List of members of the Order of Merit

Below is a list of members of the Order of Merit from the order's creation in 1902 until the present day. The number shown is the individual's place in the wider order of appointment since the Order of Merit's inception.

# Country Portrait Name Date Awarded Lifetime Office/Position 1. The Earl Roberts 26 June 1902 30 September 1832 – 14 November 1914 Military officer 2. The Viscount Wolseley 26 June 1902 4 June 1833 – 25 March 1913 Military officer 3. The Lord Kitchener of Khartoum 26 June 1902 24 June 1850 – 5 June 1916 Military officer, Colonial Administrator 4. The Lord Rayleigh 26 June 1902 12 November 1842 – 30 June 1919 Physicist 5. The Lord Kelvin 26 June 1902 26 June 1824 – 17 December 1907 Physicist 6. The Lord Lister 26 June 1902 5 April 1827 – 10 February 1912 Surgeon 7. Sir Henry Keppel 26 June 1902 14 June 1809 – 17 January 1904 Naval officer 8. John Morley 26 June 1902 24 December 1838 – 23 September 1923 Politician, Writer 9. William Edward Hartpole Lecky 26 June 1902 26 March 1838 – 22 October 1903 Historian, Politician 10. Sir Edward Hobart Seymour 26 June 1902 30 April 1840 – 2 March 1929 Naval officer 11. Sir William Huggins 26 June 1902 7 February 1824 – 12 May 1910 Astronomer 12. George Frederic Watts 26 June 1902 23 February 1817 – 1 July 1904 Painter 13. Sir George Stuart White 30 June 1905 6 July 1835 – 24 June 1912 Army officer 14. Sir John Fisher 30 June 1905 25 January 1841 – 10 July 1920 Naval officer 15. Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb 30 June 1905 27 August 1841 – 9 December 1905 Classicist, Politician 16. Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema 30 June 1905 8 January 1836 – 25 June 1912 Painter 17. George Meredith 30 June 1905 12 February 1828 – 18 May 1909 Novelist 18. William Holman Hunt 30 June 1905 2 April 1827 – 7 September 1910 Painter 19. Prince Yamagata Aritomo 21 February 1906 14 June 1838 – 1 February 1922 Military officer, Statesman, Prime Minister 20. Prince Ōyama Iwao 21 February 1906 12 November 1842 – 10 December 1916 Military officer 21. Marquess Tōgō Heihachirō 21 February 1906 27 January 1848 – 30 May 1934 Naval officer 22. The Earl of Cromer 29 June 1906 26 February 1841 – 29 January 1917 Colonial Administrator 23. James Bryce 11 February 1907 10 May 1838 – 22 January 1922 Politician, Historian 24. Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker 30 June 1907 30 June 1817 – 10 December 1911 Botanist 25. Florence Nightingale 12 May 1907 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910 Nurse 26. Henry Jackson 26 June 1908 12 March 1839 – 25 September 1921 Classicist 27. Alfred Russel Wallace 26 June 1908 8 January 1823 – 7 November 1913 Naturalist 28. Sir William Crookes 8 July 1910 17 June 1832 – 4 April 1919 Chemist 29. Thomas Hardy 8 July 1910 2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928 Novelist 30. Sir George Trevelyan, Bt 19 June 1911 20 July 1838 – 17 August 1928 Politician 31. Sir Edward Elgar 19 June 1911 2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934 Composer 32. Sir Arthur Wilson 8 March 1912 4 March 1842 – 25 May 1921 Naval officer 33. Sir Joseph John Thomson 15 March 1912 18 December 1856 – 30 August 1940 Physicist 34. Sir Archibald Geikie 1 January 1914 28 December 1835 – 10 November 1924 Geologist 35. Sir John French 3 December 1914 28 September 1852 – 22 May 1925 Military officer 36. The Viscount Haldane 26 May 1915 30 July 1856 – 19 August 1928 Politician 37. Henry James 1 January 1916 15 April 1843 – 28 February 1916 Novelist 38. Sir John Jellicoe 31 May 1916 5 December 1859 – 20 November 1935 Naval officer 39. Arthur Balfour 3 June 1916 25 July 1848 – 19 March 1930 Politician, Prime Minister 40. Ferdinand Foch 29 November 1918 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929 Military officer 41. Sir David Beatty 3 June 1919 17 January 1871 – 11 March 1936 Naval officer 42. Sir Douglas Haig 3 June 1919 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928 Military officer 43. Joseph Joffre 26 June 1919 12 January 1852 – 3 January 1931 Military officer 44. David Lloyd George 5 August 1919 17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945 Politician, Prime Minister 45. Sir James Matthew Barrie, Bt 2 January 1922 9 May 1860 – 19 June 1937 Novelist 46. F. H. Bradley 3 June 1924 30 January 1846 – 18 September 1924 Philosopher 47. Sir Charles Scott Sherrington 3 June 1924 27 November 1857 – 4 March 1952 Physiologist 48. Sir James George Frazer 1 January 1925 1 January 1854 – 7 May 1941 Sociologist 49. Sir Ernest Rutherford 1 January 1925 30 August 1871 – 19 October 1937 Physicist 50. Sir Charles Algernon Parsons 3 June 1927 13 June 1854 – 11 February 1931 Engineer 51. Sir George Abraham Grierson 4 June 1928 7 January 1851 – 9 March 1941 Linguist 52. Robert Seymour Bridges 3 June 1929 23 October 1844 – 21 April 1930 Poet 53. John Galsworthy 3 June 1929 14 August 1867 – 31 January 1933 Novelist 54. Samuel Alexander 3 June 1930 6 January 1859 – 13 September 1938 Philosopher 55. M. R. James 3 June 1930 1 August 1862 – 12 June 1936 Historian, Writer 56. G. M. Trevelyan 3 June 1930 16 February 1876 – 21 July 1962 Historian 57. Sir Charles Madden, Bt 1 January 1931 5 September 1862 – 5 June 1935 Naval officer 58. Philip Wilson Steer 1 January 1931 28 December 1860 – 18 March 1942 Painter 59. Sir William Henry Bragg 3 June 1931 2 July 1862 – 10 March 1942 Physicist 60. John William Mackail 1 January 1935 26 August 1859 – 13 December 1945 Classicist 61. John Masefield 3 June 1935 1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967 Poet 62. Ralph Vaughan Williams 3 June 1935 12 October 1872 – 26 August 1958 Composer 63. Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins 3 June 1935 20 June 1861 – 16 May 1947 Biochemist 64. Sir Philip Chetwode, Bt 1 January 1936 21 September 1869 – 6 July 1950 Military officer 65. Herbert Fisher 1 February 1937 21 March 1865 – 18 April 1940 Historian, Politician 66. The Lord Baden-Powell 11 May 1937 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941 Military officer, Scouting pioneer 67. Sir Arthur Eddington 9 June 1938 28 December 1882 – 22 November 1944 Astronomer 68. The Lord Chatfield 2 January 1939 27 September 1873 – 15 November 1967 Naval officer, Statesman 69. Sir James Hopwood Jeans 2 January 1939 11 September 1877 – 16 September 1946 Physicist 70. Sir Cyril Newall 29 October 1940 15 February 1886 – 30 November 1963 Air force officer 71. Gilbert Murray 1 January 1941 2 January 1866 – 20 May 1957 Classicist 72. Sir Edwin Lutyens 1 January 1942 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944 Architect 73. Augustus John 11 June 1942 4 January 1878 – 31 October 1961 Painter 74. Edgar Adrian 11 June 1942 30 November 1889 – 4 August 1977 Physiologist 75. Sir William Searle Holdsworth 1 January 1943 7 May 1871 – 2 January 1944 Legal Scholar 76. Sir Dudley Pound 3 September 1943 29 August 1877 – 21 October 1943 Naval officer 77. The Lord Passfield 8 June 1944 13 July 1859 – 13 October 1947 Economist, Politician 78. Sir Henry Hallett Dale 8 June 1944 9 June 1875 – 23 July 1968 Pharmacologist 79. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott 8 June 1944 9 November 1880 – 8 February 1960 Architect 80. Alfred North Whitehead 1 January 1945 15 February 1861 – 30 December 1947 Mathematician, Philosopher 81. Dwight D. Eisenhower 12 June 1945 14 October 1890 – 28 March 1969 Military officer, Statesman, President 82. Winston Churchill 1 January 1946 30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965 Politician, Prime Minister 83. The Viscount Portal of Hungerford 1 January 1946 21 May 1893 – 22 April 1971 Air force officer 84. The Viscount Alanbrooke 13 June 1946 23 July 1883 – 17 June 1963 Military officer 85. The Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope 13 June 1946 7 January 1883 – 12 June 1963 Naval officer 86. The Earl of Halifax 13 June 1946 16 April 1881 – 23 December 1959 Politician 87. Jan Smuts 1 January 1947 24 May 1870 – 11 September 1950 Politician, Military officer, Prime Minister 88. John Gilbert Winant 1 January 1947 23 February 1889 – 3 November 1947 Politician, Diplomat 89. William Lyon Mackenzie King 17 November 1947 17 December 1874 – 22 July 1950 Politician, Prime Minister 90. T. S. Eliot 1 January 1948 26 September 1888 – 4 January 1965 Poet 91. Sir Robert Robinson 9 June 1949 13 September 