William Adams may refer to:

Military

William Adams (Royal Navy officer, died 1748) William Adams (died 28 September 1748) was an officer of the Royal Navy. He served in the East Indies during the War of the Austrian Succession and was promoted by Admiral Thomas Griffin (Royal Navy officer), Thomas Griffin to be Captain (Royal ...

, British naval officer * William Adams (Royal Navy officer, born 1716) (1716–1763), British naval officer * William E. Adams (1939–1971), US Army officer and Medal of Honor recipient *

William Wirt Adams William Wirt Adams (1819–1888) was a banker, planter, state legislator, and a Brigadier General in the Confederate States Army. Early life Adams was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, to Anna Weisiger Adams and Judge George Adams (a personal frien ...

(1819–1888), Confederate States of America army general

Musicians

*Billy Adams, banjo player, a former member of

Dexys Midnight Runners Dexys (known as Dexys Midnight Runners from 1978 to 2011) are an English pop rock band from Birmingham, with soul music, soul influences, who achieved major commercial success in the early to mid- 1980s. They are best known in the UK for their ...

will.i.am William James Adams Jr. (born March 15, 1975), known professionally as will.i.am (pronounced "will I am"), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is the frontman of the musical group Black Eyed Peas, which he ...

(William James Adams, Jr., born 1975), musician, producer; member of The Black Eyed Peas *

Willy Northpole William Kenneth Adams (born February 22, 1980), professionally known as Willy Northpole, is an American rapper who was signed to Disturbing Tha Peace Records.Davis, Todd (2007)Willy Northpole: Raising Arizona, HipHopElements, September 10, 2007, ...

(William Adams, born 1980), rapper signed to Ludacris' DTP Records * Billy Adams (rockabilly musician) (1940–2019), American rockabilly musician

Politicians

Acton Adams William Acton Blakeway Adams (1843 – 24 January 1924), known as Acton Adams, was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand. Early life Adams was born at Wilden Manor, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England, in 1843. The Ad ...

(William Acton Blakeway Adams, 1843–1924), New Zealand politician *

Billy Adams (politician) William Herbert Adams (February 15, 1861 – February 4, 1954) was an American politician who served as the 25th governor of the state of Colorado, from 1927 until 1933. Biography Adams was born in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin. In 1878, when he was ...

(William Herbert Adams, 1861–1954), Governor of Colorado * William Adams (British Columbia politician) (1851–1936), rancher and politician in British Columbia, Canada * William Adams (1752–1811), MP for Totnes * William Adams (New Zealand politician) (1811–1884), New Zealand politician * William E. Adams (New York politician) (1922–1983), New York politician *

William G. Adams William Gilbert "Bill" Adams (June 17, 1923 – November 12, 2005), born St. John's, Newfoundland, was the ninth mayor of St. John's and a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. Adams educated at Bishop Feild College and Da ...

(1923–2005), Canadian politician * William Henry Adams (1809–1865), British Conservative MP for Boston and Chief Justice of Hong Kong * William Taylor Adams (1822–1897), author & politician *

William Thomas Adams William Thomas Adams (10 September 1884 – 9 January 1949) was a British Labour Co-operative politician in London who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the last four years of his life. Life He was the son of John Adams, from Oxted in ...

(1884–1949), British Member of Parliament for Hammersmith South, 1945–1949 *

Willie Adams (politician) Willie Adams (born June 22, 1934) is a Canadian Inuk politician who was a member of the Senate of Canada from 1977 to 2009. Biography Adams was born in Fort Chimo (now Kuujjuaq), Nunavik's largest northern village (Inuit community). Educa ...

(born 1934), Canadian politician * William Weston Adams (1786–1831), American politician, planter and medical doctor * William H. Adams (Virginia politician) (1872–1958), American politician in the Virginia House of Delegates * William Y. Adams (1927–2019), archaeologist

Science, technology and philosophy

William Adams (locomotive engineer) William Adams (15 October 1823 – 7 August 1904) was an English railway engineer. He was the Locomotive Superintendent of the North London Railway from 1858 to 1873; the Great Eastern Railway from 1873 until 1878 and the London and South West ...

