Who owns Encyclopaedia Britannica?
Encyclopaedia Britannica is owned by Britannica (the United States).[1]
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
Evidence: About Us and Our Brands - Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Corporate Site (archived copy). Last checked .
Key facts
- Current owner
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. reported
- Owner HQ
- 🇺🇸 United States, Chicago
- Origin
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Founded
- 1768
- Category
- Internet & digital › Digital services › Reference & knowledge
- Last verified
- · 1 sources
About Encyclopaedia Britannica
The general encyclopaedia published by Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. The company's corporate site describes it as a source of stories of discoveries, people and events, with more than 250 years behind it, and dates its 250th anniversary edition to 2018 (1768 to 2018). Britannica reaches consumers through its websites and apps and is edited by teams in the United States and India, according to the company's own leadership page.
Ownership timeline of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Current owner Britannica [1] reported
Where Encyclopaedia Britannica sits in Britannica
Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.
Open the full Britannica ownership tree →
See the full Britannica brand portfolio (4) →
Other brands owned by Britannica
Britannica controls 4 brands on Brandtree, 4 of them in internet & digital.
Also in internet & digital
Other brands in reference & knowledge, and who owns them
The 14 brands in reference & knowledge on Brandtree belong to 8 owners. The largest is Baidu, with 3; Britannica has 3.
| Brand | Owner | Owner based in |
|---|---|---|
| Baidu Experience | Baidu | 🇨🇳 China |
| Wikimedia Commons | Wikimedia Foundation | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Podchaser | Acast | 🇸🇪 Sweden |
| PetMD | Chewy | 🇺🇸 United States |
| OccasionGenius | Hostelworld Group | 🇮🇪 Ireland |
| Youdao | NetEase | 🇭🇰 Hong Kong |
| Penger.no | Schibsted Media | 🇳🇴 Norway |
| Baidu Knows | Baidu | 🇨🇳 China |
About the owner: Britannica
Britannica is a privately held company headquartered in Chicago, United States. Brandtree records 4 brands under its control.
Privately held reference and education publisher whose corporate site lists four brands: Britannica, Merriam-Webster, Britannica Education and Melingo. Its global headquarters is at 325 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago. The pages used name no shareholders, so no ownership is recorded for the company itself.
🇬🇧 Encyclopaedia Britannica and other British brands
Brandtree records a controlling owner for 543 brands that began in the United Kingdom. 282 of them (52%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country, Encyclopaedia Britannica among them.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of Encyclopaedia Britannica?
The parent company of Encyclopaedia Britannica is Britannica, a privately held company headquartered in the United States.
Is Encyclopaedia Britannica British or American?
Encyclopaedia Britannica originated in the United Kingdom in 1768, but it is owned today by Britannica, which is headquartered in the United States. So Encyclopaedia Britannica is a British-origin brand under American ownership.
Is Encyclopaedia Britannica still owned by Britannica?
Yes. As of 3 October 2026, Encyclopaedia Britannica is still owned by Britannica. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (1) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
- [1] About Us and Our Brands - Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Corporate Site — Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., Official document; retrieved 3 October 2026. The original address no longer opens it, so the link goes to an archived copy (original address).
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