List of people who have headed the United States Patent Office

Following is a list of persons who have headed the United States Patent Office. The title associated with this function has changed over time, from Superintendent of Patents to Commissioner of Patents to Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property. The duties of the office have also evolved significantly, including coming to encompass the supervision of trademark issuance as well as that of patents.

Patent Office Head[1]Began
service		Ended
service
Commissioners for the Promotion of Useful Arts or Patent Board[2]
Edmund Randolph, Henry Knox, Thomas Jefferson17901793
Secretary of State[3][2]
Edmund Randolph17941795
Timothy Pickering1795May 12, 1800
John MarshallMay 13, 1800March 4, 1801
James MadisonMarch 5, 18011802
Superintendent of Patents[4][2]
William ThorntonJune 1, 1802March 28, 1828
Thomas P. JonesApril 12, 1828June 10, 1829
John D. CraigJune 11, 1829February 1, 1835
James Chamberlayne PickettFebruary 1, 1835May 1835
Commissioner of Patents

(Patent Act of July 4, 1836)[4]

Henry L. EllsworthJuly 8, 1835April 1, 1845[5]
Edmund BurkeMay 4, 18451849
Thomas EwbankMay 9, 18491852
Silas H. HodgesNovember 8, 18521853
Charles MasonMay 16, 1853August 5, 1857
Joseph HoltSeptember 10, 1857Mar 1859
William Darius BishopMay 27, 18591860
Philip F. ThomasFebruary 16, 1860December 10, 1860
David P. HollowayMarch 28, 18611865
Thomas Clarke TheakerAugust 17, 1865January 20, 1868
Elisha FooteJuly 29, 1868Mar 1869
Samuel S. FisherApril 26, 1869November 10, 1870
Mortimer D. LeggettJanuary 16, 18711874
John M. ThacherNovember 4, 1874October 1, 1875
Robert Holland DuellOctober 1, 18751877
Ellis SpearJanuary 30, 18771878
Halbert Eleazer PaineNovember 1, 18781880
Edgar M. MarbleMay 7, 18801883
Benjamin ButterworthNovember 1, 18831885
Martin Van Buren MontgomeryMarch 23, 18851887
Benton Jay HallApril 12, 18871889
Charles Elliott MitchellApril 1, 18891891
William E. SimondsAugust 1, 18911892
John S. SeymourMarch 31, 18931897
Benjamin ButterworthApril 7, 18971898
Charles Holland DuellFebruary 3, 18981901
Frederick Innes AllenApril 11, 19011907
Edward Bruce Moore19071913
Thomas Ewing19131917
James T. Newton19171920
Robert Frederick Whitehead19201921
Melvin H. Coulston19211921
Thomas E. Robertson19211933
Conway Peyton Coe1933September 14, 1945
Casper W. OomsSeptember 15, 19451947
Lawrence C. Kingsland19471949
John A. Marzall19491953
Robert C. Watson19531961
David Lowell Ladd19611963
Edward J. Brenner19641969
William E. Schuyler, Jr.19691971
Robert Gottschalk19721973
Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks

(PL 93-596 of January 2, 1975)[4]

C. Marshall Dann19741977
Donald W. Banner19781979
Sidney A. Diamond19791981
Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks

(Public Law 97-366 of October 25, 1982)[4]

Gerald J. Mossinghoff19811985
Donald J. Quigg19851990
Harry F. Manbeck, Jr.19901992
Bruce A. LehmanAugust 5, 19931998
Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

(American Inventor’s Protection Act of November 29, 1999)[4]

Q. Todd Dickinson1998January 19, 2001
Nicholas P. Godici (Acting)January 2001November 30, 2001[4]
James E. RoganDecember 10, 2001January 9, 2004
Jon Dudas2004November 14, 2008[4]
John J. Doll (Acting)November 15, 2008August 12, 2009[4]
David KapposAugust 13, 2009January 31, 2013
Teresa Stanek Rea (Acting)February 1, 2013January 12, 2014
Michelle K. LeeJanuary 13, 2014June 7, 2017
Joseph Matal (acting)June 7, 2017February 8, 2018[4]
Andrei IancuFebruary 8, 2018[6]

Note

a Dickinson served in analogous role as Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks beginning in 1998. That position was transformed into the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office effective January 17, 2001.

References

  1. ↑ "Past USPTO Leaders". U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved February 10, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Dobyns, Kenneth (1994). The Patent Office Pony: A History of the Early Patent Offices. Fredericksburg, VA: Seargeant Kirkland's Press. p. 23-24. ISBN 1887901132.
  3. ↑ Patent Act of 1793 transferred responsibility for patents to the Secretary of State
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 https://patentlibrarian.com/reference-library/directors-of-the-u-s-patent-and-trademark-office/
  5. ↑ Title of office changed from Superintendent to Commissioner on July 4, 1836.
  6. ↑ Fucito, Paul (February 8, 2018). "Andrei Iancu Begins Role as New Director of United States Patent and Trademark Office". U.S Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
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