# List of sea captains

This is a list of sea captains. The list includes merchant ship's captains as well as naval ship's captains. It is limited to those notable in this role (those who already have Wikipedia articles).
| Image | About | Nationality | Merchant | Naval | Born | Died |
| | Adams, William English navigator who is believed to be the first Briton to reach Japan, becoming a key naval advisor to Tokugawa Ieyasu. | England | | Yes | 1564 | 1620 |
| | Alcaraz, Ramon A Filipino naval officer decorated for his heroism as part of the Offshore Patrol unit of the U.S. Army Forces (USAFFE) during WW2 and considered to be the father of the Philippine Marine Corps. | Philippines | | Yes | 1915 | 2009 |
| | Alexanderson, Leroy Last captain of SS United States, the biggest ocean liner ever built entirely in the United States and fastest passenger liner crossing the Atlantic Ocean in regular service. | United States | Yes | | 1910 | 2004 |
| | Aruga, Kōsaku Japanese naval officer who participated in World War II. Known for his participation in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. | Japan | | Yes | 1897 | 1945 |
| | Bainbridge, William Commodore in the U.S Navy, notable for his victory over HMS Java during the War of 1812. | United States | | Yes | 1774 | 1833 |
| | Barney, Joshua Commodore in the U.S Navy who served in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. | United States | | Yes | 1759 | 1818 |
| | Barron, James An American who served in the Virginia State Navy during the last years of the American Revolution and commissioned in the new U.S. Navy. | United States | | Yes | 1769 | 1851 |
| | Barron, Samuel American naval officer of the U.S. Navy and later Confederate Navy, acting as a representative in Europe for the Confederacy during the Civil War. | Confederate States of America | | Yes | 1809 | 1888 |
| | Barry, John Officer in the Continental Navy and later in the U.S. Navy. | United States | | Yes | 1745 | 1803 |
| | Beebe, James. 19th-century American Sandy Hook Pilot. Known for being the longest serving Sandy Hook-New Jersey pilot, having served for 55 years as a Sandy Hook pilot. | United States | | | 1827 | 1917 |
| | Bering, Vitus Danish-born navigator in the service of the Russian Navy. The first European to discover Alaska. Many geographical features in the area are named for the explorer. | Denmark | | Yes | 1681 | 1741 |
| | Berwick, Thomas A third generation Scottish master mariner until he was found guilty of scuttling his ship and sentenced to twenty years transportation in Australia. | United Kingdom | Yes | | 1825 | 1891 |
| | Blanchard, Phineas Banning Among the last of the American merchant trade tall ship sea captains, commanded the barks Herbert Black and Willard Mudget and the ship Bangalore. | United States | Yes | | 1879 | 1962 |
| | Blake, Peter New Zealand yachtsman who won the Whitbread Race, Jules Verne Trophy, and led New Zealand to successive victories in the America's Cup. | New Zealand | | | 1948 | 2001 |
| | Bligh, William Royal Navy officer known for the mutiny that occurred during his command of HMS Bounty. Bligh successfully navigated the ship's launch 6,700km to safety after being set adrift by the mutineers. | Great Britain | | Yes | 1754 | 1817 |
| | de la Bodega y Quadra, Juan Francisco Spanish Criollo naval officer born in Peru. Explored the Northwest Coast of North America as far north as present day Alaska. Bodega Bay is named for him. | Spain | | Yes | 1743 | 1794 |
| | Brown, William Irish-born, "father of the Argentine Navy", victorious in the Independence War, the Cisplatine War, and the Guerra Grande in Uruguay | Argentina | | Yes | 1777 | 1857 |
| | Buchanan, Franklin American naval officer who served as an admiral in the Confederate Navy during the Civil War, and commanded the ironclad CSS Virginia. | Confederate States of America | | Yes | 1800 | 1874 |
| | Cabral, Pedro Álvares Portuguese explorer and navigator, generally regarded as the European discoverer of Brazil. | Portugal | | Yes | 1467 | 1520 |
| | Calamai, Piero Italian master aboard SS Andrea Doria at time of her fatal collision with MS Stockholm. | Italy | Yes | | 1901 | 1972 |
| | Campbell, Peter Irish-born founder of the Uruguayan Navy. | Uruguay | | Yes | 1780 | 1832 |
| | Chung-Hoon, Gordon Chinese/Hawaiian-American naval officer. First Asian-American to obtain flag rank. Distinguished for his command of USS Sigsbee in WW2 and honored with an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer named in his honor. | United States | | Yes | 1910 | 1979 |
| | Columbus, Christopher Genoese navigator, colonizer, and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, on behalf of Spain, led to general European awareness of the Americas. | Genoa | Yes | | 1451 | 1506 |
| | Comstock, Andrew 19th-century maritime pilot best known for the captain of Columbia and Magic in the America's Cup. | United States | | | 1828 | 1910 |
| | Cook, James British explorer, cartographer and naval officer famous for his pioneering voyages in the Pacific Ocean to New Zealand, Australia, and Hawaii. | Great Britain | Yes | Yes | 1728 | 1779 |
| | Cooper, Thomas 19th-century American maritime pilot best known for piloting battleships built at the Boston Navy Yard on their initial seatrials. | United States | | | 1833 | 1906 |
| | Coram, Thomas Sea captain who later operated a ship building business at Taunton, Massachusetts. | Great Britain | Yes | | 1668 | 1751 |
| | Cushing, William American naval officer, best known for sinking the Confederate ironclad CSS Albemarle, a feat for which he received the thanks of Congress. | United States | | Yes | 1842 | 1874 |
| | Decatur, Stephen American naval officer notable for his heroism in the First and Second Barbary Wars, and in the War of 1812. The youngest man to reach the rank of captain in the U.S. Navy. | United States | | Yes | 1779 | 1820 |
| | Đỗ, Kiếm South Vietnamese naval officer who secretly organised the evacuation of over 30,000 refugees aboard 32 South Vietnamese navy ships during the Fall of Saigon, preventing those ships from falling into the hands of North Vietnamese. | Republic of Vietnam | | Yes | 1933 | |
| | Drake, Francis English privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Known for circumnavigating the globe in command of Golden Hind. | England | Yes | Yes | ca. 1540 | 1595 |
| | Duff, George Distinguished British naval officer of the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. | Great Britain | | Yes | 1764 | 1805 |
| | Erikson, Leif Norse explorer thought to be the first European to set foot on continental North America, prior to Christopher Columbus. | Norse | | | c. 970 | c. 1025 |
| | Farragut, David American naval officer, the first admiral in the United States Navy. He is remembered for his order at the Battle of Mobile Bay, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead". | United States | | Yes | 1801 | 1870 |
| | Elcano, Juan Sebastián Spanish Basque navigator and explorer best known for taking command and completing the first circumnavigation of the world following Magellan's demise. | Spain | | Yes | 1476 | 1526 |
| | FitzRoy, Robert British captain of HMS Beagle during Charles Darwin's famous voyage, and as a pioneering meteorologist who revolutionized the art of weather forecasting. | United Kingdom | | Yes | 1805 | 1865 |
| | Flavel, George One of the first licensed marine pilots in the state of Oregon. Flavel would go on to amass a fortune with a business managing pilot boats on the Columbia River. | United States | | | 1850 | 1893 |
| | Fryatt, Charles Master of the Great Eastern Railway's steamship Brussels, and he was shot by the Germans in 1916 after he used his ship to try and ram U-33. | United Kingdom | Yes | | 1872 | 1916 |
| | da Gama, Vasco Portuguese explorer, one of the most successful in the European Age of Discovery and the commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India. | Portugal | Yes | | ca. 1460–1469 | 1524 |
| | Garibaldi, Giuseppe Italian patriot, Italian shipmaster and merchant marine deep-sea captain. He is celebrated as one of the greatest generals of modern times and as the "Hero of the Two Worlds" because of his military enterprises in South America and Europe. He fought in numerous military campaigns that led to the Italian unification | Italy | Yes | | 1807 | 1882 |
| | Genda, Minoru Japanese naval officer during World War II, and was considered one of the most successful naval strategists of the Imperial Japanese Navy, including that of the attack on Pearl Harbor. | Japan | | Yes | 1904 | 1989 |
| | Gower, Richard Hall English mariner, empirical philosopher, nautical inventor, entrepreneur, and humanitarian. | Great Britain | Yes | | 1768 | 1833 |
