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Order of chivalry

The Order of the British Empire

A British order of chivalry established in 1917 by King George V to recognise distinguished service in the arts and sciences, public life, and charitable and welfare work. Its grades, in descending order, are GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE, together with the associated British Empire Medal.

The Order of the British Empire ribbon

53,195 recipients in the record.

Awarded over time

The Order of the British Empire appointments by year, split by sub-honour. Toggle a series to isolate one.

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Honours rounds

The rounds behind the chart - open one to see the recipients.

  1. 2026New Year (987) · Birthday (990)
  2. 2025New Year (1009) · Birthday (1028)
  3. 2024New Year (1020) · Birthday (906)
  4. 2023New Year (960) · Birthday (1002)
  5. 2022New Year (1068) · Birthday (988)
  6. 2021New Year (1026) · Birthday (959)
  7. 2020New Year (884) · Birthday (1056)
  8. 2019New Year (910) · Birthday (892)
  9. 2018New Year (911) · Birthday (875)
  10. 2017New Year (988) · Birthday (927)
  11. 2016New Year (992) · Birthday (952)
  12. 2015New Year (1030) · Birthday (994)
  13. 2014New Year (1023) · Birthday (993)
  14. 2013New Year (1102) · Birthday (1051)
  15. 2012New Year (1133) · Birthday (1085)
  16. 2011New Year (1186) · Birthday (1167)
  17. 2010New Year (1143) · Birthday (1168)
  18. 2009New Year (1119) · Birthday (1174)
  19. 2008New Year (1094) · Birthday (1131)
  20. 2007New Year (935) · Birthday (889)
  21. 2006New Year (932) · Birthday (895)
  22. 2005New Year (925) · Birthday (872)
  23. 2004New Year (983) · Birthday (890)
  24. 2003New Year (954) · Birthday (965)
  25. 2002New Year (1157) · Birthday (1123)
  26. 2001New Year (1004) · Birthday (1218)
  27. 2000Birthday (1178)

Topics

All topics

The topics most recognised among The Order of the British Empire recipients, sized by number of people. Click a tile to explore.

Community5,385Community — 5,385Education2,956Education — 2,956Charity1,240Charity — 1,240Young People1,059Young People — 1,059Business930Business — 930Public Service885Public Service — 885Local Government850Local Government — 850Children784Children — 784Healthcare711Healthcare — 711Music625Music — 625Higher Edu…623Higher Education — 623Arts526Arts — 526Sport524Sport — 524Law Enforcement515Law Enforcement — 515NHS487NHS — 487Further Educat…480Further Education — 480Families461Families — 461Disability368Disability — 368Science a…365Science and Technology — 365Defence354Defence — 354Heritage348Heritage — 348Diversity331Diversity — 331Charita…Charitable Service — 298DramaDrama — 295Nursing283Nursing — 283Policing281Policing — 281Environment272Environment — 272Economy271Economy — 271Medicine247Medicine — 247Health234Health — 234Engineeri…229Engineering — 229Literature211Literature — 211Tourism208Tourism — 208Broadcast…199Broadcasting — 199Football192Football — 192Conservation — 189Defence Industry — 187Special Educational Needs — 186Public Health — 180Agriculture — 179Women175Women — 175Communit…172Community Relations — 172Voluntar…171Voluntary Sector — 171Internat…168International Trade — 168Art167Art — 167Administration Of Justice — 167Dance — 165Technology — 160Social Care — 147Inclusion146Inclusion — 146Homeless…144Homelessness — 144Construc…143Construction — 143Culture141Culture — 141Equality — 140Covid-19 Response — 139Law — 135Political Service — 134Mental Health — 134Entrepreneurship — 132Training — 131

Topics by number of recipients

A ranked list of every topic recognised among The Order of the British Empire recipients is available below - show it to browse and filter the full set.

About this honour

A British order of chivalry established in 1917 by King George V to recognise distinguished service in the arts and sciences, public life, and charitable and welfare work. Its grades, in descending order, are GBE, KBE/DBE, CBE, OBE and MBE, together with the associated British Empire Medal.

Recipients by grade

53,195 people hold The Order of the British Empire. It is conferred in grades — open a grade to see and filter its recipients.

Linked data

Canonical URI
honoria.co.uk/id/honours/order-of-the-british-empire
Wikidata
Q14420
The Gazette ontology
gaz:TheOrderOfTheBritishEmpire

From the Honoria honours vocabulary (SKOS). exactMatch = Wikidata; closeMatch = The Gazette honours ontology (official but a 2008–2015 beta).

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