# Phelps (surname)

Phelps is an English surname. The name is originated as a patronymic form of the name Philip. The name Philip is derived from the Greek name Philippos, which is composed of two elements: the first, philein, "to love"; the second, hippos, "horse". The Dictionary of American Family Names states that the surname Phelps is generally found in the south-western part of England.

## Notable people

* Abel Mix Phelps (1851–1902), American surgeon
* A. Warren Phelps (1829–1885), American politician
* Almira Hart Lincoln Phelps (1793–1884), American educator, author, editor
* Anson Green Phelps (1781–1853), co-founder of mining company Phelps Dodge
* Amos A. Phelps (1805–1847), abolitionist
* Amos A. Phelps (politician) (1867–?), members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
* Artur Gustav Martin Phleps (1881–1944), was an Austro-Hungarian, Romanian and German army officer
* Aurora Phelps (1839–1876), American land reformer, trade union labor and women's rights advocate
* Austin Phelps (1820–1890), American clergyman and author of devotional and educational works, 19th century
* Babe Phelps (1908–1992), American baseball catcher
* Benjamin K. Phelps (1832–1880), New York County District Attorney
* Bill Phelps (1934–2019), Lieutenant Governor of Missouri
* Brandon Phelps (Illinois politician)
* Brandon Phelps (Missouri politician)
* Brian Phelps, radio personality
* Martha Austin Phelps (1870–1933), American female chemist
* Brian Phelps (diver), British former diver
* Cameron Phelps, Australian rugby league footballer
* Chance Phelps, US Marine killed in action in Iraq
* Charles Phelps (politician) (1852–1940), first Connecticut Attorney General
* Charles D. Phelps, American physician
* Charles E. Phelps, American Civil War-era soldier and politician
* Charles Phelps Taft, American lawyer and politician, brother of President Taft
* Charles Phelps Taft II, Mayor of Cincinnati, son of President Taft
* Christian Phelps (born 1993), Wisconsin politician
* Christopher Phelps, American historian
* David Phelps (disambiguation), several people
   * David Phelps (musician) (born 1969), American Christian music vocalist and songwriter
   * David Phelps (sport shooter) (born 1977), British sport shooter
   * David Phelps (baseball) (born 1986), American baseball pitcher
   * David D. Phelps (born 1947), U.S. Representative from Illinois
   * David Sutton Phelps Jr. (1930–2009), American anthropologist
* Dee Dee Phelps, American singer-songwriter and author
* Digger Phelps, American basketball coach
* Don Phelps, American football player
* Ed Phelps, American baseball catcher
* Edmund Phelps, Nobel Prize-winning economist at Columbia University
* Edward H. Phelps, lieutenant colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War
* Edward John Phelps, late 19th-century American lawyer, diplomat and politician
* Eleanor Phelps, American theatre, film and television actress
* Elisha Phelps, United States Representative from Connecticut
* Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward, American writer
* Forrest Phelps American politician
* Fred Phelps, the founding pastor of Westboro Baptist Church
* George May Phelps, American inventor of automated telegraphy equipment
* Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes, American architect
* Jake Phelps, Editor in Chief of Thrasher Magazine
* James and Oliver Phelps, identical twins and actors
* Jaycie Phelps, American gymnast and Olympic gold medalist
* Jeff Phelps, American sportscaster
* Jill Farren Phelps, television producer
* John Phelps (disambiguation), several people
** John Phelps (regicide) (1619–?), tried Charles I of England for high treason in 1649
** John M. Phelps (1821–1884), Republican President of the West Virginia Senate
** John S. Phelps (1814–1886), Governor of Missouri (1876–1881)
** John W. Phelps (1813–1885), American Civil War general and presidential candidate
** John E. Phelps (1839–1921), Union Army officer during the American Civil War
** John Jay Phelps (1810–1869), American railroad baron and financier
* Joseph Lee Phelps, Canadian farmer and political figure
* Josh Phelps, Major League Baseball player
* Kelly Joe Phelps, singer/songwriter, blues slide guitarist
* Ken Phelps, Major League Baseball player
* Kerryn Phelps, Australian doctor
* Lancelot Phelps (priest) (1853–1936), British cleric and Provost of Oriel College, Oxford
* Lonnie Phelps (born 2000), American football player
* Mark Phelps, American basketball coach
* Matthew Phelps, Australian first-class cricketer
* Michael Phelps, American swimmer, multi-Olympic medalist
* Michael E. Phelps, inventor of Positron Emission Tomography
* Noah Phelps, American Revolutionary War-era soldier, spy, and politician
* Noah Phelps (Wisconsin politician), American surveyor and politician
* Oliver Phelps, American land speculator, settler and judge in New York
* Orange Phelps, American politician and movie theater owner in Hillsboro, Oregon
* Patricia Phelps de Cisneros, philanthropist
* Peter Phelps, Australian actor
* Phelps Phelps, 38th Governor of American Samoa and US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic
* Phlash Phelps, American disc jockey
* Ray Phelps, American baseball pitcher
* Richard Phelps (artist), (1710–1785), English portrait artist
* Richard Phelps (bell-founder), (c. 1670–1738), English maker of bells
* Richard Phelps (pentathlete), British athlete
* Robert Phelps (disambiguation), several people
** Robert Phelps (1926–2013), American mathematician
** Robert Phelps (academic) (1808–1890), British academic
** Robert Phelps (wrestler) (1890–?), British wrestler
** Robert Phelps (pentathlete) (born 1939), British modern pentathlete
* Samuel Phelps, English actor
* Samuel S. Phelps, United States Senator
* Sarah Phelps, British television, radio, film and freelance playwright
* Seth Ledyard Phelps, Union naval officer in the American Civil War
* Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of Fred Phelps (above)
* Timothy Guy Phelps, business executive and politician
* Tommy Phelps (born 1974), Major League Baseball pitcher
* Walter Phelps (1832–1878), Union Army officer during the American Civil War
* Wesley Phelps (1923–1944), Medal of Honor recipient
* Willard Phelps (born 1941), Yukon politician
* William Phelps (disambiguation), many people
** William Phelps (colonist) (1599–1672), one of the founders of Windsor, Connecticut
** William Phelps (priest) (1797–1867), Church of England cleric
** William E. Phelps (1835–?), American politician from Illinois
** William F. Phelps (1822–1907), educational pioneer and author
** William H. Phelps Sr. (1875–1965), American ornithologist and businessman.
** William H. Phelps Jr. (1902–1988), Venezuelan ornithologist and businessman.
** William J. Phelps (1808–1883), Illinois legislator
** William Lyon Phelps (1865–1943), American author and critic
** William Preston Phelps (1848–1917), American landscape painter
** William Wallace Phelps (1826–1873), United States Representative from Minnesota
** William Walter Phelps (1839–1894), United States Representative from New Jersey
* W. W. Phelps (Mormon) (1792–1872), early convert and leader in the Latter Day Saint movement
* M. William Phelps (born 1968), American crime writer and investigative journalist
* Zach Phelps (1857–1901), American baseball principal owner

## Fictional characters

* Cole Phelps, police detective in the 2011 video game L.A. Noire
* Jim Phelps, a fictional character from the Mission: Impossible TV series
* Mary Phelps, a fiction doctor from Casualty TV series
* Sally Phelps, Tom Sawyer's aunt in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn