kirkham) c. 1260: John Gylet, of Egglescliff c. 1261: Alexander de Bydyck c. 1273: Laurence de Lyntz c. 1275–1280: John de Malton (appointed by Bishop Robert of Holy Island) c. 1282: Walter Savage c. 1290: Guichard de Charon c. 1291–1299: Ralph de Warsop

14th Century Source: c. 1300: John Shirlock or de Skyrelock c. 1302: John de Creppinge c. 1302–1303: John de Birtleye c. 1304: John Shirlock or de Skyrelock c. 1305: John de Birtleye c. 1306–1307: Thomas de Morton c. 1308–1310: Richard de Stanlawe 19 October 1312–1314: Adam de Bowes (appointed by Bishop Richard Kellaw) c. 1317–1318: Richard de Stanlawe c. 1323–1338: Adam de Bowes by March 1323: Nicholas de Sutton (undersheriff) John de Haneby or Hamby (undersheriff, appointed by Bishop Lewis de Beaumont) John de Eggescliff or Eggisclive (undersheriff, appointed by Bishop Lewis de Beaumont) William Brewere or Browere (undersheriff, appointed by Bishop Lewis de Beaumont) c. 1334–April 1339: Simon de Esh (undersheriff) c. 1339–1342: John de Meneville or Meynvyle By February 1343: William de Mordon 26 January 1344: William de Blakyston 1 August 1345–April 1350: William de Mordon By June 1355–August 1356: Robert de Bowes (undersheriff) August 1356: William de Walworth (undersheriff) August 1356–April 1358: John de Byrland (undersheriff) By July 1358–January 1363: John de Claxton (undersheriff) By March 1364–January 1367: William de Meneville (undersheriff) 10 November 1371: Sir Robert de Umfraville May 1372: John Heron (undersheriff) March 1373: Robert de de Umfraville By May 1374–1376: William de Elmeden (undersheriff) 30 January 1377: John de Hyndley 1 September 1379: Sir William de Bowes By September 1382 – March 1385: Robert de Laton (undersheriff) 1385: Thomas de Boynton 29 April 1386: Sir William de Bowes 10 October 1390: Sir Marmaduke de Lumley 30 November 1391: Thomas de Boynton

15th century 18 January 1401: Sir Robert Conyers 24 August 1406: Sir Percival de Lyndeley 2 June 1414: Sir William Claxton 2 January 1420: Robert Eure 6 May 1436: Sir William Bowes 4 October 1437: Robert OgleThe History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of Durham Vol I. William Fordyce (1857) p150. Google Books 1 October 1438: William Pudsay 5 December 1441: Geoffrey Midleton 28 December 1461: John de Aderton 8 December 1462: Geoffrey Midleton 7 March 1467: William Claxton 6 August 1469: Henry Radclyff 14 August 1470: Sir George Lumley 20 November 1476: Robert Tempest 4 October 1482 – 1502: Sir Ralph Bowes

16th century 16 January 1503–1515: Sir William Bulmer, of Wilton Castle 1 April 1516: Sir Ralph Bowes 8 November 1516–1517: Roger Lumley 21 March 1519–1522: Sir William Eure 1 May 1523–1526: Sir William Bulmer, of Wilton Castle 4 August 1527: Sir William Bulmer and Sir John Bulmer (jointly) 16 July 1529–1532: Sir John Bulmer 11 November 1532: Sir Thomas Hilton 25 November 1537–1549: Sir George Conyers Michaelmas 1552: Cuthbert Conyers (undersheriff) Michaelmas 1557: Sir Thomas Hilton (undersheriff) Michaelmas 1558: Robert Tempest, of Holmside Hall (undersheriff) Michaelmas 1562: Robert Bowes (undersheriff) 11 November 1575: Sir George Bowes 11 November 1576–1591: Sir William Hilton 1592–1594: George Conyers 22 May 1595–1610: Sir John Conyers, of Sockburn Hall

