Semple is both a surname of Scottish origin, and a given name. Notable people with the name include:

People with the surname

In arts and media

Dugald Semple Dugald Patterson McDougall Semple (7 February 1884 – 19 January 1964) was a Scottish advocate of simple living and animal welfare, naturalist, prolific author, and fruitarian. He is sometimes credited with co-founding the vegan movement in 1 ...

(1884–1964), Scottish writer and simple living advocate *

George Semple George Semple (c. 1700 – 13 April 1782) was a notable Irish builder and architect. Life His earliest known work is the steeple, in height, of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, which he designed and erected in 1749. He also built St Patri ...

(1700–1782), Irish architect *

Jack Semple Jack Semple is a Canadian blues singer and guitarist from Regina, Saskatchewan. Semple was the lead guitarist for The Lincolns for two years; he performs as a solo artist and with The Jack Semple Band, throughout Canada and in the United States.< ...

(21st century), Canadian blues musician *

Keith Semple Keith Semple (born 20 September 1981) is a Northern Irish singer and musician. He originally had his own band Keith Semple Band. In 2002, he took part and was a winner in '' Popstars: The Rivals'', consequently becoming a member of the boyband ...

, Northern Ireland musician, member of British boyband One True Voice and American rock band 7th Heaven * Lorenzo Semple Jr. (1923–2014), American screenwriter *

Pat Semple Patricia Frances Semple (3 July 1939 – 2 May 2021) was a Scottish landscape artist and teacher, known for a ' dramatic and visionary style' Early life Pat Semple was born in Bromley, Kent, but her parents soon moved back to Scotland, where ...

(1939–2021), British artist *

Robert B. Semple Jr. Robert B. Semple Jr. (born August 12, 1936, in St. Louis, Missouri) is the associate editor of ''The New York Times'' editorial page, and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Semple was raised in Michigan and educated at Andover, and Yale Univers ...

(born 1936), Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist *

Stuart Semple Stuart Buchanan Semple (born 12 September 1980) is a multidisciplinary British artist working across painting, sculpture, happenings, technology and activism. He is well known for his sociologically engaged works that often discuss youth poli ...

(born 1980), contemporary English artist

In government, military, and politics

Bob Semple Robert Semple (21 October 1873 – 31 January 1955) was a union leader and later Minister of Public Works for the first Labour Government of New Zealand. He is also known for creating the Bob Semple tank. Early life He was born in Sofala, Ne ...

(1873–1955), member of the Cabinet of New Zealand *

Eugene Semple Eugene Semple (June 12, 1840 – August 28, 1908) was an American politician who served as the 13th Governor of Washington Territory and the unsuccessful Democratic candidate to be the first governor of Washington State. Early life Eugene Semp ...

(1840–1908), thirteenth Governor of Washington Territory *

James Semple James Semple (January 5, 1798 – December 20, 1866) was an American attorney and politician. He was Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Attorney General of Illinois, an associate justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, Chargé d'A ...

(1798–1866), United States Senator from Illinois * Letitia Semple (1821–1907), United States society patron and unofficial First Lady *

Robert Semple (veteran) Robert Semple (August 18, 1887 – May 13, 1943) was born in Pittsburgh and became famous as the Chief Gunner in the United States Navy stationed aboard the . Semple achieved the rank of lieutenant commander. He received the Medal of Honor for ...

(1887–1943), United States Navy officer *

Robert B. Semple Doctor Robert Baylor Semple (1806–1854) was a 19th-century California newspaperman and politician. Biography A newspaperman in Kentucky, he came west over the California Trail with Lansford Hastings in 1845, before the gold rush. During the 1846 ...

(1806–1854), California newspaperman and politician

In sport

Billy Semple William McAdam Semple (born 2 November 1946 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire) is a former Scottish professional footballer. In his playing career he played for Rangers, Durban United, Dundee, Hong Kong Rangers, San Antonio Thunder, Seiko, ...

(born 1946), Scottish football player *

Carol Semple Carol Semple (born October 27, 1948), also known by her married name Carol Semple Thompson, is an American golfer who participated only on the amateur circuit, and never turned pro. Semple was born in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. She is from a pro ...

(born 1948), American golfer *

Frederick Semple Frederick Humphrey Semple (December 24, 1872 – December 20, 1927) was an American golfer and tennis player who competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics. In 1904 he was part of the American team which won the silver medal in the team golf event. H ...

(1872–1927), American golfer and tennis player *

Jock Semple John Duncan Semple (October 26, 1903 – March 10, 1988) was a Scottish-American runner, physical therapist, trainer, and sports official. In 1967, he attained worldwide notoriety as a race official for the Boston Marathon, when he repeatedly a ...

