Watson is a patronymic surname of Scottish origin. It means "son of Walter": the popular Old English given names "Wat" or "Watt" were diminutive forms of the name "Walter". In 2015, Watson was the 46th most common surname in England and the 19th most common in Scotland.^[1] See also Clan Watson.

• Aaron Watson (born 1977), American singer
• Abigail Watson (1685–1752), Irish Quaker minister
• Adam Watson (1914–2007), British international relations theorist and researcher
• Adam Watson (scientist) (1930–2019), Scottish scientist
• A. J. Watson (1924–2014), American automotive engineer
• Alana Watson, English musician
• Albert Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Alberta Watson (1955–2015), Canadian actress
• Alex Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Alexander Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Alan Watson, Allen Watson or Allan Watson, multiple people
• Almyra Maynard Watson (1917–2018), American military nurse
• Alonzo Watson (1893–1937), African American Communist and Spanish Civil War volunteer
• Andrew Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Andy Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Angela Watson (born 1975), American actress
• Anthony Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Arnold Watson Hutton (1886–1951), Argentine footballer
• Art Watson (1884–1950), American baseball catcher
• Arthur Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Austin Watson (born 1986), American professional wrestler better known as Xavier Woods or Consequences Creed
• Austin Watson (born 1992), American ice hockey player

• B. B. Watson (1953–2013), American country music singer
• Barrington Watson (1931–2016), Jamaican painter
• Barry Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Ben Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Blake Watson (born 1999), American football player
• Brad Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Brandon Watson (American football) (born 1995), American football player
• Brook Watson (1735–1807), British merchant, soldier, and Lord Mayor of London
• Bruce Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Bryan Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Bubba Watson (born 1978), American golfer

• Carol Stuart Watson (1931–1986), American illustrator and publisher
• Cecelia Watson (fl. 2010s–2020s), American author and historian
• Chandra Watson (born 1975) of The Watson Twins, American singer
• Charles Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Chris Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Christian Watson (born 1999), American football player
• Clarence Wayland Watson (1864–1940), United States Senator and coal company executive
• Cleo Watson, British political adviser
• Cliff Watson, English rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s for Great Britain, St Helens, and Cronulla-Sutherland
• Cliff Watson (speedway rider), motorcycle speedway rider of the 1940s and 1950s
• Clifford Watson, rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s for Keighley and Hunslet
• Colin Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Craig Watson (disambiguation), multiple people

• David Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Debbie Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Dennis Wallace Watson (1914–2008), Canadian-American microbiologist
• Deshaun Watson (born 1995), American football player
• Doc Watson (1923–2012), American musician
• Don Watson, Australian author
• Donald Watson, pioneer vegan

• E. L. Grant Watson (1885–1970), writer, anthropologist and biologist
• Earl Watson (born 1979), American basketball player and coach
• Ed Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Edith Watson (1861–1943), Canadian photographer
• Edith Watson (police officer) (1888–1966), British suffragist and police officer
• Edward Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Edwin Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Elizabeth Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Ellen Watson (1861–1889), American pioneer of Wyoming
• Emily Watson (born 1967), English actress
• Emma Watson (born 1990), English actress and activist
• Eric Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Eva Auld Watson (died 1948), American artist

• Floyd R. Watson (1872–1974), American physicist and acoustician
• Franco Watson (born 2002), Argentine footballer
• Frank Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Fred Watson (born 1944), British astronomer
• Fred Watson (Australian footballer) (1882–1968), Australian rules footballer
• Fred Watson (Scottish footballer), Scottish footballer

• G. N. Watson, English mathematician
• Gary Watson (born 1930), British actor
• Gary Watson (cricketer) (born 1944), South African cricketer
• George Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Gracie Watson, American folk figure
• Graeme Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Gregory Watson, reviver of the Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution

• Hamish Watson (rugby union) (born 1991), Scottish rugby union player
• Hannah Bunce Watson (1749–1807), American newspaper publisher
• Harold Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Harry Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Heather Watson (born 1992), British tennis player
• Helen Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Henry Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Herbert Watson, multiple people
• Homer Watson (1855–1936), Canadian landscape painter

• Ian Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Indica Watson, English actress

