The names of the NZers who have biographies and photos, as at June 2011, at Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (DNZB). It is the foremost reference work on the lives of people who shaped this country’s history and culture from the seventeenth to the twenty-first centuries. It includes more than 3000 biographies, written by specialists and produced to a high standard by a team of researchers and editors. The DNZB’s 500 biographies on Maori subjects are also available in te reo Maori, which – together with the te reo sections of Te Ara – forms the largest Maori-language publishing programme yet undertaken.
The DNZB was originally published in five print volumes between 1990 and 2000, covering the lives of people who came to prominence before 1960 and died before 1998. All the biographies were released on a stand-alone website in 2001, and relaunched as part of Te Ara in 2010. Since that time the Dictionary has been solely digital. Fifteen new biographies were launched in 2010–11 and a new batch of 25 biographies of women were published in 2018 to celebrate 125 years of women’s suffrage. New batches of entries have been published twice yearly since 2019. Go to their link above for recent additions

Abbot-Ayton ~ Baber-Bell ~ Bellamy-Bragge

Braithwaite-Buxton ~ Cabot-Chapman/Taylor

Chapple-Copeland ~ Corban-Cussen ~ Dacre-Dyson

Eady-Eyre ~ Fabish-Fyffe ~ Gage-Guthrie/Smith

Haast-Hayes ~ Hayward-Hodgson ~ Hofmann-Hyde

Ihaka-Ivey ~ Jack-Jury ~ Kaaro-Kynnersley

La Trobe-Lyttleton ~ Maaka-Mann ~ Mannering-McCormick

McCullough-Merton ~ Messenger-Myers ~ Nahe-Nutsey

O'Brien-Otway ~ Paewai-Peters ~ Petersen-Pyke

Quaife ~ Radcliffe-Rigg ~ Rikihana-Rymill

Salaman-Sladden ~ Slattery-Syme ~ Taglicht-Te Rauparaha

Te Rei Hanataua-Tyree ~ Ulrich-Uru ~ Vaile-Vosseler

Waaka-Wynyard ~ Yate-Yue ~ Zedlitz-Zotov

. A .
Abbott, Richard Atkinson 1883–1954
Architect

Abel, Erwin Leonard Guy 1911–1995
Grocer, businessman, athlete, racehorse

Abraham, Caroline Harriet 1809–1877
Artist

Abraham, Charles John 1814–1903
Clergyman, teacher, bishop

Abraham, Constance Palgrave 1864–1942
Community leader, sportswoman

Acheson, Frank Oswald Victor 1887–1948
Clerk, land purchase officer, land court judge, writer

Acker, Lewis 1813–1885
Whaler, boatbuilder, trader, farmer, sawmiller

Acland, Hugh John Dyke 1904–1981
Farmer, politician, wool board chairman

Acland, Hugh Thomas Dyke 1874–1956
Surgeon, local politician

Acres, Thyra Avis Mary 1910–1994
Artist, writer, illustrator, conservationist

Adams, Alfred Albert Thomas William 1842–1919
Farmer, forester, churchman, educationalist

Adams, Arthur Henry 1872–1936
Journalist, poet, playwright, novelist

Adams, Charles Edward 1870–1945
University lecturer, surveyor, astronomer, seismologist

Adams, Charles William 1840–1918
Surveyor, astronomer, public servant

Adams, Ernest Alfred 1892–1976
Baker, businessman, philanthropist

Adams, Luke 1838–1918
Potter

Adams, Nancy Mary 1926–2007
Botanist, artist, museum curator

Adamson, Catherine Mary Ann 1868–1925
Homemaker, diarist

Adamson, John Angus 1865–1936
Carrier, coach driver, boarding-house keeper, character

Adamson, Thomas 1845–1913
Soldier, farmer

Addison, Agnes 1841–1903
Draper

Adkin, George Leslie 1888–1964
Farmer, photographer, geologist, explorer, archaeologist, ethnologist

Ah Chan, JoeAh Chan, Joe 1882–1959
Greengrocer, horticulturist, wine-maker

Ah Chee, Thomas Henry 1928–2000
Supermarket and takeaways entrepreneur

Ah Kew, Henry 1900–1966
Lawyer, community leader

Airey, Willis Thomas Goodwin 1897–1968
University professor, historian, peace activist