(1823–1904), British locomotive engineer *

William Adams (Master of Pembroke) William Adams (17 August 1706 in Shrewsbury, England – 13 January 1789 in Gloucester, England) was Fellow and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford. Early years and education Adams was born at Shrewsbury on 17 August 1706 and baptised at St Ch ...

(1706/7–1789), English scholar *

William Adams (oculist) Sir William Adams (1783–1827), also known as Sir William Rawson after 1825, was an English surgeon. He was born at Morwenstow in Cornwall, youngest son of Henry Adams. He was well known as an Ophthalmology, ophthalmic surgeon and was founder ...

(1783–1827), English ophthalmic surgeon *

William Bridges Adams William Bridges Adams (1797 – 23 July 1872) was an English locomotive engineer, and writer. He is best known for his patented Adams axle – a successful radial axle design in use on railways in Britain until the end of steam traction in 1 ...

(1797–1872), British inventor, author & locomotive engineer *

William Grylls Adams William Grylls Adams (18 February 1836 in Laneast, Cornwall – 10 April 1915) was professor of Natural Philosophy at King's College, London. He was active in research on subjects ranging from light, magnetism, and astronomy to electrical power ...

(1836–1915), professor of natural philosophy

Sportspeople

American football

Bill Adams (offensive lineman) William Joseph Adams (born February 4, 1950) is an American former professional football guard who played six seasons with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He later became a longtime high school football coach and athletic ...

(born 1950), American football player *

Bill Adams (American football coach) Bill Adams was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Arkansas State College—now known as Arkansas State University—from 1939 to 1941, compiling a record of 5–14–2. Adams attended Arkansas State, where he pl ...

, American college football coach *

Billy Ray Adams Billy Ray Adams (October 18, 1938 – June 1, 2023) was an American college football player for the Ole Miss Rebels. He was named a first-team All-American as a senior in 1961. Adams was born on October 18, 1938, in Reform, Alabama. He grew u ...

(1938–2023), American football player *

Willie Adams (American football) Willie James "Hawk" Adams (December 12, 1941 – September 28, 2019) was a former American football defensive end and linebacker for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Footbal ...

(1941–2019), American football player

Association football (soccer)

Bill Adams (footballer, born 1902) William Adams (3 November 1902 – 15 March 1963) was an English footballer who played at right-half or right-back in the Football League for Southampton, West Ham United and Southend United in the 1920s and 1930s. Football career Born ...

(1902–1963), Southampton FC right half back * Bill Adams (footballer, born 1921) (1921–1997), English footballer * Billy Adams (footballer, born 1897) (1897–1945), footballer for Barrow and West Bromwich Albion * Billy Adams (footballer, born 1919) (1919–1989), English footballer * William Adams (footballer), footballer who played for Walsall and West Bromwich Albion

Other sports

* Bill Adams (ice hockey) (1897–1978), Canadian ice hockey player * Bill Adams (Australian footballer) (1900–1973), VFL player and coach * William Adams (cricketer, born 1885) (1885–1957), English cricketer * William Adams (cricketer, born 1905) (1905–1971), English cricketer * Willie Adams (1910s pitcher) (1890–1937), American baseball player * Willie Adams (1990s pitcher) (born 1972), American baseball player (Oakland Athletics) *

Willie Adams (basketball) Wilmer Fred Adams (October 2, 1911 – September 30, 1992) was an American professional basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, co ...

(1911–1992), American basketball player *

Smiley Adams William Ernest "Smiley" Adams (October 4, 1935 – June 19, 2003) was an American trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses who trained Master Derby to win the 1975 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series. In what was the 10 ...

