Essex is an Anglo-Saxon locational surname, for someone from Essex, England.[1] Notable people with the surname include:
- David Essex (born 1947), English actor, singer-songwriter, and musician
- Frankie Essex, TV personality on reality show The Only Way is Essex
- Joey Essex, TV personality on reality show The Only Way is Essex
- Karen Essex, American novelist, screenwriter, and journalist
- Mark Essex (1949–1973), American spree killer
- Trai Essex (born 1982), American professional football player
- Mrs Rock (died after 1779), English actor also known as Miss Essex
- Nadia Essex (born 1981/2), TV personality
- Robyn Essex, member of the Kansas House of Representatives
Fictional characters:
- Nathaniel Essex, the true identity of Mister Sinister, a Marvel comics supervillain