Best is a surname, and may refer to

• Adolfo "Fito" Best
  Adolfo Best Maugard
  Adolfo Best Maugard also known as Fito Best was a Mexican painter, film director and screenwriter.- Life :...
  
   (1891–1964), Mexican painter, film director and screenwriter
• Ahmed Best
  Ahmed Best
  Ahmed Best is an American voice actor and musician. He has won the Annie Award for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production. He rose to prominence in the 2000s for providing the voice of Jar Jar Binks in the Star Wars franchise. He later turned to television, where he played Jar Jar...
  
   (born 1973), American voice actor
• Alan Best (animator) (born 1959), Canadian animator
• Alan Best (sculptor)
  Alan Best (sculptor)
  Alan Best was a Canadian sculptor and natural historian. He trained at the Académie Julian in Paris, designed for Josiah Wedgwood & Sons and was assistant to British sculptor Eric Kennington. He was assistant zoo curator under Julian Huxley at Regent's Park Zoo, London and curator of Stanley Park...
  
   (1910-2001), Canadian sculptor
• Alfred M. Best
  Alfred M. Best
  Alfred M. Best was an American actuary, born in Caldwell, New Jersey, US.At the age of 15, Best began his career in the insurance industry as a junior clerk with the Queen Insurance Company of America in New York. He continued to work in the insurance field for various companies over the next six...
  
   (1876-1958), American actuary
• Andy Best
  Andy Best
  Andrew Keith "Andy" Best is an English former professional footballerBest, a right-winger born in Dorchester, Dorset, joined Torquay United in October 1984 from local non-league side Teignmouth, one of a number of players signed for free by Torquay manager David Webb. His league debut came on 23...
  
   (born 1959), former British footballer
• Ben Best
  Ben Best
  Ben Best is President and CEO of the Cryonics Institute, the world's second largest cryonics organization. Best is a well-known activist in cryonics and life extension advocacy...
  
   (cryonicist
  Cryonics
  Cryonics is the low-temperature preservation of humans and animals who can no longer be sustained by contemporary medicine, with the hope that healing and resuscitation may be possible in the future. Cryopreservation of people or large animals is not reversible with current technology...
  
  )
• Ben Best (actor)
  Ben Best (actor)
  Ben Best is an American screenwriter and actor. He is the co-creator and co-writer of the television show Eastbound & Down. He also co wrote the films The Foot Fist Way and Your Highness....
  
  
• Calum Best
  Calum Best
  Calum Milan Best is a British-American former fashion model turned celebrity, and television personality.-Career:...
  
   (born 1981), TV personality, son of George Best
• Carlisle Best
  Carlisle Best
  Carlisle Alonza Best played eight Tests and 24 One Day Internationals for the West Indies.Best hooked his third ball in Test cricket for six off the bowling of Ian Botham at Kingston, Jamaica, in February 1986....
  
   (born 1959), former West Indian cricketer
• Charles Herbert Best (1899-1978), American/Canadian physiologist
• Clarence Leo Best
  C. L. Best
  thumb|Patent drawing of the C. L. Best autotractor from 1915Clarence Leo Best , usually known as C. L. Best, was a pioneering tractor company executive. C. L. Best founded the C. L. Best Gas Traction Company in 1910 thumb|Patent drawing of the C. L. Best autotractor from 1915Clarence Leo Best...
  
   (1878-1951), founder and chairman of Caterpillar Tractor Company
• Clyde Best
  Clyde Best
  Clyde Cyril Best MBE is a Bermudian former football player who most notably played as a striker for West Ham United, and was one of the first black players in British football...
  
   (born 1951), former Bermudan footballer
• Daniel Best
  Daniel Best
  Daniel Best was an American adventurer, inventor, and entrepreneur known for pioneering agriculture machinery and heavy machinery.-Early years:...
  
   (1838-1923), founder of Best Manufacturing Company
  Best Manufacturing Company
  The Best Manufacturing Company of San Leandro, California was a manufacturer of farm machinery, now probably most well known for its steam tractors....
  
   that made tractors and combine harvesting machines
• David Best (sculptor) (born 1945), American sculptor
• David Best (footballer)
  David Best (footballer)
  David Best is an English former professional footballer. During his career he made over 200 appearances for Bournemouth, nearly 100 appearances for Oldham and 168 appearances for Ipswich Town between 1968 and 1974....
  
   (born 1943), former English footballer
• David Best (Manitoba politician)
  David Best (Manitoba politician)
  David Alexander Best was a politician in Manitoba, Canada. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1941 to 1945 as an anti-coalition Conservative....
  
   (1880-??)
• Denzil Best
  Denzil Best
  Denzil DaCosta Best was an American jazz percussionist and composer born in New York City. He was a prominent bebop drummer in the 1950s and early '60s....
  
   (1917-1965), American jazz percussionist
• Earl Best
  Earl Best
  Earl Best , a community organizer better known as the "Street Doctor", is a convicted bank robber who spent 10 years in solitary confinement and now works with the poor on the streets of Newark, New Jersey. He founded the Street Warriors organization in 2003...
  