(William Ernest Adams, 1935–2003), racehorse trainer

Writers

* William Adams (author) (1814–1848), English religious writer * William Davenport Adams (1851–1904), English writer and journalist, son of W. H. D. Adams * William Henry Davenport Adams (1828–1891), English writer and journalist * William Y. Adams (1927–2019), American author of ''Nubia: Corridor to Africa'' * W. E. Adams (1832–1906), English radical and journalist *William Lee Adams, journalist and founder of

Wiwibloggs Wiwibloggs is a fansite and YouTube channel focusing on the Eurovision Song Contest, launched in 2009 by journalist William Lee Adams. History In April 2015, Wiwibloggs won the Arts & Culture category at the UK Blog Awards. Adams has judged ...

Clergy

* William Adams (Dedham) (1650–1685), minister of the First Church and Parish in Dedham * William Adams (educator) (1813–1897), co-founder of Nashotah House *

William Adams (minister) William Adams (January 25, 1807 – August 31, 1880) was a noted American clergyman and academic. Early life He was born in Colchester, Connecticut on January 25, 1807. He was one of five sons and six daughters born to John Adams (1772–1863 ...

(1807–1880), American religious leader and college president *

William Forbes Adams William Forbes Adams (January 2, 1833 – March 5, 1920) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Easton. He also served as a missionary bishop of Arizona and New Mexico. Early years and education Adams was born on January 2, 1833, in Enniskill ...

(1833–1920), bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Easton

Other uses

William Adams (samurai) , better known in Japan as , was an English navigator who, in 1600, became the first Englishman to reach Japan. He was later granted samurai status, and was recognised as one of the most influential foreigners in Japan during the early 17th ce ...

(1564–1620), English maritime navigator, shipbuilder and advisor to the Japanese government * William Adams (haberdasher) (1585–1661), London haberdasher and founder of Adams' Grammar School * William Adams (lawyer) (1772–1851), English lawyer, helped negotiate settlements with the US c.1814/1815 *

William Adams (potter) William Adams (baptised 1746; died 1805) was an English Pottery, potter, a maker of fine jasperware shortly after its development and introduction to the English market by Wedgwood.Wood, 31 Adams was one of three north Staffordshire William Ada ...

(c. 1746–1805), North Staffordshire potter, founded the Greengates Pottery * William Bridges-Adams (1889–1965), British stage director *

William Drea Adams William Drea "Bro" Adams is an American educator and advocate for the humanities. He was the tenth Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities from 2014 to 2017. He served as the 14th President of Bucknell University from 1995 to 2000, and ...

, president of Bucknell University, 1995–2000; president of Colby College, 2000–2014 *

William Adams (mining engineer) William Adams (1813 - 1886) of Ebbw Vale began his career as an apprentice to Charles Lloyd Harford. In 1865 he moved to Cardiff, and commenced business as colliery agent and mining engineer Mining engineering is the extraction of minerals f ...

(1813–1876) * William Jackson Adams (1860–1934), justice of the

North Carolina Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists ...

* William L. Adams (pioneer) (1821–1906), American writer, newspaper editor and doctor from Oregon * William L. Adams (businessman) (1914–2011), Baltimore businessman and venture capitalist *

William S. Adams William S. Adams (1892–1930) was an American cinematographer of the silent era. He was the younger half-brother of J. Stuart Blackton, the British born film pioneer and co-founder of Vitagraph Studios. Adams worked with Blackton several times, b ...

(1892–1930), American cinematographer *

William Adams (lifesaver) William Adams (25 January 1864 – 14 October 1913) was a lifesaving, lifesaver, swimmer and swimming instructor from Gorleston on the east coast of England. He made his first rescue at the age of 11 and went on to save a total of 140 lives from ...

(1864–1913), English lifesaver from Gorleston *

William George Stewart Adams William George Stewart Adams (8 November 1874 – 30 January 1966) was a Scottish political scientist and public servant who became principal of an University of Oxford, Oxford College and a leader in the fields of voluntary service and rural re ...

(1874–1966), British political scientist and public servant * William M. Adams (born 1955), British geographer