Past Presidents of the Linnean Society
- 2018–2022 Sandra Knapp
- 2015–2018 Paul Brakefield
- 2012–2015 Dianne Edwards
- 2009–2012 Vaughan R. Southgate
- 2006–2009 David F. Cutler
- 2003–2006 Gordon McGregor Reid
- 2000–2003 Sir David Smith
- 1997–2000 Sir Ghillean Prance
- 1994–1997 Brian G. Gardiner
- 1991–1994 John G. Hawkes
- 1988–1991 Michael Frederick Claridge
- 1985–1988 William Gilbert Chaloner
- 1982–1985 Robert James "Sam" Berry
- 1979–1982 William T. Stearn
- 1976–1979 Humphry Greenwood
- 1973–1976 Irene Manton
- 1970–1973 Alexander James Edward Cave
- 1967–1970 Arthur Roy Clapham
- 1964–1967 Errol White
- 1961–1964 Thomas Maxwell Harris
- 1958–1961 Carl Pantin
- 1955–1958 Hugh Hamshaw Thomas
- 1952–1955 Robert Beresford Seymour Sewell
- 1949–1952 Felix Eugen Fritsch
- 1946–1949 Sir Gavin de Beer
- 1943–1946 Arthur Disbrowe Cotton
- 1940–1943 Edward Stuart Russell
- 1937–1940 John Ramsbottom
- 1934–1937 William Thomas Calman
- 1931–1934 Frederick Ernest Weiss
- 1927–1931 Sidney Frederic Harmer
- 1923–1927 Alfred Barton Rendle
- 1919–1923 Arthur Smith Woodward
- 1916–1919 Sir David Prain
- 1912–1916 Sir Edward Poulton
- 1908–1912 Dukinfield Henry Scott
- 1904–1908 William Abbott Herdman
- 1900–1904 Sydney Howard Vines
- 1896–1900 Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther
- 1894–1896 Charles Baron Clarke
- 1890–1894 Charles Stewart
- 1886–1890 William Carruthers
- 1881–1886 Sir John Lubbock, 4th Baronet (later 1st Baron Avebury)
- 1874–1881 George James Allman
- 1861–1874 George Bentham
- 1853–1861 Thomas Bell
- 1849–1853 Robert Brown
- 1837–1849 Edward Stanley
- 1833–1836 Edward St Maur, 11th Duke of Somerset
- 1828–1833 Edward Smith-Stanley, 13th Earl of Derby
- 1788–1828 Sir James Edward Smith