Aitken, Jessie 1867–1934
Community worker, political activist

Aitken, John Guthrie Wood 1849–1921
Merchant, mayor, politician, churchman

Alabaster, Ann O’Connor 1842–1915
Teacher

Alda, Frances 1879–1952
Opera singer

Alderton, George Edwin 1854–1942
Newspaper proprietor and editor, orchardist, land agent

Alexander, Jessie 1876–1962
Presbyterian deaconess and missionary

Alexander, William Frederick 1882–1957
Subeditor, poetry anthologist, newspaper editor

Algie, Ronald Macmillan 1888–1978
Professor of law, politician, parliamentary Speaker

Alison, Ewen William 1852–1945
Shipping company director, businessman, politician

Allan, Harry Howard Barton 1882–1957
Teacher, botanist, scientific administrator, writer

Allan, John Aitken 1897–1979
Presbyterian minister, professor of of theology

Allan, Robin Sutcliffe 1900–1966
Geologist, university professor

Allen, Ernest John Bartlett 1884–1945
Socialist, editor, writer, political reformer

Allen, Frederick Richard 1920–2012
All Black, captain, coach; clothing manufacturer

Allen, George Frederic 1837–1929
Architect, surveyor, teacher, tourist guide

Allen, James 1855–1942
Politician, diplomat

Allen, Lettie Annie 1901–1980
Public servant, political activist, feminist, local politician

Allen, Stephen Shepherd 1882–1964
Lawyer, military leader, farmer, local politician, public administrator

Alley, Geoffrey Thomas 1903–1986
Farmer, rugby player, adult educator, librarian and library administrator

Alley, Rewi 1897–1987
Farmer, teacher, social reformer, peace activist, writer

Allum, John Andrew Charles 1889–1972
Electrical engineer, local politician, employers’ representative

Alpers, Oscar Thorwald Johan 1867–1927
Teacher, journalist, writer, poet, lawyer, judge

Amohau, Merekotia 1898–1978
Ngāti Pikiao; singer, entertainer, composer

Anaru, Karauria Tiweka 1901–1977
Te Whanau-a-Apanui; interpreter, law clerk, local politician, community leader

Andersen, Catherine Ann 1870–1957
Teacher, community leader, writer

Andersen, Gordon Harold 'Bill' 1924–2005
Trade unionist

Andersen, Johannes Carl 1873–1962
Clerk, poet, ethnologist, librarian, editor, historian

Anderson, Amy Mona 1909–2004
Writer, rural memoirist

Anderson, Andrew 1895–1958
Ngati Kura; riverboat skipper

Anderson, Ellen Alice 1882–1978
District nurse

Anderson, George James 1860–1935
Compositor, proofreader, newspaper editor and manager, politician

Anderson, John 1820–1897
Blacksmith, engineer, businessman, local politician

Anderson, Mary Patricia 1887–1966
Teacher, boarding-house keeper, community leader, politician

Anderson, Thomas Frederick 1888–1964
Seaman, trade unionist

Anderton, William Theophilus 1891–1966
Tailor, spiritualist, herbalist, politician

Andrew, John 1896–1968
Farmer, trade negotiator, company director

Andrew, John Chapman 1822–1907
Runholder, politician, educationalist

Andrews, Elsie Euphemia 1888–1948
Teacher, community leader

Andrews, George Grey 1880–1952
Yacht designer, builder and racer, engineer, naval officer

Andrews, Isabella Smith 1905–1990
Writer

Andrews, Samuel Paul 1836–1916
Plasterer, politician, businessman

Angas, George French 1822–1886
Artist, naturalist, writer

Angus, Barbara 1924–2005
Diplomat, historian

Angus, Percy Roy 1893–1961
Railway engineer and administrator

Angus, Rita 1908–1970
Artist

Anscombe, Edmund 1874–1948
Architect

Anstice, Sophia 1849–1926
Dressmaker, draper, businesswoman

Anthony, Frank Sheldon 1891–1927
Seaman, farmer, short-story writer, novelist

Apanui, Wepiha ?-1880
Ngati Awa leader, carver

Aplin, Frank Norman 1901–1965
Policeman

Aporotanga, Tuakana ?–1937
Te Whakatohea leader, Ringatū tohunga

Appleton, William 1889–1958
Telegraph messenger, accountant, advertising agent, local politician, company director