| | Gravely, Samuel American naval officer. The first African American in the U.S. Navy to command a Navy ship, the first fleet commander, and the first to become a flag officer, retiring as a vice admiral. | United States | | Yes | 1922 | 2004 |
| | Greenlaw, Linda American author and at the time, the only female swordfishing boat captain on the East Coast of the United States. She was featured in the 1997 book The Perfect Storm and the film The Perfect Storm. | United States | Yes | | 1960 | |
| | Guan, Tianpei Chinese admiral of the Qing dynasty and "Commander-in-Chief of Naval Forces". Established courteous relations with British Rear-Admiral Frederick Maitland. Fought in the First and Second Battle of Chuenpi, and the Battle of the Bogue. | Qing dynasty | | Yes | 1781 | 1841 |
| | Halpin, Robert Captained the Brunel-designed leviathan SS Great Eastern, which laid transoceanic telegraph cables in the late 19th century. | Ireland | Yes | | 1836 | 1894 |
| | Hara, Tameichi Japanese naval commander during the Pacific War and the author of the IJN manual on torpedo attack techniques. | Japan | | Yes | 1900 | 1980 |
| | Hashimoto, Mochitsura Commander of the Japanese submarine I-58 which sank USS Indianapolis, the single greatest disaster in US naval history. | Japan | | Yes | 1909 | 2000 |
| | Hazelwood, Joseph Captain of Exxon Valdez at the time of its 1989 oil spill. | United States | Yes | | 1946 | |
| | Healy, Michael A. American Captain of the United States Revenue Cutter Service and the first African-American to command a ship of the United States government. | United States | | Yes | 1839 | 1904 |
| | Hirose, Takeo Japanese naval officer during the Russo-Japanese War whose sacrifice elevated him to the status of national hero. | Japan | | Yes | 1868 | 1904 |
| | Henderson, Joseph 19th-century American harbor pilot who guided large vessels into and out of New York Harbor as a Sandy Hook pilot. | United States | | | 1826 | 1890 |
| | Hudson, Henry English sea explorer and navigator, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and the northeastern United States. Numerous geographical features have been named for him. | England | Yes | | ~1565 | 1611 |
| | Hull, Isaac American naval officer who distinguished himself as XO aboard the frigate Constitution in the Quasi-War with France, and later as commander during her battle with HMS Guerriere during the War of 1812. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1773 | 1843 |
| | Johnson, Irving An American sail training pioneer, adventurer, lecturer and writer, best known for his film Around Cape Horn, and seven circumavigations of the world, each time with an amateur crew of students. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1905 | 1991 |
| | Jones, Christopher English captain of the 1620 voyage of the Pilgrim ship Mayflower to establish the Plymouth Colony. | England | Yes | | c. 1570 | 1622 |
| | Johnstone, George British mariner and naval officer, later serving as Member of Parliament. | Great Britain | Yes | Yes | 1730 | 1787 |
| | Jones, Catesby ap Roger American naval officer who joined the Confederate Navy during the American Civil War. | Confederate States of America | | Yes | 1821 | 1887 |
| | Jones, John Paul Scottish sailor and the United States' first well-known naval officer during the American Revolution. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1747 | 1792 |
| | Jones, Thomas ap Catesby American naval officer during the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War. Distinguished for his bravery during the Battle of Lake Borgne. | United States | | Yes | 1790 | 1858 |
| | Jong, Piet de Decorated Dutch naval officer and submarine commander during World War II. Later served as Prime Minister of the Netherlands. | Netherlands | | Yes | 1915 | 2016 |
| | Kapahulehua, Kawika Hawaiian sailor who was the first to captain the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa from Hawaii to Tahiti using only traditional navigation techniques. | United States | Yes | | 1930 | 2007 |
| | Kaishū, Katsu Japanese naval officer and statesman during the end of the Tokugawa shogunate into the Meiji restoration. | Japan | | Yes | 1823 | 1899 |
| | Kelley, Beverly American Coast Guard officer who was the first woman appointed to command an American military vessel, the patrol boat USCGC Cape Newagen, in 1979. | United States | | Yes | ~1954 | |