(1903–1988), Boston Marathon official *

(born 1970), Guyanese cricketer *

Ryan Semple (English footballer) Ryan David Semple is an English former footballer who is mostly known for his spells at Peterborough United & Boston United. He finished playing in summer 2014 to take up a full-time role within the Peterborough United Academy. He returned to ...

(born 1985), English football player *

Ryan Semple (Northern Irish footballer) Ryan Semple (born 2 July 1977) is a football midfielder from Northern Ireland, currently playing with Dergview. He is a former Peterborough United, Derry City Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern ...

(born 1977), Northern Irish football player *

Tom Semple Thomas Semple (8 April 1879 – 11 April 1943) was an Irish hurler who played as a half-forward for the Tipperary senior team. Semple joined the panel during the 1897 championship and eventually became a regular member of the starting sevent ...

(1879–1943), Irish sportsperson * Tony Semple (born 1970), American football player

In science and academia

David Semple Lieutenant-Colonel Sir David Semple (6 April 1856 – 7 January 1937) was a British Army officer who founded the Pasteur Institute at Kasauli in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The institute later came to be known as the Central Research In ...

(1856–1937), bacteriologist *

Ellen Churchill Semple Ellen Churchill Semple (January 8, 1863 – May 8, 1932) was an American geographer and the first female president of the Association of American Geographers. She contributed significantly to the early development of the discipline of geography ...

(1863–1932), American geographer *

John C. Semple John Cameron Semple (born 1947) is a botanist, cytotaxonomist, professor emeritus, and adjunct professor at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. He was born in Boston and earned a degree of Bachelor of Science in 1969 from Tufts ...

(born 1947), American botanist *

John Greenlees Semple John Greenlees Semple (10 June 1904 in Belfast, Ireland – 23 October 1985 in London, England London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Th ...

, mathematician *

John W. Semple John W. Semple is a Canadian Scientist formally at St. Michael's Hospital and a Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Toronto. He is currently a Professor of Transfusion Medicine at Lund University in Sweden. He was born in Windsor, Ont ...

(born 1959), Canadian medical researcher *

William F. Semple Chewing gum is a soft, cohesive substance designed to be chewed without being swallowed. Modern chewing gum is composed of gum base, sweeteners, softeners/plasticizers, flavors, colors, and, typically, a hard or powdered polyol coating. Its te ...

, 19th–century American dentist

In other fields

Etta Semple Etta Semple (''née'' Martha Etta Donaldson September 21, 1854 - April 11, 1914) was an American atheist and feminist activist, editor, publisher and community leader in Ottawa, Kansas. She was the president of the Kansas Freethought Association an ...

(1854–1914), American atheist and feminist *

Ian Semple The Universal House of Justice ( fa, بیت‌العدل اعظم) is the nine-member supreme ruling body of the Baháʼí Faith. It was envisioned by Baháʼu'lláh, the founder of the Baháʼí Faith, as an institution that could legislate on ...

(born 1928), member of the Universal House of Justice of the Bahá'í Faith *

Robert Semple (Canada) Robert Semple (26 February 1777 – 19 June 1816) was Governor of the territories owned by the Hudson's Bay Company from autumn 1815 until his death. Background Semple was born on 26 February 1777 in Boston, Mass. He was the son of Robert Semp ...

(1777–1816), Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company

People with the given name

Aimee Semple McPherson Aimee Elizabeth Semple McPherson (née Kennedy; October 9, 1890 – September 27, 1944), also known as Sister Aimee or Sister, was a Canadian Pentecostal evangelist and media celebrity in the 1920s and 1930s,Obituary '' Variety'', Octobe ...

(1890–1944), Canadian-born evangelist and media sensation * Roberta Semple Salter (1910–2007), member of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

Fictional characters

Jake Semple ''Surviving the Applewhites'' is a 2002 children's novel by Stephanie S. Tolan. The book received a 2003 Newbery Honor and many other awards. Summary Thirteen-year-old Jake is kicked out of every public school in Rhode Island and burned do ...

, a character from the book ''Surviving the Applewhites'' *Jesse B. Semple, a character featured in many stories by American writer

Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. One of the earliest innovators of the literary art form called jazz poetry, H ...

Other meanings

Semple Stadium The Semple Stadium is the home of hurling and Gaelic football for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. Located in Thurles, County Tipperary, it is the second largest GAA stadium in Ireland (after Croke Park), with a capacity of 45,69 ...

, a sports stadium in Tipperary, Ireland *

Castle Semple Castle Semple (previously Castletoun) is a former mansion house located in Renfrewshire, Scotland. It is situated near the eastern end of Castle Semple Loch, within Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park. History Erected, or more probably rebuilt, by J ...

, a mansion in Renfrewshire, Scotland

References

{{given name, type=both Surnames of Scottish origin