1886 – 8 February 1975 Chemist 92. The Earl Russell 9 June 1949 18 May 1872 – 2 February 1970 Philosopher, Mathematician 93. Sir Alexander Cadogan 1 January 1951 25 November 1884 – 9 July 1968 Civil Servant 94. The Viscount Trenchard 1 January 1951 3 February 1873 – 10 February 1956 Air force officer and 'Father of the RAF' 95. G. E. Moore 7 June 1951 4 November 1873 – 24 October 1958 Philosopher 96. Clement Attlee 5 November 1951 3 January 1883 – 8 October 1967 Politician, Prime Minister 97. Wilder Penfield 1 January 1953 26 January 1891 – 5 April 1976 Surgeon 98. Walter de la Mare 1 June 1953 25 April 1873 – 22 June 1956 Writer 99. Albert Schweitzer 25 February 1955 14 January 1875 – 4 September 1965 Physician, Missionary, Theologian 100. The Lord Hailey 31 May 1956 15 February 1872 – 1 June 1969 Colonial Administrator 101. Sir John Cockcroft 1 January 1957 27 May 1897 – 18 September 1967 Physicist 102. The Viscount Waverley 8 December 1957 8 July 1882 – 4 January 1958 Civil Servant, Statesman 103. Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet 12 June 1958 3 September 1899 – 31 August 1985 Physiologist 104. The Viscount Samuel 21 November 1958 6 November 1870 – 2 February 1963 Politician 105. The Earl Alexander of Tunis 23 April 1960 10 December 1891 – 16 June 1969 Military officer 106. Sir Cyril Norman Hinshelwood 23 April 1960 19 June 1897 – 9 October 1967 Chemist 107. Graham Sutherland 23 April 1960 24 August 1903 – 17 February 1980 Artist 108. Sir Geoffrey de Havilland 23 November 1962 27 July 1882 – 21 May 1965 Aircraft Engineer 109. Sir Basil Spence 23 November 1962 13 August 1907 – 19 November 1976 Architect 110. Sir Owen Dixon 29 May 1963 28 April 1886 – 7 July 1972 Judge 111. Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 12 June 1963 5 September 1888 – 17 April 1975 Statesman, Philosopher, President 112. George Peabody Gooch 16 August 1963 21 October 1873 – 31 August 1968 Historian, Politician 113. Henry Moore 16 August 1963 30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986 Sculptor 114. Benjamin Britten 23 March 1965 22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976 Composer 115. Dorothy Hodgkin 23 March 1965 12 May 1910 – 29 July 1994 Biochemist 116. The Earl Mountbatten of Burma 15 July 1965 25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979 Naval officer, Statesman 117. The Lord Florey 15 July 1965 24 September 1898 – 21 February 1968 Pharmacologist 118. Patrick Blackett 20 November 1967 18 November 1897 – 13 July 1974 Physicist 119. Sir William Walton 20 November 1967 29 March 1902 – 8 March 1983 Composer 120. Ben Nicholson 23 April 1968 10 April 1894 – 6 February 1982 Painter 121. Sir Solly Zuckerman 23 April 1968 30 May 1904 – 1 April 1993 Zoologist 122. The Duke of Edinburgh 10 June 1968 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021 Prince, Spouse of Queen Elizabeth II 123. E. M. Forster 1 January 1969 1 January 1879 – 7 June 1970 Novelist 124. Malcolm MacDonald 14 July 1969 17 August 1901 – 11 January 1981 Politician 125. The Lord Penney 14 July 1969 24 June 1909 – 3 March 1991 Mathematician 126. Sir Geoffrey Ingram Taylor 14 July 1969 7 March 1886 – 27 June 1975 Physicist 127. Dame Veronica Wedgwood 14 July 1969 20 July 1910 – 9 March 1997 Historian 128. John Beaglehole 21 March 1970 13 June 1901 – 10 October 1971 Historian 129. Lester B. Pearson 20 May 1971 23 April 1897 – 27 December 1972 Politician, Prime Minister 130. Sir Isaiah Berlin 20 May 1971 6 June 1909 – 5 November 1997 Philosopher, Historian 131. Sir George Edwards 20 May 1971 9 July 1908 – 2 March 2003 Aircraft Engineer 132. Sir Alan Lloyd Hodgkin 17 April 1973 5 February 1914 – 20 December 1998 Physiologist 133. Paul Dirac 17 April 1973 8 August 1902 – 20 October 1984 Physicist 134. Harold Macmillan 2 April 1976 10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986 Politician, Prime Minister 135. The Lord Hinton of Bankside 2 April 1976 12 May 1901 – 22 June 1983 Engineer 136. The Lord Clark 2 April 1976 13 July 1903 – 21 May 1983 Art Historian, Broadcaster 137. Sir Ronald Syme 2 April 1976 11 March 1903 – 4 September 1989 Historian 138. The Lord Todd 24 October 1977 2 October 1907 – 10 January 1997 Bi