William Douglas Explained

William Douglas may refer to:

Earls

of Douglas

• William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas (c. 1327–1384), Scottish magnate
• William Douglas, 6th Earl of Douglas (c. 1424–1440), Scottish nobleman
• William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas (1425–1452), Scottish nobleman

of Angus

• William Douglas, 2nd Earl of Angus (c. 1398–1437), Scottish nobleman and soldier
• William Douglas, 9th Earl of Angus (died 1591), Scottish nobleman and supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots
• William Douglas, 10th Earl of Angus (1552–1611), Scottish nobleman
• William Douglas, 1st Marquess of Douglas and 11th Earl of Angus (1589–1660), Scottish nobleman

of Morton

• William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton (c. 1540–1606), Scottish nobleman
• William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton (1582–1648), Scottish nobleman

Lords of Douglas

• William I, Lord of Douglas (died c. 1214), medieval nobleman of Flemish origin
• William Longleg, Lord of Douglas (c. 1220–c. 1274), Scoto-Norman nobleman
• William the Hardy, Lord of Douglas (died c. 1298), Scottish soldier and governor of Berwick Castle
• William IV, Lord of Douglas (died 1333), Scottish nobleman

Other nobles

• William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale (c. 1300–1353), Scottish nobleman and soldier
• Sir William Douglas of Nithsdale (c. 1370–c. 1392), Scottish knight
• William Douglas of Drumlanrig (died 1427)
• William Douglas of Glenbervie (c. 1473–1513), killed at the Battle of Flodden
• William Douglas, 1st Earl of Queensberry (c. 1582–1640), Scottish nobleman
• William Douglas, 2nd Lord Mordington (1626–after 1671)
• Sir William Douglas of Kelhead (died 1673), Scottish colonel and Baronet of Nova Scotia
• William Douglas, Duke of Hamilton (1634–1694)
• William Douglas, 1st Duke of Queensberry (1637–1695), Scottish politician
• William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry (1724–1810), Scottish nobleman
• Sir William Douglas, 4th Baronet (c. 1730–1783), MP for Dumfries Burghs
• Sir William Douglas, 1st Baronet (died 1809), Scottish landowner and founder of Castle Douglas
• Lord William Douglas (1783–1859), British politician and landowner
• William Douglas, 1st Baron Douglas of Kirtleside (1893–1969), senior commander in the Royal Air Force

Arts

• William Douglas (poet) (c. 1672–1748), Scottish writer, probable author of the poem "Annie Laurie"
• William Douglas (painter) (1780–1832), Scottish miniature and portrait painter
• William Fettes Douglas (1822–1881), Scottish painter
• Billy Douglas (musician) (1912–1978), American jazz trumpeter and vocalist
• Bill Douglas (1934–1991), Scottish film director
• Bill Douglas (musician) (born 1944), Canadian musician
• Billy Douglas (One Life to Live), fictional character on the television series One Life to Live

Military

• William Douglas (colonel) (1742–1777), an American military officer during the American Revolutionary War.
• Colonel Sir William Douglas of Balgillo (died 1818), a British Army officer during the Napoleonic Wars.
• William Douglas (Major General) (1770–1834), a British Army officer in the War of 1812.
• William Douglas (British Army officer, died 1920) (1858–1920), a British Army officer in the First World War.

Sports

• William Douglas (cricketer, born 1848) (1848–1887), New Zealand cricketer
• Billy Douglas (rugby union) (1863–1943), Welsh rugby union player
• William Douglas (footballer, fl. 1890s), Newton Heath and Blackpool footballer
• William Douglas (footballer, born 1890) (1890–1917), Scottish footballer
• Bill Douglas (rugby union) (born c. 1898), rugby union player who represented Australia
• William Douglas (cricketer, born 1903) (1903–1981), New Zealand cricketer
• William J. Douglas (footballer), played for Montrose, Brechin City, Blackburn Rovers, Dick, Kerr's XI and Rochdale in the 1930s
• William Douglas (boxer) (1940–1999), American boxer

Others

• William Douglas, 14th of Cavers (c. 1688–1748), Scottish landowner and politician, MP for Roxburghshire 1715–22, 1727–34, 1742–47, and for Dumfries Burghs 1722–27
• William Douglas of Kirkness (1688–1747), British Army officer and politician
• William Douglas (sea captain) (died 1791), Scottish and American maritime fur trader
• William Douglas (died 1821) (1784–1821), advocate and British Member of Parliament for Plympton Erle 1812–16
• William Douglas (priest) (died 1819), Archdeacon of Wilts, 1799–1804
• William Bloomfield Douglas (1822–1906), Australian public servant and naval officer
• William Lewis Douglas (1845–1924), governor of Massachusetts, 1905–1906
• William H. Douglas (1853–1944), U.S. Representative from New York
• William O. Douglas (1898–1980), United States Supreme Court justice
• William O. Douglas, American who in 1878 received a patent for a lenticular truss bridge
• Sir William Randolph Douglas (1921–2003), Chief Justice of Barbados
• William Douglas (Northern Ireland politician) (born 1921), Orangeman and Assembly member
• William Douglas (Canadian politician), representative from New Brunswick
• Billy Douglas (politician), unionist activist from Northern Ireland
• William Douglas Campbell, lobbyist and FBI informant

See also

• , a slave ship (1801–1803), captured by the French
• Douglas baronets
• William Douglass (disambiguation)