Archer, John Kendrick 1865–1949
Baptist minister, socialist

Archey, Gilbert Edward 1890–1974
Zoologist, museum director, ethnologist

Armitage, Rachelina Hepburn 1873–1955
Welfare worker, community leader

Armour, William Allan 1880–1967
School principal, educationalist

Armson, William Barnett 1832–1883
Architect, surveyor, engineer

Armstrong, Hubert Thomas 1875–1942
Labourer, miner, trade unionist, politician

Arndt, Hermina 1885–1926
Artist

Arnold, James Frederick 1859–1929
Boot clicker, trade unionist, politician, factory inspector

Arthur, Basil Malcolm 1928–1985
Labourer, trade unionist, politician, parliamentary Speaker

Ashbridge, George Richard 1901–1984
Accountant, teachers’ union official, educationalist

Asher, Albert 1879–1965
Ngati Pikiao and Ngati Pukenga; rugby union and rugby league player, fireman, groundsman

Asher, Ernest Te Kepa 1886-1973
rugby union and rugby league player, sports administrator, hairdresser

Asher, John Atirau 1892–1966
Ngāti Pūkenga and Ngāti Pikiao leader, hotelier, interpreter, racehorse owner

Ashton, Joey Matenga 1907–1993
Moriori, Ngati Mamoe and Ngati Kahungunu; railway worker, sportsman, dance band leader

Ashton-Warner, Sylvia Constance 1908–1984
Educationalist, teacher, poet, writer

Ashwin, Bernard Carl 1896–1975
Senior public servant, economist

Ashworth, James 1818–1881
Farmer, wagoner

Ashworth, James 1845–1932
Farmer, wagoner

Aspey, Vincent 1909–1987
Violinist, orchestral leader

Aston, Bernard Cracroft 1871–1951
Agricultural chemist, botanist

Astor, Alexander 1900–1988
Rabbi, community leader

Athfield, Ian Charles 1940–2015
Architect

Atkinson, Arthur Samuel 1833–1902
Journalist, lawyer, philologist, astronomer, naturalist

Atkinson, Harry Albert 1831–1892
Farmer, soldier, politician, social reformer, premier

Atkinson, Harry Albert 1867–1956
Engineer, socialist, insurance agent

Atkinson, Jane Maria 1824–1914
Letter-writer, community leader

Atkinson, John Dunstan 1909–1990
Horticultural scientist, scientific administrator

Atkinson, Lily May 1866–1921
Temperance campaigner, suffragist, feminist

Atmore, Harry 1870–1946
Signwriter, painter, politician

Aubert, Mary Joseph 1835–1926
Catholic nun, nurse, herbalist, teacher, social worker, writer

Austin, Louis Daly Irving 1877–1967
Pianist, music teacher, conductor, composer, critical gadfly

Averill, Alfred Walter 1865–1957
Anglican archbishop

Averill, Leslie Cecil Lloyd 1897–1981
Soldier, doctor, medical administrator, community leader

Avery, Kenneth Stopford 1922–1983
Jazz musician, radio programme manager, songwriter

Aves, Isabel Annie 1887–1938
Abortionist

Awatere, Arapeta Marukitepua Pitapitanuiārangi 1910–1976
Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Hine; interpreter

Ayres, Horace Henry 1912–1987
Mountaineer and guide, gardener

Ayrton, Moses 1878–1950
Methodist minister, socialist

Ayson, Hugh Fraser 1884–1948
Lawyer, judge, public administrator

Ayson, Lake Falconer 1855–1927
Farm labourer, rabbit inspector, acclimatisation officer, fisheries inspector

Ayton, Charles John 1846-1922
Goldminer, rabbiter, rural labourer, diarist