35.4753° N, 84.4075° W

COLUMBIA

Most Famous People Born in Columbia, United States

Notable people
556
Peak decade
1970s
Median birth year
1952
Most distinctive
Baseball 6.2×
Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1970s with 83 notable births.

What Columbia Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Columbia's biggest profession — 15% of all notables (85).

Columbia over-indexes on baseball6.2× the global rate.

Columbia under-produces writer — only 0.5× the global rate.

  1. Politician85
  2. Football80
  3. Actor39
  4. Baseball39
  5. Basket32
  6. Lawyer22
  7. Music12
  8. Singer11
  1. Baseball396.2×
  2. Basket324.6×
  3. Screenwriter62.5×
  4. Officer92.5×
  5. Lawyer222.3×
  6. Physician61.6×
  7. Music121.5×
  1. Writer90.5×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

18001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Writing
  • Science
  • Other
All556
Sort By

556 notable people

0001 MATHEMATICIAN

Norbert Wiener

1894 - 1964

Preview
0002 ACTOR

Aziz Ansari

Born 1983

Preview
0003 FILM

Stanley Donen

1924 - 2019

Preview
0004 RAPPER

Jeezy

Born 1977

Preview
0005 GUITAR

Iron & Wine

Born 1974

Preview
0006 ACTOR

Jessica Capshaw

Born 1976

Preview
0007 SINGER

Angie Stone

Born 1961

Preview
0008 NAVY

Charles Bolden

Born 1946

Preview
0009 FOOTBALL

Walter Payton

1954 - 1999

Preview
0010 ACTOR

Lee Thompson Young

1984 - 2013

Preview
0011 SCREENWRITER

Barton MacLane

1902 - 1969

Preview
0012 SINGER

Alexis Jordan

Born 1992

Preview
0013 MUSIC

Toro y Moi

Born 1986

Preview
0014 ACTOR

Mike Colter

Born 1976

Preview
0015 WRITER

Clay Shirky

Born 1964

Preview
0016 ACTOR

William Smith (actor)

Born 1933

Preview
0017 PHILOSOPHER

James Mark Baldwin

1861 - 1934

Preview
0018 ACTOR

Kelsey Chow

Born 1991

Preview
0019 BASKET

Alex English

Born 1954

Preview
0020 PRIEST

Joseph Bernardin

1928 - 1996

Preview
0021 ACTOR

Lisa Wilcox

Born 1964

Preview
0022 ACTOR

Coco Jones

Born 1998

Preview
0023 ACTOR

Carlos Pena Jr.

Born 1989

Preview
0024 ACTOR

Ann Savage

1921 - 2008

Preview
0025 SCREENWRITER

Robin Swicord

Born 1952

Preview
0026 SECRETARY

Rebecca Blank

Born 1955

Preview
0027 SCREENWRITER

Rob Benedict

Born 1970

Preview
0028 SINGER

Andrew VanWyngarden

Born 1983

Preview
0029 POLITICIAN

James Henry Hammond

1807 - 1864

Preview
0030 COMPOSER

Lucky Thompson

1924 - 2005

Preview
0031 SINGER

Bill Anderson (singer)

Born 1937

Preview
0032 BASKET

Jermaine O'Neal

Born 1978

Preview
0033 AUTHOR

J. Johnston Pettigrew

1828 - 1863

Preview
0034 BASKET

Xavier McDaniel

Born 1963

Preview
0035 ACTOR

Kortney Kane

Born 1986

Preview
0036 ACTOR

Allison Munn

Born 1974

Preview
0037 SONGWRITER

Jack Douglass

Born 1988

Preview
0038 DRIVER

Carl Edwards

Born 1979

Preview
0039 SCREENWRITER

Nick Jameson

Born 1950

Preview
0040 ACTOR

Howard Hickman

1880 - 1949

Preview
0041 BASKET

Tyler Hansbrough

Born 1985

Preview
0042 POLITICIAN

Henry McMaster

Born 1947

Preview
0043 POLITICIAN

Russ Carnahan

Born 1958

Preview
0044 COACH

Bob Bowman (coach)

Born 1964

Preview
0045 MUSIC

Dave Sitek

Born 1972

Preview
0046 BASKET

Leon Wood

Born 1962

Preview
0047 MARINE

Dakota Meyer

Born 1988

Preview
0048 JOURNALIST

Jayson Blair

Born 1976

Preview
0049 BASKET

Michael Porter Jr.

Born 1998

Preview
0050 JOURNALIST

Jake Adelstein

Born 1969

Preview
0051 POLITICIAN

Felix Zollicoffer

1812 - 1862

Preview
0052 STAGE

Lance Burton

Born 1960

Preview
0053 ENGINEER

William Bowie (engineer)

1872 - 1940

Preview
0054 ARTIST

Noelle Stevenson

Born 1991

Preview
0055 ARCHAEOLOGY

George Bass (archaeologist)

Born 1932

Preview
0056 SCREENWRITER

Simon Barrett (filmmaker)

Born 1978

Preview
0057 ESSAYIST

Walter Russell Mead

Born 1952

Preview
0058 ECONOMIST

Benjamin Anderson

1886 - 1949

Preview
0059 ACTOR

Carlos Knight

Born 1993

Preview
0060 NASCAR

Sterling Marlin

Born 1957

Preview
0061 ACTOR

Rocco Reed

Born 1982

Preview
0062 FOOTBALL

Zach Brown

Born 1989

Preview
0063 GOLF

Dustin Johnson

Born 1984

Preview
0064 BASKET

Torrey Craig

Born 1990

Preview
0065 POLITICIAN

Edward Douglass White Sr.

