It is the first point of reference for anyone interested in the people who have made a mark on the history of the British Isles. The Oxford DNB replaces and extends the original Victorian DNB, and includes:

re-written biographies of the people included in the Victorian DNB, reflecting new research, and an up-to-date assessment of their lives
13,500 biographies of new subjects from all periods.
Published in a 60-volume print edition and online, the dictionary is an essential resource for checking facts, learning about people involved in a historical event or associated with a place, or undertaking new research into any aspect of the British past.

The Oxford DNB provides accurate, concise and readable articles on noteworthy people from all walks of life. Entries offer detailed and extensive biographical information drawn from primary and secondary sources and range from a few dozen to more than 35,000 words in length. With more than 10,000 illustrations, researched in partnership with the National Portrait Gallery, London, the Oxford DNB includes the largest selection of national portraiture ever published. Where possible, entries provide a person’s:

full name at birth and name changes throughout life
dates and places of birth, baptism, marriage, death, and burial
parents’ names, life dates, and occupations
records of siblings and other noteworthy family members
education history
Each article also provides an extensive reference section listing:

primary and secondary works consulted by the author of the biography: over 300,000 bibliographic references in total
paper, film and sound archives for further research
portrait likenesses
where known, details of wealth at death—making this the largest public collection of such information.