42.3449° N, 71.0753° W

BOSTON

Most Famous People Born in Boston, United States

Notable people
3,663
Peak decade
1950s
Median birth year
1926
Most distinctive
Novelist 3.5×

America's oldest civic intelligentsia. Boston's notables are unusually concentrated in the 1700s and 1800s by American standards, and the distinctive shelves still read like a Yankee almanac — novelists, lawyers, military officers, mathematicians, and diplomats, the trades of a city where Harvard, the State House, and the Old North Church share a few square miles. The modern half tilts more conventionally toward Red Sox baseball, actors, and a deep college-bred music scene.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous figure born in Boston during each.

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1950s with 348 notable births.

What Boston Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Actor is Boston's biggest profession — 9% of all notables (314).

Boston over-indexes on novelist3.5× the global rate.

Boston under-produces football — only 0.2× the global rate.

  1. Actor314
  2. Politician312
  3. Writer149
  4. Lawyer135
  5. Baseball110
  6. Painter106
  7. Music102
  8. Football87
  1. Novelist503.5×
  2. Baseball1102.6×
  3. Officer632.6×
  4. Mathematician452.5×
  5. Lawyer1352.1×
  6. Music1021.9×
  7. Diplomat371.7×
  8. Actor3141.6×
  1. Football870.2×

Profession Mix Over Time

Each band shows a profession family's share of Boston's notable births by decade. Hover the chart for the breakdown at any decade.

16501700175018001850190019502000
  • Politics & Law
  • Sports
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Science
  • Music
  • Other
All3,663
Sort By

3,663 notable people

0901 PLAYWRIGHT

Marina Keegan

1989 - 2012

Preview
0902 MUSIC

John Fields (record producer)

Born 1968

Preview
0903 BUSINESS

John Fellows Akers

1934 - 2014

Preview
0904 MATHEMATICIAN

Joseph Lovering

1813 - 1892

Preview
0905 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

David Waltz

1943 - 2012

Preview
0906 MUSIC

Josh Roseman

Born 1972

Preview
0907 ACTOR

Laura Duke Condominas

Born 1951

Preview
0908 WRITER

Adeline Dutton Train Whitney

1824 - 1906

Preview
0909 PRINTER

Ann Smith Franklin

1696 - 1763

Preview
0910 POLITICIAN

Robert W. Upton

1884 - 1972

Preview
0911 BOTANIST

William Dallimore

1871 - 1959

Preview
0912 PIANIST

Pete Levin

Born 1942

Preview
0913 JOURNALIST

Clarence W. Barron

1855 - 1928

Preview
0914 WRITER

Wilmar H. Shiras

1908 - 1990

Preview
0915 OLYMPIC

Timothy Shriver

Born 1959

Preview
0916 RADIO

John Loftus (author)

Born 1950

Preview
0917 PAINTER

Perle Fine

1905 - 1988

Preview
0918 HOCKEY

Michael Ryan (ice hockey)

Born 1980

Preview
0919 LYRICIST

Samuel Francis Smith

1808 - 1895

Preview
0920 POLITICIAN

Benjamin Gorham

1775 - 1855

Preview
0921 ECONOMIST

George Loewenstein

Born 1955

Preview
0922 DIVER

David Browning

1931 - 1956

Preview
0923 MUSIC

Joe Chiccarelli

-

Preview
0924 PAINTER

May Stevens

1924 - 2019

Preview
0925 SINGER

Donna Loren

Born 1947

Preview
0926 ARTIST

Tom Jennings

Born 1955

Preview
0927 PAINTER

Henry Pelham (engraver)

1749 - 1806

Preview
0928 ACTOR

Priscilla Morrill

1927 - 1994

Preview
0929 BASKET

Michelle Edwards (basketball)

Born 1966

Preview
0930 PRIEST

Daniel Anthony Cronin

Born 1927

Preview
0931 PLAYWRIGHT

Mary Shaw (actress)

1854 - 1929

Preview
0932 HOCKEY

John P. Riley Jr.

