Notable Alumni
- James Aitken, aka "John the Painter" (1752–1777), terrorist
- Nick Abbot (born 1960), talk radio presenter
- Ian Bairnson (born 1953), musician, member of Pilot and The Alan Parsons Project
- Hippolyte Blanc (1844-1917), architect
- John Borthwick Gilchrist (1759–1841), Indologist
- J. W. S. Cassels (born 1922), mathematician
- Bruce Douglas (born 1980), Rugby Union player
- Emun Elliott, actor
- Gavin Esler (born 1953), television journalist and presenter of Newsnight
- Colonel Clive Fairweather (1944-2012), 2nd in command of the SAS during the Iranian Embassy siege.
- Hector Bransby Gooderham (1901–1977), priest of the Scottish Episcopal Church
- Professor Sir Abraham Goldberg KB MD DSc FRCP FRSE (1923–2007), Emeritus Regius Professor of the Practice of Medicine, University of Glasgow
- Mark Goodier (born 1961), Radio One disc jockey
- Mike Heron (born 1942), musician, formerly of the Incredible String Band
- Norman Irons, former Lord Provost of Edinburgh
- Andy Irvine (born 1951), Rugby Union player
- Roy Kinnear (1934–1988), actor
- Hyman Levy (1889 – 1975), Scottish philosopher, mathematician, political activist and fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
- James Mackay, Baron Mackay of Clashfern (born 1927), Advocate and former Lord Chancellor
- David McLetchie (born 1952), former leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Sir Harry (Work) Melville FRSE (1908–2000), polymer chemist and administrator
- Iain Macwhirter, journalist and Rector of the University of Edinburgh
- Iain Milne (born 1958), Rugby Union player
- Kenny Milne (born 1961), Rugby Union player
- Sir Andrew Hunter Arbuthnot Murray (1903–1977), former Lord Provost of Edinburgh
- Doug Naysmith (born 1941), Labour politician and former MP for Bristol North West
- Gordon Prentice (born 1951), Labour politician and former MP for Pendle
- Henry Raeburn (1756–1823), painter
- Ian Richardson (1934–2007), actor
- Gordon Ross, Rugby Union player
- Ken Scotland, Rugby Union internationalist
- Mike Scott (born 1958), musician and composer, founder of The Waterboys
- Alastair Sim (1900–1976), actor
- Brian Smith (bishop) (born 1943), Bishop of Edinburgh (Scottish Episcopal Church) 2001-11
- Ken Stott (born 1955), actor
- Nigel Tranter (1909–2000), historical novelist
- Robert Urquhart (1921–1995), actor
- Dougie Walker (born 1973), sprinter
- Stephen Woolman, Lord Woolman, Senator of the College of Justice
- Paul Young (born 1944), actor
- Bryan Swanson (born 1980), Sky Sports chief reporter
Read more about this topic: George Heriot's School
Famous quotes containing the word notable:
“Every notable advance in technique or organization has to be paid for, and in most cases the debit is more or less equivalent to the credit. Except of course when it’s more than equivalent, as it has been with universal education, for example, or wireless, or these damned aeroplanes. In which case, of course, your progress is a step backwards and downwards.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)