| | Khương, Hữu Bá Highly decorated South Vietnamese naval officer with numerous "command-at-sea" posts, including accepting and delivering the first Vietnamese Navy ship across the Pacific from the US. | Republic of Vietnam | | Yes | 1930 | 2015 |
| | Killick, James Captain of the tea clipper Challenger and founder of the firm Killick Martin & Company. He became affectionately known as the ‘China Bird’ and the ‘Admiral’. | United Kingdom | Yes | No | 1816 | 1889 |
| | Kountouriotis, Pavlos Greek naval admiral and commander of the Hellenic Navy during the Balkan Wars and World War I, Later became the first and third President of Greece. | Greece | | Yes | 1855 | 1935 |
| | Kuki, Yoshitaka Japanese naval commander during Japan's Sengoku Period, under Oda Nobunaga, and later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. | Japan | | Yes | 1542 | 1600 |
| | LaRue, Leonard American captain of the SS Meredith Victory, a U.S. Merchant Marine cargo ship that evacuated over 14,000 refugees during the Korean War, the largest humanitarian rescue operation by a single ship in history. | United States | Yes | | 1914 | 2001 |
| | Le Lacheur, William Sea captain from Guernsey widely credited as having transformed the economy of Costa Rica by establishing the Costa Rican coffee trade. | United Kingdom | Yes | | 1802 | 1863 |
| | Ladd, William American anti-war activist and New England sea captain who devoted his pen to preaching non-resistance during the War of 1812. | United States | Yes | | 1778 | 1841 |
| | Lawrence, James American naval hero. During the War of 1812, he commanded USS Chesapeake against HMS Shannon. Best known today for his dying command "Don't give up the ship!". | United States | | Yes | 1781 | 1813 |
| | De Lezo, Blas A Spanish naval officer best remembered for the Battle of Cartagena de Indias where Spanish forces under his command decisively defeated a large British invasion. | Spain | | Yes | 1689 | 1741 |
| | von Luckner, Felix A German nobleman, naval officer, author, and sailor who earned the epithet Der Seeteufel (the Sea Devil) for his exploits in command of the sailing commerce raider SMS Seeadler (Sea Eagle) during the First World War. | German Empire | | Yes | 1881 | 1966 |
| | Macdonough, Thomas American naval officer. Macdonough's actions during the decisive Battle of Lake Champlain are often cited as a model of tactical preparation and execution. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1783 | 1825 |
| | Magellan, Ferdinand Portuguese maritime explorer who led the first circumnavigational expedition, and located the eponymous Strait of Magellan. He was also the first European to reach the Philippines. | Portugal | | Yes | 1480 | 1521 |
| | Matsuoka, Bankichi Japanese naval officer in the Tokugawa Navy during the Boshin War, serving as Captain of the Japanese warship Banryū during the Battle of Hakodate. | Japan | | Yes | 1841 | 1871 |
| | Maynard, Robert British naval officer best known for defeating the pirate Blackbeard by luring him to board an unarmed sloop with most of his crew hidden below deck. | Great Britain | | Yes | 1684 | 1751 |
| | McGiffen, Philo American naval officer who served in Chinese service as a naval advisor during the First Sino-Japanese War. He proved a talented tactician during the Battle of the Yalu as well being as the first American to command a modern battleship in wartime. | United States | | Yes | 1860 | 1897 |
| | McGrath, Kathleen A. American naval officer who was the first woman to command a U.S. Navy ship as commander of USS Recovery in 1993. In 1998, she was appointed commander of USS Jarrett, one of the first women to command a combat ship in the U.S. Navy. | United States | | Yes | 1952 | 2002 |
| | Mendonça Furtado, Francisco Xavier de Portuguese nobleman who served in the armed services for 16 years rising from the rank of soldier to sea captain. Involved in several military actions including the Spanish–Portuguese War of 1735 Appointed in 1751 as governor of north Brazil's State of Grão-Pará and Maranhão, and in 1759 as Secretary of State in Lisbon. | Portugal | | Yes | 1701 | 1769 |
| | Mulzac, Hugh First African American to command a vessel in the United States Merchant Marine. | United States | Yes | | 1886 | 1971 |
| | Murphy, Richard New England fishing schooner captain, noted for surviving a series of close calls at sea. | United States | Yes | | 1838 | 1916 |
| | Naihekukui Known as "Captain Jack" or "Jack the Pilot" to visitors, served as Honolulu harbor master and admiral of the royal fleet in the early Kingdom of Hawaii. | Hawaii | | Yes | c. 1790s | 1825 |