   (born 1947), American community organizer known as the 'Street Doctor'
• Elsdon Best
  Elsdon Best
  Elsdon Best was an ethnographer who made important contributions to the study of the Māori of New Zealand.-Early life and career:...
  
   (1856-1931), New Zealand ethnographer
• Eve Best
  Eve Best
  Eve Best is an English actress, best known for her roles as Dr. O'Hara in the Showtime television series Nurse Jackie, as Wallis Simpson in the 2010 film The King's Speech, and Dolley Madison in the 2011 American Experience television special about that First Lady.-Early life and education:Best...
  
   (born 1971), British stage actress
• George Best
  George Best
  George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
  
   (1946 – 2005), Northern Irish football player
• Greg Best
  Greg Best
  Gregory Alan 'Greg' Best is an equestrian competitor and coach in the sport of show jumping who is best known for winning two silver medals for the United States in the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea riding the famous Gem Twist. In 1992, Best suffered a fall that shattered his...
  
   (born 1964), American equestrian competior and coach
• Greg Best (American football)
  Greg Best (American football)
  Gregory Lee Best is a former American football defensive back who played in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns.-Early life:...
  
   (born 1960), American football defensive back
• Harold Best
  Harold Best
  Harold Best is a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was educated at Meanwood County Secondary School and worked as an electrical technician. He was Member of Parliament for Leeds North West from the 1997 general election until he retired at the 2005 general election. He is a...
  
   (born 1937), British Labour Party politician
• James Best
  James Best
  James Best is an American actor best known for his role as bumbling Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane in the CBS television series The Dukes of Hazzard. He has also worked as an acting coach, artist, and musician.-Early years:...
  
   (born 1926), American actor
• Jacob Best
  Jacob Best
  Jacob Best, Sr. was an American brewer who founded what would later become known as the Pabst Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
  
  , (1786-1861), family patriarch and founder of the Pabst Brewing Company
  Pabst Brewing Company
  Pabst Brewing Company is an American company that dates its origins to a brewing company founded in 1844 by Jacob Best and by 1889 named after Frederick Pabst. It is currently the holding company contracting for the brewing of over two dozen brands of beer and malt liquor from defunct companies...
  
  
• John William Best
  John William Best
  Flight Lieutenant John William Best MBE, was a British Royal Air Force pilot. He was a notable Prisoner of War, who was held captive at Colditz Castle in eastern Germany during World War II...
  
   (1912-2000), Royal Air Force pilot who was a POW in Colditz Castle during World War II
• John Best (politician)
  John Best (politician)
  John Best was a British barrister and Peelite politician.Best was the son of W B Best, and was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. He was educated at Shrewsbury School before graduating from Peterhouse, Cambridge in 1844. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1846, and practised on...
  
   (1821-1865), British politician
• John Best (soccer)
  John Best (soccer)
  John Best is a former U.S.-English soccer defender. He spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League where he was a five time first team All Star. He later coached the NASL Seattle Sounders and served as the general manager of the Sounders and the Vancouver Whitecaps. He also earned one...
  
   (born 1940), former US/English soccer player
• John Best (guard captain)
  John Best (guard captain)
  John Best was an Englishman who held the government post of Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard from 1592 until 1597, replacing Sir Walter Raleigh.-References:...
  
  , Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
  Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard
  The Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard is a UK government post usually held by the Government Deputy Chief Whip in the House of Lords...
  
  
• John Best (trainer), race horse trainer
• John Best (bishop)
  John Best (bishop)
  -Background:He was from Halifax and attended King Henry VIII's College from 1538 to 1539.-Personal life and career:In 1550 he married Elizabeth Somner. In 1553 Best was canon of Wells and in 1559 he was made Rector of Romaldkirk...
  
   (died 1570), Bishop of Carlisle
  Bishop of Carlisle
  The Bishop of Carlisle is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Carlisle in the Province of York.The diocese covers the County of Cumbria except for Alston Moor and the former Sedbergh Rural District...
  
   1560-70
• John Best (basketball), New Jersey Nets
  New Jersey Nets
  The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
  
   player
• John Best (Canadian politician)
  John Best (Canadian politician)
  John Best was an Australian-born politician in Canada. He was acclaimed to the Canadian House of Commons, after the death of his predecessor John Barr, on 22 December 1909, as a Member of the Conservative Party to represent the riding of Dufferin...
  
   (1861-1923), Canadian politician
• John Best (rugby), New Zealand All Blacks
  All Blacks
  The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
  
   player
• Keith Best
  Keith Best
  Keith Lander Best was a former Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament for Anglesey from 1979 to 1983, and for Ynys Môn from 1983 to 1987...
  
   (born 1949), British Conservatiove party politician
• Leon Best
  Leon Best
  Leon Julian Brendan Best is an English-born Irish footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League team Newcastle United and the Republic of Ireland national football team. Best represented Ireland at under-21 level and won his first full international cap against Nigeria on 29 May 2009.Best...
  
   (born 1986), Irish international footballer
• Marion Best
  Marion Best
  Dr. Marion Best was the 36th Moderator of the United Church of Canada from 1994-1997. Best succeeded Stan McKay as the spiritual leader and chief officer of the church....
  
