HistoryData

Famous People from United States

172 notable historical figures from United States, including leaders, artists, scientists, and other influential people.

The United States has produced 164 notable historical figures, with entertainment and politics being predominant. Film actors are the largest group with 54 individuals, followed by television actors (38), film producers (30), general actors (27), and politicians (23). This database includes contemporary stars like Dwayne Johnson and Jessica Alba, as well as established figures such as Jim Belushi and Matthew Perry. It also features athletes like basketball player Kyrie Irving, scientists such as Nobel Prize-winning astrophysicist Brian Schmidt, and authors like cyberpunk pioneer William Gibson. Unconventional personalities such as Dan Bilzerian and Sunny Leone illustrate the range of American cultural influence. These figures have contributed to entertainment, scientific advancement, and cultural trends, showcasing America's influence on international discourse across various fields.

Population of United States — view historical data & charts
film actor (37)actor (27)autobiographer (16)director (14)diplomat (8)lawyer (7)chemist (7)journalist (6)businessperson (6)diarist (6)
James Madison

James Madison

1751 – 1836

President of the United States from 1809 to 1817 (1751–1836)

diplomatlawyerphilosopherBorn March 16Wikipedia →
Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson

1743 – 1826

president of the United States from 1801 to 1809 (1743–1826)

archaeologistcryptographerpaleontologistBorn April 13Wikipedia →
Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine

1737 – 1809

American Founding Father, philosopher, and political activist (1737–1809)

entrepreneurjournalistopinion journalistBorn February 9Wikipedia →
Herbert Hoover

Herbert Hoover

1874 – 1964

president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 (1874–1964)

engineergeologistmining engineerBorn August 10Wikipedia →
Alexander Graham Bell

Alexander Graham Bell

1847 – 1922

Canadian-American scientist inventor of telephone (1847–1922)

businesspersonelectrical engineerengineerBorn March 3Wikipedia →
Woodrow Wilson

Woodrow Wilson

1856 – 1924

president of the United States from 1913 to 1921 (1856–1924)

juristpolitical scientistpoliticianBorn December 28Wikipedia →
Richard Feynman

Richard Feynman

1918 – 1988

American theoretical physicist (1918–1988)

percussionistquantum physicistscience communicatorBorn May 11Wikipedia →
Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong

1930 – 2012

American astronaut and lunar explorer (1930–2012)

astronautmilitary flight engineertest pilotBorn August 5Wikipedia →
Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman

1819 – 1892

American poet, essayist and journalist (1819–1892)

essayistjournalistnovelistBorn May 31Wikipedia →
Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant

1822 – 1885

president of the United States from 1869 to 1877

army officerexplorerpoliticianBorn April 27Wikipedia →
Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway

1899 – 1961

American author and journalist (1899–1961)

journalistnovelistplaywrightBorn July 21Wikipedia →
Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland

1837 – 1908

President of the United States (1885–89; 1893–97)

executionerlawyerpoliticianBorn March 18Wikipedia →
Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter

1924 – 2024

president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 (1924–2024)

autobiographerhumanitariannaval officerBorn October 1Wikipedia →
Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte

1927 – 2023

American singer, actor and civil rights activist (1927–2023)

actorcivil rights advocatedancerBorn March 1Wikipedia →
Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov

1920 – 1992

American writer and biochemist (1920–1992)

autobiographerbiochemistcrime fiction writerBorn January 2Wikipedia →
Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison

1943 – 1971

American singer and poet; lead vocalist of The Doors (1943–1971)

directorlyricistsingerBorn December 8Wikipedia →
Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

1929 – 1968

American Baptist minister and civil rights leader (1929–1968)

human rights defenderopinion journalistpacifistBorn January 15Wikipedia →
John F. Kennedy

John F. Kennedy

1917 – 1963

president of the United States from 1961 to 1963 (1917–1963)

anti-communistjournalistnaval officerBorn May 29Wikipedia →
Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol

1928 – 1987

American artist, film director, and producer (1928–1987)

diaristdraftspersoninstallation artistBorn August 6Wikipedia →
Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong

1901 – 1971

American jazz musician, trumpeter and singer (1901–1971)

film actorjazz musicianorchestra leaderBorn August 4Wikipedia →
Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower

1890 – 1969

president of the United States from 1953 to 1961 (1890–1969)

army officermilitary officermilitary personnelBorn October 14Wikipedia →
Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman

1884 – 1972

president of the United States from 1945 to 1953; politician (1884–1972)

businesspersondiaristjudgeBorn May 8Wikipedia →
Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

1809 – 1865

president of the United States from 1861 to 1865 (1809–1865)

farmermilitary officerpoliticianBorn February 12Wikipedia →
Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon

1913 – 1994

president of the United States from 1969 to 1974 (1913–1994)

autobiographerlawyermilitary officerBorn January 9Wikipedia →
Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt

1858 – 1919

26th President of the United States from 1901 to 1909 (1858–1919)

autobiographerconservationistdiaristBorn October 27Wikipedia →
Steve Wozniak

Steve Wozniak

1950 – Present

American computer pioneer, inventor, computer engineer and programmer; co-founder of Apple Inc.

businesspersoncomputer scientistinventorBorn August 11Wikipedia →
Jensen Huang

Jensen Huang

1963 – Present

American entrepreneur and businessman; founder and CEO of Nvidia

businesspersoncomputer scientistelectrical engineerBorn February 17Wikipedia →
Stevie Wonder

Stevie Wonder

1950 – Present

American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, composer and record producer (born 1950)

composerdrummermusic arrangerBorn May 13Wikipedia →
Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks

1956 – Present

American actor and film producer (born 1956)

actorcharacter actorcomedianBorn July 9Wikipedia →
Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson

1956 – Present

American actor, director, producer and screenwriter (born 1956)

actordirectorfilm actorBorn January 3Wikipedia →
Barack Obama

Barack Obama

1961 – Present

president of the United States from 2009 to 2017 (born 1961)

academiccommunity organizermemoiristBorn August 4Wikipedia →
Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart

1941 – Present

American businesswoman, writer, TV personality (born 1941)

bloggerinterior designerjournalistBorn August 3Wikipedia →
Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro

1943 – Present

American actor, director and producer (born 1943)

directorfilm actorfilm screenwriterBorn August 17Wikipedia →
William Gibson

William Gibson

1948 – Present

American-Canadian speculative fiction writer

film actorfilm screenwriterprose writerBorn March 17Wikipedia →
Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson

1964 – Present

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022

journalistpoliticianBorn June 19Wikipedia →
James Monroe

James Monroe

1758 – 1831

president of the United States from 1817 to 1825 (1758–1831)

diplomatfarmerlawyerBorn April 28Wikipedia →
George W. Bush

George W. Bush

1946 – Present

President of the United States from 2001 to 2009

autobiographerfinanciermotivational speakerBorn July 6Wikipedia →
George H. W. Bush

George H. W. Bush

1924 – 2018

president of the United States from 1989 to 1993 (1924–2018)

aircraft pilotautobiographerbaseball playerBorn June 12Wikipedia →
Judy Garland

Judy Garland

1922 – 1969

American actress, singer, dancer and vaudevillian (1922–1969)

film actorradio personalitystage actorBorn June 10Wikipedia →
Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

1911 – 2004

president of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and actor (1911–2004)

anti-communistdiaristfilm actorBorn February 6Wikipedia →
Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe

1926 – 1962

American actress and model (1926–1962)

autobiographerfashion modelfilm actorBorn June 1Wikipedia →
Walt Disney

Walt Disney

1901 – 1966

American animator, producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor and entrepreneur, founder of The Walt Disney Company (1901–1966)

caricaturistdesignerfilm actorBorn December 5Wikipedia →
Robin Williams

Robin Williams

1951 – 2014

American actor and comedian (1951–2014)

audiobook narratorfilm actorfilm producerBorn July 21Wikipedia →
Calvin Coolidge

Calvin Coolidge

1872 – 1933

president of the United States from 1923 to 1929

autobiographerlawyerpoliticianBorn July 4Wikipedia →
William Howard Taft

William Howard Taft

1857 – 1930

27th President of the United States from 1909 to 1913 (1857–1930)

pedagoguepoliticianprosecutorBorn September 15Wikipedia →

Bill Gates

1955 – Present

American businessman, investor, and philanthropist (born 1955)

computer scientistentrepreneurinvestorBorn October 28Wikipedia →
Lyndon B. Johnson