| | Nelson, Horatio British naval officer known for his leadership, strategy, and unconventional tactics during the Napoleonic Wars. Widely regarded as one of the greatest naval commanders in history. | Great Britain | | Yes | 1758 | 1805 |
| | Nelson, William U.S. Navy officer and later a Union general in the American Civil War. He holds the distinction of being the only naval officer to achieve the rank of major general on either side of the Civil War. | United States | | Yes | 1824 | 1862 |
| | de Neumann, Bernard Peter Awarded a George Medal for his actions during an air attack by the Luftwaffe; Convicted of piracy by Vichy French; Instigator and overseer of the installation of the Thames Navigation Service. | United Kingdom | Yes | Yes | 1917 | 1972 |
| | Newport, Christopher English seaman and privateer. Captain of the Susan Constant and commander of the 1607 Virginia Company voyage to establish the first North American settlement at Jamestown. | England | Yes | | 1561 | 1617 |
| | Noonan, Fred British-American merchant mariner and Royal Navy officer, working his way up from ordinary seaman to merchant captain. Later worked as a flight navigator and disappeared with Amelia Earhart during their World Flight. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1893 | 1937 |
| | Oxilia, Italo Antifascist boat captain that rescued Italian Resistance members and politicians from Fascist Italy | Italy | Yes | | 1887 | 1971 |
| | Pardo, Luis Captain of the Chilean steam tug Yelcho which rescued the 22 stranded crewmen of Sir Ernest Shackleton's ship Endurance from Antarctica. | Chile | | Yes | 1882 | 1935 |
| | Parker, John One of the most successful arctic whalers to sail from Hull in the nineteenth century and for many years captain of the whale ship Truelove. | United Kingdom | | Yes | 1800 | 1867 |
| | Pearson, Richard British naval officer who was captain of HMS Serapis during the American Revolution. He was defeated by John Paul Jones in a pivotal battle. | Great Britain | | Yes | 1731 | 1806 |
| | Pellew, Edward British naval officer. Fought during the American and French Revolutionary Wars. Pellew makes a fictional appearances in the Horatio Hornblower novels. | Great Britain | | Yes | 1757 | 1833 |
| | Perry, Matthew American naval officer who compelled the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854. | United States | | Yes | 1794 | 1858 |
| | Perry, Oliver Hazard American naval officer who served in the War of 1812 and earned the nickname "Hero of Lake Erie" for leading American forces in a decisive naval victory at the Battle of Lake Erie. | United States | | Yes | 1785 | 1819 |
| | Phillips, Richard U.S. merchant mariner, shipmaster and author, who served as captain aboard MV Maersk Alabama during its hijacking by Somali pirates in April 2009. | United States | Yes | | 1955 | |
| | Piailug, Mau Micronesian fisherman and navigator from Satawal, best known as a teacher of traditional, non-instrument wayfinding methods for open-ocean voyaging, sparking a Hawaiian cultural renaissance and ultimately preserving the art of Polynesian navigation. | Federated States of Micronesia | | | 1932 | 2010 |
| | Prat, Arturo Captain of Esmeralda, Prat was killed shortly after boarding the Peruvian armored monitor Huáscar at the Naval Battle of Iquique. | Chile | | Yes | 1848 | 1879 |
| | Preble, Edward Officer in the United States Navy and United States Merchant Marine, participated in the Revolutionary War, the Quasi-War with France, and the First Barbary War. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1761 | 1807 |
| | Raleigh, Walter English sailor, writer and explorer. North American explorer, confidant of Elizabeth I, builder of the English galleon, Ark Royal. | England | Yes | Yes | 1552 | 1618 |
| | Reid, Samuel Chester American naval officer during the War of 1812. Commanded the privateer General Armstrong and engaged gunboats from British en route to Jamaica and New Orleans. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1783 | 1861 |
| | Rinnan, Arne Norwegian captain of the MV Tampa who defied Australian government demands during the Tampa Affair, was later awarded the Nansen Refugee Award and the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit. | Norway | Yes | | 1940 | |