• Jack Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• James Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jamie Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jasmine Watson, New Zealand artist
• Jaylen Watson (born 1998), American football player
• Jeffrey Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Jenny Watson (artist) (born 1951), Australian artist
• Jessica Watson (born 1993), Australian sailor
• Jim Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Joan Thelma Watson (1953–2015), Canadian French Horn musician and teacher
• Jobe Watson, Australian rules footballer
• John Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Dr. John Watson (fictional character)
• Jordan Watson (born 1987), English kickboxer
• Joseph Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Josh Watson (American football) (born 1996), American football player
• Joshua Watson, settler
• Justin Watson (wide receiver) (born 1995), American football player

• Kaetaeta Watson, master weaver from Kiribati
• Katy Watson (born 2005), English footballer
• Keith Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Kenneth Watson (disambiguation), multiple people

• Lachlan Watson, American actor
• Larry Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Leigh Watson (born 1975) of The Watson Twins, American singer
• Leroy Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Lewis Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Liam Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Lisa Watson (born 1969), Falkland Islands journalist
• Louis H. Watson (1907–1936), American bridge player
• Lucy Watson (journalist) (born 2005), English journalist
• Lucy Watson (footballer) (born 2003), English footballer
• Luman Watson (1790–1834), Cincinnati clockmaker
• Lyall Watson (1935–2008), South African writer, botanist, zoologist, biologist, anthropologist and ethologist

• Mabel Madison Watson (1872–1952), American composer
• Mark Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Marvin Watson (born 1976), American rapper better known by his stage name Messy Marv
• Mary Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Matthew Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Maureen Thelma Watson (1925–1994), Rhodesian politician
• Maurice Watson (born 1993), American basketball player
• Max Watson (born 1996), Swedish footballer
• Michael Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Moray Watson (1928–2017), English actor

• Nathaniel Watson (born 2000), American football player
• Niall Watson (born 2000), English professional footballer
• Nicholas Watson (born 1977), writer and filmmaker
• Nicholas Watson (academic), English-Canadian medievalist
• Nicolás Watson (born 1998), Argentine footballer
• Nolan Watson (born 1979), Canadian businessman and philanthropist

• Patrick Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Paul Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Paula Watson (1927–2003), American singer
• Percival Watson (1881–1959), Australian Congregationalist minister
• Peter Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Peyton Watson (born 2002), American basketball player
• Phebe Watson (1876–1964), South Australian educator and union activist

• Quintus et Ultimus Watson (1874–1929), Texas politician

• Ralph Watson (1936–2021), English actor
• Raymond Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Reatha Dale Watson, birth name of Barbara La Marr, American actress
• Rebecca Watson, a skeptical blogger and podcast host who founded the Skepchick blog
• Reg Watson, Australian television producer
• Regina Watson (1845–1913) German-American composer, pianist and teacher
• Richard Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Robert Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Rodney Watson, American basketball coach
• Rory Watson (born 1996), English footballer
• Russell Watson, English tenor
• Ruth Watson, English hotelier, broadcaster and food writer
• Ruth Watson, New Zealand artist
• Ryan Watson (disambiguation), multiple people

• Sam Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Scott Watson, New Zealander convicted of murder
• Sereno Watson, American botanist
• Shane Watson, Australian cricketer
• Shayne Watson (born 1982), Australian professional baseball player and coach
• Sheila Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Steve Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Summer Watson, singer
• Susan Kelechi Watson, American Actress of Jamaican parents
• Sydney Watson (1903–1991), English church musician

• Terrell Watson (born 1993), American football player
• Terrence Watson (born 1987), American-Israeli basketball player
• Thomas Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Tim Watson, Australian rules footballer
• Tom Watson (1932–2001), Scottish actor
• Toni Watson (born 2000), Australian singer known professionally as Tones and I
• Travis Watson (born 1981), American professional basketball player

• Walter L. "Mother" Watson (1865–1898), Major League Baseball pitcher
• Wayde Watson, Bahamian politician
• Willard Watson (1921–1995), African-American folk artist from Caddo Parish, Louisiana
• William Watson (disambiguation), multiple people
• Wingfield W. Watson, (1828–1922), religious leader

• Randy Watson, a character in the 1988 American romantic comedy film Coming to America
• Winker Watson, titular character of a British comic strip

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname Watson.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.