Current status: This list currently covers the entire London Journal 1762-63, the Journal of my Jaunt (1762), Boswell in Holland (1763-1764) and parts of the first volume of his Grand Tour 1764-1765. There are some exceptions where events further ahead and further back in time have been mentioned. Not all events are included - read the books if you want Boswell's full story.

Due to the sheer number of persons present in Boswell's journals, this index has been split in five sections, sorted alphabetically by lastname.

 

This is an attempt to make a list of most of the people who Boswell met, according to his letters and journals. It is an ongoing project, and will commence as the author of this site gets through the various texts of Boswell and find out further information about his friends and acquantainces.

It is possible to search the entire index for names and aliases using this form:

Search the biographical database
 
Name or part of name:

U

Urie, Walter

V

van Aerssen, Veronica (Veronica van Arson)
van Amerongen, Joost (Heer van Natewisch)
van Amerongen, Gerard
van Amerongen, Joost (Baron van Amerongen)
van Bentinck, Christian F. A (Heer van Rhoon, Count Bentinck de Varel)
van den Boetzelaer (Countess van den Boetzelaer)
van der Duyn, Aarnoud (Baron Maasdam)
van Efferen, Jacoba Cornelia (Madame Amelisweerd)
van Goens, Ryklof Michael
van Hardenbroek, Gijsbert Jan (Heer van Bergestein; Baron van Hardenbroek)
van Nassau, Elisabeth (Madame Spaen)
van Nassau, Catherina (Countess de Nassau Ouwerkerke)
van Nassau, Louisa Susanna (Countess Degenfeld, Countess of Nassau)
van Nassau-LaLecq, Lodewijk Theodoor (Heer van Ouwerkerk - Count d'Ouwerkerke)
van Reede, Arend Willem (Baron van Reede - Young Reede)
van Reede, Maria F. (Baroness van Reede; Countess von Heiden; Mitie van)
van Rhoon, Willem B. (Comte de Rhoon)
van Serooskerken, Diederik J. T. (Father of Belle)
van Serooskerken, Diederik J. T. (Brother of Belle)
van Serooskerken, Vincent M. T.
van Serooskerken, Maria C. (Madame Lockhorst)
van Sommelsdijk, Anna (Baroness Duyn - Madame Maasdam - Vrouwe van Sommel)
van Sommelsdyck, Francis (Herr van Sommelsdijk und Spyck - François Cornelis)
van Sporken, Rudolf (Baron Sporck)
van Tuyll, Isabella (Zélide - Belle de Zuylen - Isabella de Charriere)
Vanneck, Gerard
Veitch, James (Lord Eliock)
Verelst, Dirk Hubert
Victor, Benjamin (Old Victor)
von Anhalt, Friedrich (Count of Anhalt)
von Anhalt, Johanna Sophie (Countess of Anhalt)
von Anhalt, Wilhelmine
von Anhalt, Leopoldine
von Anhalt-Dessau, Albrecht
von Anhalt-Dessau, Johann G. (Jean George de Anhalt-Dessau)
von Anhalt-Dessau, Henriette
von Anhalt-Dessau, Leopoldine
von Anhalt-Dessau, Kasimire
von Anhalt-Dessau, Dietrich (Prince Diederic)
von Anhalt-Dessau, Anna Wilhelmine (Princess Wilhelmine)
von Anhalt-Dessau, Friedrich (Prince Eugene)
von Berenhorst, Georg (de Berenhorst)
von der Schulenburg, Werner (Count Schulenburg)
von Guericke, F. W.
von Keller, C. D. (Baron de Keller)
von Pless, Cuno Burchard (Baron de Pless)
von Qualen, Josias (Baron von Qualen)
von Quanten, Carl

W

Wake, John (Captain Wake)
Webster, James
Webster, Alexander (Mr. Webster)
Webster, John
Wedderburn, Alexander (Lord Loughborough, Earl of Rosslyn)
Wegely, Wilhelm
Wesseling, Peter (Professor Wesseling)
West, George (Colonel West of the Guards)
Wilkes, John
William V of Orange
Williams, Anna (Ms. Williams)
Winn, George (Baron Winn, Lord Headley)
Woffington, Mary (Mary Cholmondeley)
Wylich, Friedrich
Wynyard, William (Colonel Wynyard)

Y

Yorke, Joseph (Lord Dover)

Most names are listed as they were known to and used by Boswell. This may not be entirely consistent all the way through. Although a lot of this information is included in the annotated copies of the Yale editions of his writings, not all translations or editions are extensively annotated. Also, I try to include as many weblinks and other refeferences as possible to enable you to learn more about the persons.

You are most welcome to send any information you might have about any of Boswell's acquaintances to me at webmaster@jamesboswell.info - you will of course receive due mention as the source of such information.