1920 - 2016

Preview
0933 PHYSICIAN

Henry Bryant (naturalist)

1820 - 1867

Preview
0934 ARTIST

Zander Cannon

Born 1972

Preview
0935 ENTOMOLOGIST

Vincent Dethier

1915 - 1993

Preview
0936 PRELATE

John Michael D'Arcy

1932 - 2013

Preview
0937 PLAYER

Nathaniel Niles (figure skater)

1886 - 1932

Preview
0938 RESEARCH

Walter Bender

Born 1956

Preview
0939 PAINTER

R. H. Quaytman

Born 1961

Preview
0940 JOURNALIST

Mark Greif

Born 1975

Preview
0941 MUSIC

Billy Yule

Born 1954

Preview
0942 WRITER

John R. Tunis

1889 - 1975

Preview
0943 ACTOR

Richard Frank (actor)

1953 - 1995

Preview
0944 BASEBALL

Mark Bellhorn

Born 1974

Preview
0945 MOUNTAINEER

Ken Noguchi

Born 1973

Preview
0946 MATHEMATICIAN

Jonathan Lazare Alperin

Born 1937

Preview
0947 TRANSLATOR

Isabel Florence Hapgood

1851 - 1928

Preview
0948 PRIEST

John Bernard Fitzpatrick

1812 - 1866

Preview
0949 SCREENWRITER

Lou Breslow

1900 - 1987

Preview
0950 AUTHOR

Dick Sudhalter

1938 - 2008

Preview
0951 BOTANIST

William Tufts Brigham

1841 - 1926

Preview
0952 ENTREPRENEUR

William Rosenberg

1916 - 2002

Preview
0953 FOOTBALL

Jack Concannon

1943 - 2005

Preview
0954 BASKET

Wayne Turner (basketball)

Born 1976

Preview
0955 ACTOR

Frank Renzulli

Born 1958

Preview
0956 PHILOSOPHER

Robert F. Almeder

Born 1939

Preview
0957 RAPPER

Big Shug

-

Preview
0958 ATHLETIC

Bill Holland (sprinter)

1874 - 1930

Preview
0959 POLITICIAN

James A. Burke (Massachusetts politician)

1910 - 1983

Preview
0960 METEOROLOGIST

Abbott Lawrence Rotch

1861 - 1912

Preview
0961 ACTOR

Jenna J Ross

Born 1988

Preview
0962 BASKET

Russ Lee

Born 1950

Preview
0963 BALLET

Damian Woetzel

Born 1967

Preview
0964 FOOTBALL

Karl-Alfred Jacobsson

1926 - 2015

Preview
0965 ACTOR

Hayes Gordon

1920 - 1999

Preview
0966 COMPOSER

Eliot Daniel

1908 - 1997

Preview
0967 COMPOSER

Richard Storrs Willis

1819 - 1900

Preview
0968 SURGEON

John Homans

1877 - 1954

Preview
0969 POET

Helene Johnson

1906 - 1995

Preview
0970 MUSIC

Jack Lesberg

1920 - 2005

Preview
0971 ECONOMIST

Paul Rubin

Born 1942

Preview
0972 LAWYER

Thomas D. Eliot

1808 - 1870

Preview
0973 POLITICIAN

Edward M. Kennedy Jr.

Born 1961

Preview
0974 PAINTER

James Frothingham

1786 - 1864

Preview
0975 MUSIC

Toots Mondello

1911 - 1992

Preview
0976 POLITICIAN

William Dummer

1677 - 1761

Preview
0977 PAINTER

De Scott Evans

1847 - 1898

Preview
0978 MARTIAL ART

John Howard (fighter)

Born 1983

Preview
0979 PROFESSOR

Robert Cover

1943 - 1986

Preview
0980 PHOTOGRAPHER

Al Vandenberg

1932 - 2012

Preview
0981 OFFICER

Bing West

Born 1940

Preview
0982 BOXER

Peter McNeeley

Born 1968

Preview
0983 EDITOR

Maturin Murray Ballou

1820 - 1895

Preview
0984 PHYSICIST

Yaneer Bar-Yam

Born 1959

Preview
0985 LAWYER

John Patrick Higgins

1893 - 1955

Preview
0986 COMPOSER

Frank Silver

1892 - 1960

Preview
0987 PAINTER

Joseph Badger

1707 - 1765

Preview
0988 ACTOR

Amy Hunter

Born 1966

Preview
0989 LAWYER

Samuel Sewall (congressman)

1757 - 1814

Preview
0990 ENGINEER

Brian Fox (computer programmer)

Born 1959

Preview
0991 POET

Frederick Goddard Tuckerman

1821 - 1873

Preview
0992 AUTHOR

Arthur Cheney Train

1875 - 1945

Preview
0993 PSYCHIATRIST

Hyman Spotnitz

1908 - 2008

Preview
0994 PLAYER

Teryn Ashley

Born 1978

Preview
0995 COMPOSER

Nat Ayer

1887 - 1952

Preview
0996 ACTOR

Patricia Avery

1902 - 1973

Preview
0997 PSYCHIATRIST

Elmer Ernest Southard

1876 - 1920

Preview
0998 PHILOSOPHER

Burton Dreben

1927 - 1999

Preview
0999 COLLECTOR

William Sturgis Bigelow

1850 - 1926

Preview
1000 BASKET

Bruce Brown Jr.

Born 1996

Preview
1001 LAWYER

Ezekiel Bacon

1776 - 1870

Preview
1002 SCULPTOR

Douglas Abdell

Born 1947

Preview
1003 LAWYER

John A. Rizzo

Born 1948

Preview
1004 AUTHOR

Austin Abbott

1831 - 1896

Preview
1005 CLARINET

Charlie Holmes

1910 - 1985

Preview
1006 PAINTER

Philip Leslie Hale

1865 - 1931

Preview
1007 NOVELIST

Eleanor Taylor Bland

1944 - 2010

Preview
1008 PRIEST

Joseph Francis Maguire

1919 - 2014

Preview
1009 POLITICIAN

Andrew James Peters

1872 - 1938

Preview
1010 PALAEONTOLOGIST

Frank M. Carpenter

1902 - 1994

Preview
1011 WRITER

Ben Benson

1915 - 1959

Preview
1012 BUSINESS

Willard Rockwell

1888 - 1978

Preview
1013 FEMINIST

Maud Wood Park

1871 - 1955

Preview
1014 BIOLOGIST

Marcella Boveri

1863 - 1950

Preview
1015 PHYSICIAN

Jonathan Mann (WHO official)

1947 - 1998

Preview
1016 PAINTER

John Neagle

1796 - 1865

Preview
1017 HOCKEY

Brian Noonan

Born 1965

Preview
1018 MILITAR

John L. Gardner (brigadier general)

1793 - 1869

Preview
1019 PRODUCER

Clinton Sparks

Born 1979

Preview
1020 FENCER

Eli Dershwitz

Born 1995

Preview
1021 POLITICIAN

Kevin White (politician)

1929 - 2012

Preview
1022 ACTOR

Curt Conway

1915 - 1974

Preview
1023 AUTHOR

John Oliver Hobbes

1867 - 1906

Preview
1024 HOCKEY

Jim Fahey

Born 1979

Preview
1025 PAINTER

Lucia Fairchild Fuller

1872 - 1924

Preview
1026 ACTOR

Leif Tilden

Born 1964

Preview
1027 SINGER

Roger Miller (rock musician)

-

Preview
1028 ACTOR

Kate Collins (actress)

Born 1958

Preview
1029 BASEBALL

Frank Keaney

1886 - 1967

Preview
1030 BIOCHEMIST

Christopher T. Walsh

Born 1944

Preview
1031 WRITER

Hilbert Schenck

1926 - 2013

Preview
1032 PAINTER

Jane Stuart

1812 - 1888

Preview
1033 LATINIST

Brooks Otis

1908 - 1977

Preview
1034 ACTOR

Linda Watkins

1908 - 1976

Preview
1035 ACTOR

Joseph W. Smiley

1870 - 1945

Preview
1036 HOCKEY

John Torchetti

Born 1964

Preview
1037 BANK

Daniel Tarullo

Born 1952

Preview
1038 BASKET

Jonathan Kale

Born 1985

Preview
1039 ECONOMIST

Charles Horioka

Born 1956

Preview
1040 COMEDIAN

Norm Crosby

1927 - 2020

Preview
1041 POLITICIAN

James A. Gallivan

1866 - 1928

Preview
1042 COMICS

Hillary Chute

Born 1976

Preview
1043 EDITOR

Joseph Dennie

1768 - 1812

Preview
1044 ACTOR

Evelyn Ellis

1894 - 1958

Preview
1045 ACADEMIC

W. Tecumseh Fitch

Born 1963

Preview
1046 HOCKEY

Paul Stanton

Born 1967

Preview
1047 HISTORIAN

Robert Potash

1921 - 2016

Preview
1048 NOVELIST

William Barton (writer)

Born 1950

Preview
1049 OPERA

Charles R. Adams

1834 - 1900

Preview
1050 NOVELIST

Hannah Tinti

Born 1972

Preview
1051 RIDER

Karen Stives

1950 - 2015

Preview
1052 PIANIST

George Li

Born 1995

Preview
1053 ACTOR

Harry Einstein

1904 - 1958

Preview
1054 POLITICIAN

Joseph H. Walker

1829 - 1907

Preview
1055 ACTOR

June Kenney

Born 1933

Preview
1056 POLITICIAN

Edward Burnett

1849 - 1925

Preview
1057 BOTANIST

Bernice Giduz Schubert

1913 - 2000

Preview
1058 JUDGE

Jonathan Belcher (jurist)

1710 - 1776

Preview
1059 PLAYER

Erika deLone

Born 1972

Preview
1060 MATHEMATICIAN

Hugo Rossi

Born 1935

Preview
1061 OFFICER

George D. Murray

1889 - 1956

Preview
1062 POET

Lewis Hyde

Born 1945

Preview
1063 POET

William Braithwaite

1878 - 1962

Preview
1064 JOURNALIST

Arwa Damon

Born 1977

Preview
1065 MUSIC

Susie Abromeit

Born 1982

Preview
1066 POLITICIAN

Samuel H. Walley

1805 - 1877

Preview
1067 POLITICIAN

William Parmenter

1789 - 1866

Preview
1068 PAEDIATRICIAN

David G. Nathan

Born 1929

Preview
1069 WRITER

Hannah Mather Crocker

1752 - 1829

Preview
1070 WRITER

Henry Whitney Bellows

1814 - 1882

Preview
1071 MATHEMATICIAN

Bryna Kra

Born 1966

Preview
1072 WRITER

Rob Morris (Freemason)

1818 - 1888

Preview
1073 PHYSICIAN

George Adams Leland

1850 - 1924

Preview
1074 ACTOR

Paris Themmen

Born 1959

Preview
1075 SONGWRITER

George W. Meyer

1884 - 1959

Preview
1076 PHOTOGRAPHER

Eugene de Salignac

1861 - 1943

Preview
1077 ACADEMIC

Sarmila Bose

Born 1959

Preview
1078 AUTHOR

Jennifer Steil

Born 1968

Preview
1079 HOCKEY

Vic Heyliger

1912 - 2006

Preview
1080 COMPOSER

Harvey Cohen

1951 - 2007

Preview
1081 ACTOR

Clayton Nemrow

Born 1965

Preview
1082 FILM

Herbert L. Strock

1918 - 2005

Preview
1083 SONGWRITER

Billy Hill (songwriter)

1899 - 1940

Preview
1084 SINGER

Meredith D'Ambrosio

Born 1941

Preview
1085 SINGER

Amanda Shaw

Born 1990

Preview
1086 FOOTBALL

Bobby Walden

1938 - 2018

Preview
1087 RAPPER

Cousin Stizz

Born 1992

Preview
1088 PHOTOGRAPHER

Marie Cosindas

1925 - 2017

Preview
1089 ACTOR

Edward Loomis Davenport

1816 - 1877

Preview
1090 HISTORIAN

Arthur Waldron

Born 1948

Preview
1091 OFFICER

William H. Blanchard

1916 - 1966

Preview
1092 PHOTOGRAPHER

Sarah J. Eddy

1851 - 1945

Preview
1093 PAINTER

Miriam Davenport

1915 - 1999

Preview
1094 POLITICIAN

Selwyn Z. Bowman

1840 - 1928

Preview
1095 LINGUIST

George Martin Lane

1823 - 1897

Preview
1096 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Harry L. Shapiro

1902 - 1990

Preview
1097 POLITICIAN

J. Wiley Edmands

1809 - 1877

Preview
1098 SNOWBOARD

Jonathan Cheever

Born 1985

Preview
1099 ACTOR

Christopher Randolph

Born 1959

Preview
1100 POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Harry Harding (political scientist)

Born 1946

Preview
1101 FILM

James Herbert (director)

Born 1938

Preview
1102 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Charles Pickering Bowditch

1842 - 1921

Preview
1103 POET

Gamaliel Bradford (biographer)

1863 - 1932

Preview
1104 POET

George Cabot Lodge

1873 - 1909

Preview
1105 DIPLOMAT

Maurice Halperin

1906 - 1995

Preview
1106 CONDUCTOR

Arthur Mendel

1905 - 1979

Preview
1107 EPIDEMIOLOGIST

Joseph L. Melnick

1914 - 2001

Preview
1108 NOVELIST

Benjamin Vaughan Abbott

1830 - 1890

Preview
1109 ACTOR

Johnny Indrisano

1905 - 1968

Preview
1110 PHOTOGRAPHER

Joyce Tenneson

Born 1945

Preview
1111 ZOOLOGIST

Harold Jefferson Coolidge Jr.

1904 - 1985

Preview
1112 ACTOR

Norma Connolly

1927 - 1998

Preview
1113 HOCKEY

Mickey Roach

1895 - 1977

Preview
1114 ACTOR

Edmund MacDonald

1908 - 1951

Preview
1115 WRITER

Norma Farber

1909 - 1984

Preview
1116 ARTIST

Liz Deschenes

Born 1966

Preview
1117 MERCHANT

Edward Shippen III

1703 - 1781

Preview
1118 ACTOR

Jed Prouty

1879 - 1956

Preview
1119 POLITICIAN

Roswell Farnham

1827 - 1903

Preview
1120 SINGER

Andy Pratt (singer-songwriter)

Born 1947

Preview
1121 ARCHER

Henry B. Richardson

1889 - 1963

Preview
1122 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Alice Mossie Brues

1913 - 2007

Preview
1123 WRITER

Catherine Filene Shouse

1896 - 1994

Preview
1124 ARCHITECT

Henry Davis Sleeper

1878 - 1934

Preview
1125 PHILOSOPHER

Francis Bowen

1811 - 1890

Preview
1126 TELEVISION

Busty Heart

Born 1961

Preview
1127 WRITER

Bill Wilson (pastor)

Born 1948

Preview
1128 ENGINEER

Clemens Herschel

1842 - 1930

Preview
1129 ASTRONAUT

Stephanie Wilson

Born 1966

Preview
1130 POLITICIAN

John Andrew Sullivan

1868 - 1927

Preview
1131 MUSIC

Frances Wayne

1924 - 1978

Preview
1132 MUSICOLOGIST

David Evans (musicologist)

Born 1944

Preview
1133 HISTORIAN

Joseph R. Levenson

1920 - 1969

Preview
1134 POET

Gustaf Sobin

1935 - 2005

Preview
1135 POLITICIAN

Brian J. Donnelly

Born 1946

Preview
1136 FILM

Frederick Zollo

Born 1953

Preview
1137 MINISTER

Waitstill Sharp

1902 - 1984

Preview
1138 PRIEST

George Hamilton Pearce

1921 - 2015

Preview
1139 JOURNALIST

Martha Foley

1897 - 1977

Preview
1140 FILM

Hugh Parker Guiler

1898 - 1985

Preview
1141 GEOLOGIST

Samuel Franklin Emmons

1841 - 1911

Preview
1142 POLITICIAN

Thomas J. Geary

1854 - 1929

Preview
1143 POLITICIAN

Joseph Allen (congressman)

1749 - 1827

Preview
1144 WRITER

Dave Zeltserman

Born 1959

Preview
1145 POLITICIAN

Roger Putnam

1893 - 1972

Preview
1146 BASEBALL

Sean Gallagher (baseball)

Born 1985

Preview
1147 HISTORIAN

Arthur Marder

1910 - 1980

Preview
1148 BUSINESS

Frank McCourt (executive)

Born 1953

Preview
1149 NOVELIST

Jeanne Robinson

1948 - 2010

Preview
1150 THEOLOGIAN

Francis A. Sullivan

1922 - 2019

Preview
1151 MUSIC

Rachel Bissex

1956 - 2005

Preview
1152 GEOLOGIST

Arnold Hague

1840 - 1917

Preview
1153 POSTMASTER

Albert Vincent Casey

1920 - 2004

Preview
1154 JOURNALIST

William Worthy

1921 - 2014

Preview
1155 ANIMATOR

Claire Parker

1906 - 1981

Preview
1156 ACTIVIST

Anthony Shriver

Born 1965

Preview
1157 WRITER

Nancy Garden

1938 - 2014

Preview
1158 PRIEST

Arthur Kennedy (bishop)

Born 1942

Preview
1159 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Arthur Frothingham

1859 - 1923

Preview
1160 ACADEMIC

Helen Hobbs

Born 1952

Preview
1161 PHILOSOPHER

George Herbert Palmer

1842 - 1933

Preview
1162 HOCKEY

Richie Dunn

1957 - 2016

Preview
1163 SCREENWRITER

Candace Allen (author)

Born 1950

Preview
1164 AUTHOR

Robert Morss Lovett

1870 - 1956

Preview
1165 MUSIC

Paul Williams (journalist)

1948 - 2013

Preview
1166 LAWYER

Henry James (biographer)

1879 - 1947

Preview
1167 COSTUME DESIGNER

William Ware Theiss

1931 - 1992

Preview
1168 PAINTER

George Loring Brown

1814 - 1889

Preview
1169 BASKET

Bruce Pearl

Born 1960

Preview
1170 ACTOR

Frank Sheridan

1869 - 1943

Preview
1171 ACTOR

Danny Murphy (American actor)

1955 - 2014

Preview
1172 SWIMMER

Helen Johns (swimmer)

1914 - 2014

Preview
1173 ACADEMIC

Marland P. Billings

1902 - 1996

Preview
1174 FOOTBALL

Rolf Benirschke

Born 1955

Preview
1175 MUSIC

Bob Mover

Born 1952

Preview
1176 ACTOR

Carmen Filpi

1923 - 2003

Preview
1177 BOTANIST

Theodore Robert Dudley

1936 - 1994

Preview
1178 POLITICIAN

William W. Warren

1834 - 1880

Preview
1179 AUTHOR

William Roscoe Thayer

1859 - 1923

Preview
1180 ARCHITECT

Ogden Codman Jr.

1863 - 1951

Preview
1181 PROFESSOR

Stephen Shore (professor)

Born 1961

Preview
1182 POLITICIAN

William Gordon (New Hampshire politician)

1763 - 1802

Preview
1183 FILM

Varick Frissell

1903 - 1931

Preview
1184 MATHEMATICIAN

Maurice Heins

1915 - 2015

Preview
1185 POLITICIAN

Benjamin Thompson (politician)

1798 - 1852

Preview
1186 BUSINESS

Kaleil Isaza Tuzman

Born 1971

Preview
1187 POLITICIAN

Thomas Dawes

1731 - 1809

Preview
1188 BASKET

Medina Dixon

Born 1962

Preview
1189 POLITICIAN

Paul W. Cronin

1938 - 1997

Preview
1190 PLAYER

Caitlin Whoriskey

Born 1988

Preview
1191 POLYMATH

Scott D. Anderson

1965 - 1999

Preview
1192 POLITICIAN

Robert Bernard Hall

1812 - 1868

Preview
1193 SPORT

Sheldon Brown (bicycle mechanic)

1944 - 2008

Preview
1194 COMPOSER

Joshua Fineberg

Born 1969

Preview
1195 LAWYER

Francis Wayland III

1826 - 1904

Preview
1196 DIPLOMAT

James Bowdoin III

1752 - 1811

Preview
1197 SKATER

Sherwin Badger

1901 - 1972

Preview
1198 GOLF

Pauline Whittier

1876 - 1946

Preview
1199 PHYSICIST

Robert Shaw (physicist)

Born 1946

Preview
1200 HISTORIAN

David E. Nye

Born 1946

Preview