  , Canadian church leader
• Marjorie Best
  Marjorie Best
  Marjorie Best was an American Hollywood costume designer best known for her period designs.Best was born in Jacksonville, Illinois and studied at the Chouinard Art Institute. She taught school briefly before going to work for the Western Costume Company in 1926. She later moved to United...
  
   (1903-1997), American Hollywood costume designer
• Neil Best
  Neil Best
  Neil Best is a rugby union footballer, He plays for Worcester Warriors and the Irish national team....
  
   (born 1979), Irish rugby union international
• Paul Best (cricketer)
  Paul Best (cricketer)
  Paul Merwood Best is an English cricketer. Best is a left-handed batsman who bowls slow left-arm orthodox. He was born at Nuneaton, Warwickshire and educated at Bablake School, Coventry...
  
   (born 1991), English cricketer
• Pete Best
  Pete Best
  Pete Best is a British musician, best known as the original drummer in The Beatles. He was born in the city of Madras, British India...
  
   (born 1941), original drummer for The Beatles
• Peter Best
  Peter Best (composer)
  Peter Best is an award-winning Australian film composer who has contributed to such films as Doing Time for Patsy Cline , Muriel's Wedding , Crocodile Dundee , Crocodile Dundee II , Bliss and The Adventures of Barry McKenzie...
  
   (born 1943), Australian film composer
• Richard Irvine Best
  Richard Irvine Best
  Richard Irvine Best , often known as R. I. Best, was an Irish scholar who specialised in Celtic Studies.Best was born into a Protestant family in Derry and educated at Foyle College before working for a time in a bank...
  
   (1872-1959), Irish scholar
• Richard Stuart Best (born 1945), member of House of Lords
• Robbie Best
  Robbie Best
  Robbie Best is a former Irish footballer.Best was a cultured defender who after graduating from Kinvara Boys made his League of Ireland debut for St. Patrick's Athletic on 10 September 1989...
  
   (born 1967), Irish soccer player
• Robert Henry Best (1896-1952), convicted of treason in 1948
• Rory Best
  Rory Best
  Rory Best from Poyntzpass is an Irish rugby union footballer. He plays at the position of Hooker for Ulster and is registered for Banbridge RFC.-Club/Provincial:...
  
   (born 1982), Irish rugby union international
• Sigismund Payne Best
  Sigismund Payne Best
  Captain Sigismund Payne Best OBE was a British Secret Intelligence Service agent during World War I and World War II...
  
   (1885-1978). British Secret Intelligence Service agent
• Simon Best
  Simon Best
  Simon Best is a former Irish rugby union footballer. He played for Ulster and was club captain in Ulster's 2005/06 Magners League winning season...
  
   (born 1978), Irish rugby union international
• Skeeter Best
  Skeeter Best
  Clifton "Skeeter" Best was an American jazz guitarist.Best played in Philadelphia from 1935 to 1940, recording with Slim Marshall and Erskine Hawkins. In 1940 he joined Earl Hines's orchestra, playing with him until he joined the U.S. Navy in 1942. After the war he played with Bill Johnson from...
  
   (1914-1985), American jazz guitarist
• Stephanie Best
  Stephanie Best
  Stephanie Best is a retired female track and field athlete from the United States, who competed in the middle distance events. She won the bronze medal in the women's 1,500 metres at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada.-References:*...
  
   (born 1969), American track and field athlete
• Steven Best
  Steven Best
  Steven Best is an American animal rights activist, author, talk-show host, and associate professor of philosophy at the University of Texas at El Paso...
  
   (born 1955), American animal rights activist
• Tommy Best, Welsh footballer
• Tino Best
  Tino Best
  Tino la Bertram Best is a West Indian cricketer.Short in stature, Tino Best is a fast and aggressive bowler with a bowling average of 48.67 in Test cricket....
  
   (born 1981), West Indian cricketer
• Travis Best
  Travis Best
  Travis Eric Best is an American former professional basketball player, who played in the NBA and in Europe.-High school career:...
  
   (born 1972), American professional basketball player
• Werner Best
  Werner Best
  Dr. Werner Best was a German Nazi, jurist, police chief, SS-Obergruppenführer and Nazi Party leader from Darmstadt, Hesse. He studied law and in 1927 obtained his doctorate degree at Heidelberg...
  
   (1903-1989), German jurist, police chief and SS-Obergruppenführer
• William Best, 1st Baron Wynford (1767-1845), British politician and judge

Origins:
Irish, English, French, Dutch

History:
Derived from the Old English/Old French word "beste", or the Latin "bestia", meaning beast. The surname Best may be a metonym referring to one employed as a herdsman. First found in Kent, they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest of 1066. Some of the first settlers to the Americas
were Christopher Best, who settled in Virginia in 1623, John Best, who settled in New England in 1634, Thomas Best, who settled in Virginia in 1635, and William Best, who settled in Virginia in 1643.

See also

• Beste (disambiguation)
• Bester (disambiguation)
• Bestor
  Bestor
  Bestor is an Anglo-American surname, and may refer to:*Arthur E. Bestor , American educator and civic leader*Arthur Bestor , American historian and educational critic...