Brian and Stewie Griffin

Family Guy is an American animated comedy multimedia franchise originally conceived and created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company, primarily based on the animated series Family Guy (1999–present), its spin-off series The Cleveland Show (2009–2013), and the film Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005), based on his 1995–1997 thesis films The Life of Larry and Larry & Steve.

Set in the fictional towns of Quahog, Rhode Island, and Stoolbend, Virginia, the show exhibits much of its humor in the form of metafiction cutaway gags often lampooning American culture. The following is an abridged list of characters consisting of the starring families (Griffin; ) and supporting characters from all three. Characters are only listed once, normally under the first applicable subsection in the list; very minor characters are listed with a more regular character with whom they are associated.

Peter Löwenbräu Griffin Sr. (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) is the boisterous patriarch of the Griffin family and the titular "family guy" of the series. A 45-year-old Irish-American of blue-collar stock, he works at the Pawtucket Brewery and is most often portrayed as an obese, dim-witted, lazy yet energetic, outspoken, immature, and endearingly eccentric alcoholic whose antics drive much of the show's chaotic humor.

Lois Patrice Griffin (née Pewterschmidt), (voiced by Alex Borstein) is the volatile matriarch of the Griffin family and wife of Peter Griffin, serving as the mother of Meg, Chris, and Stewie. Born into the wealthy Pewterschmidt family, Lois rebelled against her privileged upbringing by marrying Peter, much to her father Carter’s disapproval. A 43-year-old housewife and former piano teacher, Lois is typically portrayed as warm, nurturing, sharp-witted, and the family’s voice of reason, but she sometimes displays moral ambiguity, impulsive behavior, hot-headedness, emotional detachment and a darker edge that can out rival Peter’s recklessness. Despite her outwardly composed demeanor, she has shown a taste for sadomasochism, gambling, and kleptomania, and has admitted to occasional bisexual experiences. Over the series, Lois has also been depicted pursuing various careers and hobbies—including theatre director, flight attendant, school board, modeling, church organist, teacher, professional boxing, journalism, and politics (former mayor of Quahog)—and holds a black belt in Taijutsu. Her relationships with her children, particularly Meg, oscillate between affection and coldness, underscoring her complex, satirical role as both caregiver and enabler within the show’s dysfunctional dynamic.