Dictionary of Welsh Biography

The Dictionary of Welsh Biography (DWB) is the starting point for anyone seeking biographical information about persons throughout history whose contribution or prominence has shaped some aspect of the life of Wales, including the impact of Welsh people in the wider world.

It provides free access to over 5,000 concise biographical articles in Welsh and English, each fully researched and written by a named specialist author. 

The original volumes were published by the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. Today the DWB is published online only, and since 2014 it has been jointly maintained and developed by the National Library of Wales (technical aspects) and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies (editorial content), with the support of the Cymmrodorion. The Chair of the DWB Advisory Board is Dame Elan Closs Stephens, the Editor is Emeritus Professor Dafydd Johnston with Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones as Assistant Editor.

For reasons regarding cyber security, the Dictionary of Welsh Biography website is now static. The content is still available for consultation. New articles will be published provisionally on the DWB section of the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies website. We apologise for any inconvenience.  

In recent years, the DWB has aimed to review its historic content and address issues of representation across its activities. The aim of the Diversity Project (2023-25) was to improve representation of the overall diversity of Wales ‘s history in the articles published in the Dictionary of Welsh Biography (DWB), with a particular focus on gender, ethnicity and renewed thinking about empire, colonialism and slavery. This anthology contains all articles produced for the purposes of this project. The Diversity Project is funded through the Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan of the Welsh Government.