| | Rodgers, John (War of 1812) American naval officer who served in the United States Navy from its organization in the 1790s through the late 1830s. His service included the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812. | United States | | Yes | 1772 | 1838 |
| | Rodgers, John (Civil War) Son of the above John Rodgers, also with a long career of distinguished service, commanding an expedition of Naval Infantry and Marines in Florida during the Seminole Wars and the North Pacific Exploring and Surveying Expedition. | United States | | Yes | 1812 | 1882 |
| | Ross, Eliza Ann (née McGray) Wife of Captain David Larkin Ross aboard the "Reform" enroute to Buenos Aires, successfully assumed command of the ship upon David's death. Her brief command made her one of America's first female ship captains. | Canada | | | 1849 | 1940 |
| | Rostron, Arthur British captain for the Cunard Line and master of RMS Carpathia during her rescue RMS Titanic survivors. Rostron was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal and Order of the British Empire for his efforts, and was eventually made Commodore of the Cunard fleet. | United Kingdom | Yes | | 1869 | 1940 |
| | Sakuma, Tsutomi Japanese naval officer who served during the Russo-Japanese War and one of the first submarine commanders of the Imperial Japanese Navy. | Japan | | Yes | 1879 | 1910 |
| | Schettino, Francesco Captain of the ill fated cruise ship Costa Concordia. | Italy | Yes | | 1960 | |
| | Seyburn, Isaac D. Welsh-American merchant captain who served as a naval officer during the American Civil War. Commanded the schooner USS Kittatinny as part of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron under David Farragut. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1824 | 1895 |
| | Seymour, Edward Hobart British Admiral of the Fleet. Took part in the capture of Canton and the attack on the Taku forts. Appointed commander-in-chief of the China Station, lead the Naval Brigade in the relief of Peking during the Boxer Rebellion. | United Kingdom | | Yes | 1840 | 1929 |
| | Shchetinina, Anna Soviet merchant marine captain, often said to be the first western woman captain of an ocean-going ship | Soviet Union | Yes | No | 1908 | 1999 |
| | Shi, Yang Chinese pirate who took control of her husband's pirate confederation with personal command of 24 ships and over 1,400 pirates at the time of her retirement. Considered not only history's most successful female pirate, but one of the most successful pirates in history. | Qing dynasty | | | 1775 | 1844 |
| | Siddins, Richard Captain of Campbell Macquarie and one of the earliest and best known merchant ship captains sailing out of Port Jackson. | United Kingdom | Yes | Yes | 1770 | 1846 |
| | Smalls, Robert An African-American born into slavery in South Carolina, worked as a deckhand aboard CSS Planter. Commandeered the vessel and piloted it to Union lines. Then served as a pilot and captain in the Union Navy. | United States | | Yes | 1839 | 1915 |
| | Smith, Edward Captain of RMS Titanic. Joined the White Star Shipping Line in March 1880 where he quickly rose in stature. Received his first White Star command, SS Republic in 1887. | United Kingdom | Yes | Yes | 1850 | 1912 |
| | Smith, William Captain of the brig Williams, when passing around Cape Horn he encountered strong headwinds and ventured south, discovering the South Shetland Islands, and later sighted the Antarctic. | United Kingdom | Yes | | 1779 | 1847 |
| | Sohn, Won-yil South Korean merchant mariner who organized the Korean coast guard, providing the groundwork to stand up a Navy at the start of the Korean War, becoming the first Chief of Naval Operations and founder of the Republic of Korea Navy. | Korea | Yes | Yes | 1909 | 1980 |
| | Stockton, Robert Field American naval officer, notable in the capture of California during the Mexican–American War. Later served as a U.S. Senator. | United States | | Yes | 1795 | 1866 |
| | Surcouf, Robert Captain and ship owner from St. Malo. Notable as French corsair during the Napoleonic Wars. | France | Yes | Yes | 1773 | 1823 |
| | von Tegetthoff, Wilhelm Austrian Captain and Fleet Commander of the Austro-Hungarian Fleet. Considered one of the prominent naval commanders of the 19th century, Tegetthoff was known for his innovative tactics as well as his inspirational leadership. | Austrian Empire | | Yes | 1827 | 1871 |