Lyndon B. Johnson

1908 – 1973

president of the United States from 1963 to 1969 (1908–1973)

husbandry workerpoliticianstatespersonBorn August 27Wikipedia →
Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs

1955 – 2011

American entrepreneur; co-founder of Apple Inc. (1955–2011)

designerexecutive producerfilm producerBorn February 24Wikipedia →
Nicolaas Bloembergen

Nicolaas Bloembergen

1920 – 2017

Dutch-born American physicist

physicisttheoretical physicistuniversity teacherBorn March 11Wikipedia →
Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez

1975 – Present

American former professional baseball player and baseball broadcasters

baseball commentatorbaseball playerBorn July 27Wikipedia →
George Washington

George Washington

1732 – 1799

Founding Father and first U.S. president; soldier and slave owner (1732–1799)

army officercartographergeometerBorn February 22Wikipedia →
Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock

1964 – Present

American actress and film producer

film actorfilm directorfilm producerBorn July 26Wikipedia →
George Clooney

George Clooney

1961 – Present

American-French actor and filmmaker (born 1961)

directorfilm actormanufacturerBorn May 6Wikipedia →
Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie

1975 – Present

American actress, humanitarian and filmmaker (born 1975)

actormodelphilanthropistBorn June 4Wikipedia →
Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez

1992 – Present

American singer and actress (born 1992)

child actorfashion designerfilmmakerBorn July 22Wikipedia →
Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson

1972 – Present

American actor and professional wrestler (born 1972)

American football playerCanadian football playerfilm actorBorn May 2Wikipedia →
Sunny Leone

Sunny Leone

1981 – Present

American-Canadian actress, model and former pornographic actress

dancerfilm actormodelBorn May 13Wikipedia →
Helen Keller

Helen Keller

1880 – 1968

American deafblind author, political activist, lecturer, scholar (1880-1968)

autobiographerlinguistoratorBorn June 27Wikipedia →
Zohran Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani

1991 – Present

American politician and Mayor of New York City since 2026

housing counselorpoliticianrapperBorn October 18Wikipedia →
Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

1946 – Present

President of the United States from 1993 to 2001 (born 1946)

autobiographerdiplomatjuristBorn August 19Wikipedia →
Gerald Ford

Gerald Ford

1913 – 2006

president of the United States from 1974 to 1977 (1913–2006)

American football playerautobiographergridiron football playerBorn July 14Wikipedia →
Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg

1984 – Present

American Internet entrepreneur

chief executive officerentrepreneurpatron of the artsBorn May 14Wikipedia →
Donald Trump

Donald Trump

1946 – Present

President of the United States (2017–2021; since 2025)

business magnatefilm producergame show hostBorn June 14Wikipedia →
Gus Van Sant

Gus Van Sant

1952 – Present

American film director, producer, photographer and musician (born 1952)

film actorfilm directorfilm editorBorn July 24Wikipedia →
Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt

1882 – 1945

president of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1882–1945)

Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden

1983 – Present

American whistleblower and former NSA contractor (born 1983)

dissidentintelligence analystintelligence officerBorn June 21Wikipedia →
Michael Ansara

Michael Ansara

1922 – 2013

American stage, screen, and voice actor (1922–2013)

actorfilm actorstage actorBorn April 15Wikipedia →
Daina Taimiņa

Daina Taimiņa

1954 – Present

American mathematician of Latvian origin (born 1954)

mathematicianscience communicatortopologistBorn August 19Wikipedia →

Related Data

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common professions among famous Americans?
The entertainment industry is prevalent among notable Americans, with 54 being film actors and 38 television actors. Other top categories include 30 film producers, 27 general actors, and 23 politicians.
Which famous actors from the United States have also worked as producers?
Many American entertainers have multiple roles in Hollywood. Jessica Alba and Dwayne Johnson are examples of actors who are also successful film producers. There are 30 notable Americans who work as film producers, often alongside their acting careers.
Are there any famous athletes from the United States in entertainment?
Yes, basketball star Kyrie Irving is one example of the crossover between sports and entertainment. Athletes like Dwayne Johnson have transitioned from sports careers into acting and film production.