17th century 1608–1624: Sir George Selby of Whitehouse, Ryton 2 September 1624: Robert Robson 4 August 1625–1640: Sir William Belasyse, of Morton House 8 April 1641: William Collingwood 16 October 1641: Sir William Darcy 1645: Sir George Vane, of Barnard Castle 1 December 1646: Sir Richard Belasyse, of Morton House 17 November 1647: Clement Fulthorpe 2 January 1649: James Clavering 5 February 1649: Sir William Smith, Baronet 7 November 1649: James Clavering, of Axwell 21 November 1650: Clement Fulthorpe, the elder 31 December 1650: Thomas Shadforth 4 November 1651: Christopher Fulthorpe, the elder, of Tunstall Manor 12 November 1652: Francis Wren, of North Aukland 10 November 1653: Rowland Place, of Low Dinsdale Manor late 1654: Thomas Bewick late 1655: George Lilburn late 1656–58: Timothy Whittingham late 1658: Robert Ellison 24 July 1660: Sir Thomas Davison, of Blakiston Hall 2 March 1664: Anthony Pearson (undersheriff) 12 March 1666: Richard Neile (undersheriff) 1667–73: Sir Gilbert Gerard, 1st Baronet of FiskertonThe Correspondence of John Cosin DD, Lord Bishop of Durham p11 Google Books 12 February 1671: Sir Gilbert Gerard, 1st Baronet of Fiskerton (renewed? after death of Bishop John Cosin) 21 March 1672: Richard Neile (undersheriff) 6 June 1673: Sir James Clavering, 1st Baronet, of Axwell House, Blaydon on Tyne 29 December 1674: Sir Gilbert Gerard, 1st Baronet of Fiskerton 29 December 1674: John Spearman (undersheriff) 28 December 1675: Nicholas Conyers 1685: John Spearman (undersheriff) 1690–1705: Charles Montagu

18th century May 1705: Mark Shafto, of Whitworth Hall 5 June 1712: John Shafto February 1714: Mark Shafto, of Whitworth Hall 1721: Sir Henry Liddell, 3rd Baronet, of Newton Hall 1723: Sir William Williamson, 4th Baronet, of Whitburn 1747: Sir Hedworth Williamson, 5th Baronet, of Whitburn 1789: Sir Hedworth Williamson, 6th Baronet, of Whitburn

19th century 1810–1814: Adam Askew, of Redheugh 1815–1818: William Hutchinson 1819–1826: William Keppel Barrington 1827–1828: Cuthbert Ellison, of Hebburn Hall 1829–1833: Charles John Clavering, of Axwell House 1833–1836: William Lloyd Wharton of DryburnA Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Colonial Gentry Burke and Burke (1891) p148 Google Books 1837: Anthony Wilkinson, of Coxhoe Hall 1838: Sir Robert Johnson-Eden, Bart., of Windlestone Hall 1839: Sir William Chaytor, Bart., of Witton Castle 1840: Sir Hedworth Williamson, Bart. of Whitburn 1841: William Russell of Brancepeth Castle 1842: Robert Eden Duncombe Shafto of Whitworth Park 1843: Edward Shippersden of Durham 1844: Henry Witham of Lartington Hall 1845: John William Williamson of Whickham 1846: Ralph Stephen Pemberton of Barnes and Usworth House 1847: John Fawcett of North Bailey 1848: Sir William Eden Bt of Windlestone Hall 1849: John Eden of Beamish Park 1850: Robert Hilyard of Horsley Hall 1851: Robert Henry Allan, of Blackwell Hall and Blackwell Grange 1852: John Bowes, of Streatlam Castle 1853: Frederick Acklom Milbank, of Hart 1854: Henry John Baker Baker, of Elemore Hall 1855: Robert Surtees of Redworth House 1856: Robert Smith Surtees of Hamsterley Hall 1857: William Beckwith, of Silksworth House 1858: Timothy Hutchinson, of Eggleston Hall 1859: Sir William Aloysius Clavering, Bart., of Axwell House 1860: Henry John Spearman, of Burn Hall 1861: Richard Lawrence Pemberton, of Barnes 1862: Henry George Surtees of Dinsdale Hall 1863: John Richard Westgarth Hildyard, of Horsley Hall 1864: John Harrison Aylmer of Walworth Castle 1865: William Peareth, of Usworth House 1866: William Edward Surtees, of Seaton Carew 1867: William Scurfield Grey, of Norton 1868: Anthony Wilkinson, of Hulam 1869: Thomas Charles Thompson, of Sherburn Hall 1870: William Briggs, of Hylton Castle, Sunderland 1871: James Cookson, of Neasham Hall 1872: Rowland Burdon, of The Castle, Castle Eden 1873: Charles Freville Surtees, of Mainsforth, Ferryhill 1874: John Fogg Elliot, of Elvet Hill, Durham 1875: Anthony Wilkinson, of Durham 1876: Henry Edward Surtees, of Redworth House and Redforth Grove 1877: Sir Hedworth Williamson, Bart., of Whitburn Hall 1878: John Joicey, of Newton Hall, Stocksfield, Northumberland 1879: James Laing, of Thornhill, Sunderland 1880: George John Scurfield, of Hurworth House 1881: Matthew Kearney, of the Ford, Lanchester 1882: Robert Anthony Burrell, of Fairthorne, Botley, Hants 1883: Alfred Backhouse, of Pilmore, Darlington 1884: Isaac Lowthian Bell, of Rownton Grange, Northallerton 1885: Christopher John Foyle Fawcett, of The North Bailey, Durham 1886: Joseph Richardson, of Potto Hall, Swainby, Northallerton 1887: Gerald Percy Vivian Aylmer, of Walworth Castle, Darlington 1888: David Dale of West Lodge, Darlington 1889: Lindsay Wood, of The Hermitage, Chester-le-Street 1890: William James Joicey, of Urpeth Lodge, Chester-le-Street 1891: Joseph Henry Straker, of Willington House, Willington 1892: Sir William Gray, of Greatham Cottage, West Hartlepool 1893: Edward Joicey, of Whinney House, Low Fell, Gateshead-on-Tyne 1894: Colonel Charles John Reed CB, of Springwell Hall, Durham 1895: Hugh Bell of Redbarns, Coatham, Redcar 1896: Major Robert Ropner, of Preston Hall, near Stockton-on-Tees 1897: Colonel Lancelot Allgood Gregson, of Burdon, Sunderland 1898: Samuel Peter Austin, of Cocken Hall, Fence Houses 1899: Utrick Alexander Ritson, of Calf Hall, Muggleswick Park, Consett, and Jesmond Gardens, Newcastle upon Tyne 1900: John Arundel Hildyard, of Horsley House, Eastgate, Darlington

20th century

1901: George Fenwick Boyd of Moorhouse, Leamside 1902: Sir William Henry Edward Chaytor, Bt., of Croft, Darlington 1903: John Ewer Jefferson Hogg of 59 Elm Park Gardens, SW London 1904: Sir Hedworth Williamson, Bt., of Whitburn Hall, near Sunderland 1905: John Edwin Rogerson of Mount Oswald, Durham 1906: Frank Stobart of Biddick Hall 1907: Rowland Burdon of The Castle, Castle Eden 1908: Slingsby Duncombe Shafto of Beamish Park 1909: William Cresswell Gray of Tunstall Manor, West Hartlepool 1910: Hon. James Arthur Joicey of Longhurst, Morpeth (later Baron Joicey) 1911: Lieut-Colonel John Henry Ropner, of Ragworth, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees 1912: Frederick Stirling Newall, of Castle Hill, Wylam-on-Tyne 1913: James Westell, of The Cloisters, Sunderland 1914: Francis Priestman, of Shotley Park, Shotley Bridge 1915: Sir Alfred Molyneux Palmer, of Walworth Castle, Darlington 1916: William Hustler Hustler, of Acklam Hall, Middlesbrough 1917: The Honourable Cyril Arthur Liddell, of Ravensworth Castle, Gateshead 1918: Brodrick Dale, of Apperley Dene, Stocksfield 1919: John Wood, of Coxhoe Hall, Coxhoe 1920: Arthur Francis Pease, of Middleton Lodge, Middleton Tyas 1921: Col. Maurice Bell (later Sir Maurice Bell) of Rounton Grange, Northallerton 1922: Sir John Storey Barwick, of Ashbrook Grange, Sunderland 1923: Capt. Rowland Burdon Webster, of Wolviston Hall, Stockton-on-Tees 1924: Sir Frank Brown, of Norton Priory, Stockton-on-Tees 1925: Lieut.-Col. George Herbert Stobart, of Harperley Park, Harperley 1926: Sir Thomas Garmondsway Wrightson, Bt., of The Manor House, Eryholme, near Darlington 1927: Brigadier-General Herbert Conyers Surtees, of Mainsforth Hall, Ferryhill 1928: John Henry Bacon Forster, of Whitworth House, Spennymoor 1929: Major Henry Siward Balliol Surtees, of Redworth Hall, Darlington 1930: John Stapylton Grey Pemberton, of Ramside, Durham 1931: Capt. Geoffrey Stirling Newall, of Shepherds Dene, Riding Mill, Northumberland 1932: Henry Peile, of Broomshiels Hall, Satley, Tow Law, Co. Durham