| | Tōgō, Heihachirō One of Japan's greatest naval heroes known as "the Nelson of the East". As Commander-in-Chief during the Russo-Japanese War, he successfully routed Russian naval forces at Port Arthur and Tsushima. | Japan | | Yes | 1848 | 1934 |
| | Truxton, Thomas American naval officer who operating as a privateer during the American Revolution, commanding several ships. After the war, he returned to the merchant marine, and in commanded one of the first American ships to engage in trade with China. | United States | Yes | Yes | 1591 | 1659 |
| | Tyrrell, Kate Irish captain of the schooner Denbighshire Lass. After inheriting her father's shipping company in the 1880s, Tyrrell fought to have her name on the documents of ownership for the schooner. Her career as sea captain spanned over twenty years, and Denbighshire Lass was the first ship to fly the Irish tricolour flag at a foreign port. | Ireland | Yes | | 1863 | 1921 |
| | Walters, Angus Fishing schooner captain out of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. He was a highliner fishing captain and captain of the schooner Bluenose, winning multiple races for the International Fisherman's Trophy. | Canada | Yes | | 1881 | 1968 |
| | Welch, Martin Fishing schooner captain from Gloucester, Massachusetts. He was captain of the schooner Esperanto in 1920 when it defeated the Canadian schooner Delawana in the first International Fishing Schooner Championship Races in Halifax, Nova Scotia. | Canada | Yes | | 1864 | 1935 |
| | Wilkes, Charles American naval officer and explorer. He is particularly noted for his 1838–1842 Pacific expedition as well as for his role in the Trent Affair during the Civil War. | United States | | Yes | 1798 | 1877 |
| | Winslow, Perry Captain of the whaling vessels Phoenix and Edward Cary. | United States | Yes | | 1815 | 1890 |
| | Woodget, Richard English sea captain, known as the master of the sailing clipper Cutty Sark during her most successful period of service in the wool trade between Australia and the United Kingdom. | United Kingdom | Yes | | 1845 | 1928 |
| | Whitall, John M. Prominent Sea Captain, businessman and philanthropist in New Jersey and Pennsylvania involved in the spice and silk trade, Glass-making, and missionary work. | United States | Yes | | 1800 | 1877 |
| | Yi, Sun-sin Korean admiral famed for his victories against the Japanese during the Imjin war. A brilliant naval strategist, Yi perfected use of the turtle ships and used sea tides and narrow straits to his advantage. | Joseon dynasty Korea | | Yes | 1371 | 1433 |
| | Zheng, He Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral, who commanded Ming China's treasure voyages from 1405 to 1433. | Ming dynasty | | Yes | 1371 | 1433 |
| | Zheng, Zhilong Chinese admiral, merchant, and pirate. Fluent in Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese. Worked with the Dutch East India Company, as a privateer overseeing an armada of four hundred junks and tens of thousands of men, controlling all shipping in the South China Sea. | Ming dynasty | Yes | Yes | 1604 | 1661 |
| Image | About | Nationality | Merchant | Naval | Born | Died |

## Fictional sea captains

* Captain Ahab, fictional character and hero of Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick
* Captain Jack Aubrey, hero of the Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian
* John Blackthorne, hero of James Clavell's 1975 novel Shōgun, based on William Adams
* Captain Birdseye, advertising mascot for the Birds Eye frozen food brand
* Cap'n Crunch, mascot character for the cereal of the same name
* Captain Gault, sea captain of a number of stories by English writer William Hope Hodgson
* Captain Haddock, captain in the comic album series The Adventures of Tintin
* Captain James Hook, captain in the play and novel Peter Pan
* Horatio Hornblower, protagonist of a series of novels by C. S. Forester
* Captain Jat, sea captain of a number of stories by English writer William Hope Hodgson
* Captain Horatio McCallister, recurring character from the TV series The Simpsons
* Captain Nemo, a submarine captain first introduced in Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas
* Captain Pugwash, captain of pirate ship in a cartoon of the same name
* Captain Alexander Smollett, the captain of the schooner Hispaniola in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island.
* Captain Jack Sparrow, captain of the pirate ship Black Pearl in Pirates of the Caribbean films
* Cap'n Turbot, a character in the Canadian TV series PAW Patrol