1795 - 1847

Preview
0066 BASKET

Tyrone Corbin

Born 1962

Preview
0067 ENTREPRENEUR

Stan Kroenke

Born 1947

Preview
0068 OFFICER

Maxcy Gregg

1814 - 1862

Preview
0069 ACTOR

Coy Stewart

Born 1998

Preview
0070 POLITICIAN

John Murphy (Alabama)

1786 - 1841

Preview
0071 BASEBALL

Anthony Alford

Born 1994

Preview
0072 THEOLOGIAN

Brevard Childs

1923 - 2007

Preview
0073 OFFICER

Graves B. Erskine

1897 - 1973

Preview
0074 FILM

Helen Hill

1970 - 2007

Preview
0075 ACTOR

Conrad Goode

Born 1962

Preview
0076 POLITICIAN

John F. Shafroth

1854 - 1922

Preview
0077 BASKET

Steve Hamilton

1935 - 1997

Preview
0078 SOLDIER

Samuel R. Watkins

1839 - 1901

Preview
0079 FILM

Josh Stolberg

Born 1971

Preview
0080 WRITER

Harry Dent

Born 1950

Preview
0081 BASKET

Lance Harris (basketball)

Born 1984

Preview
0082 FOOTBALL

Jackie Smith

Born 1940

Preview
0083 BASKET

Edgar Diddle

1895 - 1970

Preview
0084 BASEBALL

LaMarr Hoyt

Born 1955

Preview
0085 POLITICIAN

Liz J. Patterson

1939 - 2018

Preview
0086 POLITICIAN

Stephen Mallory II

1848 - 1907

Preview
0087 SPRINT

Monique Hennagan

Born 1976

Preview
0088 FOOTBALL

Peter Boulware

Born 1974

Preview
0089 BASEBALL

DeWayne Wise

Born 1978

Preview
0090 SINGER

Lo-Fang

Born 1983

Preview
0091 ACTOR

Julian Adams

-

Preview
0092 FOOTBALL

Brian Quick

Born 1989

Preview
0093 MURDER

Dylann Roof

Born 1994

Preview
0094 PRODUCER

Brett James

Born 1968

Preview
0095 PHOTOGRAPHER

Constantine Manos

Born 1934

Preview
0096 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Jack Weatherford

-

Preview
0097 LAWYER

George Lemuel Woods

1832 - 1890

Preview
0098 ACADEMIC

Randall Kennedy

Born 1954

Preview
0099 WRITER

Barbara Parker (writer)

1947 - 2009

Preview
0100 SWIMMER

Andrew Gemmell

Born 1991

Preview
0101 MODEL

Lauren Michelle Hill

Born 1979

Preview
0102 BASEBALL

Paul Clemens (baseball)

Born 1988

Preview
0103 POLITICIAN

James Philip Eagle

1837 - 1904

Preview
0104 POLITICIAN

Floyd Spence

1928 - 2001

Preview
0105 BASEBALL

Pokey Reese

Born 1973

Preview
0106 NATURALIST

Eustace Conway

Born 1961

Preview
0107 POLITICIAN

William Hawkins Polk

1815 - 1862

Preview
0108 POLITICIAN

William Rainey Marshall

1825 - 1896

Preview
0109 POLITICIAN

Scott Murphy

Born 1970

Preview
0110 SINGER

Jason Jones (musician)

Born 1978

Preview
0111 BUSINESS

Bud Walton

1921 - 1995

Preview
0112 BIOLOGIST

Tyrone Hayes

Born 1967

Preview
0113 POLITICIAN

Roger B. Wilson

Born 1948

Preview
0114 MUSIC

John William Boone

1864 - 1927

Preview
0115 PLAYWRIGHT

Flournoy Miller

1885 - 1971

Preview
0116 BASKET

P. J. Dozier

Born 1996

Preview
0117 BASKET

Travis Williams (basketball)

Born 1969

Preview
0118 FOOTBALL

Jim Dunaway

1941 - 2018

Preview
0119 POET

Terrance Hayes

Born 1971

Preview
0120 BOBSLED

Mike Kohn

Born 1972

Preview
0121 MUSIC

Susan Reed (singer)

1926 - 2010

Preview
0122 MUSIC

John Blackwell (musician)

1973 - 2017

Preview
0123 MODEL

Lynnette Cole

Born 1978

Preview
0124 BUSINESS

Bonnie McElveen-Hunter

Born 1950

Preview
0125 WRESTLER

The Patriot (wrestler)

Born 1961

Preview
0126 COMPUTER SCIENTIST

Stephanie Seneff

Born 1948

Preview
0127 BASKET

Nate Williams

Born 1950

Preview
0128 GOLF

Jeff Maggert

Born 1964

Preview
0129 TRUMPET

Webster Young

1932 - 2003

Preview
0130 PSYCHIATRIST

Merrill Moore

1903 - 1957

Preview
0131 POLITICIAN

John Chilton Burch

1826 - 1885

Preview
0132 POLITICIAN

Warren R. Davis

1793 - 1835

Preview
0133 SWIMMER

Courtney Shealy

Born 1977

Preview
0134 NOVELIST

Amelia Reynolds Long

1904 - 1978

Preview
0135 GOLF

Wesley Bryan

Born 1990

Preview
0136 COMPOSER

Charles Hunter (composer)

1876 - 1906

Preview
0137 PLAYER

Dutch Boyd

Born 1980

Preview
0138 ACTOR

David Diaan

Born 1959

Preview
0139 LAWYER

Alexander Beaufort Meek

1814 - 1865

Preview
0140 WRESTLER

J'den Cox

Born 1995

Preview
0141 BASEBALL

Blake Tekotte

Born 1987

Preview
0142 CHOREOGRAPHER

Ulysses Dove

1947 - 1996

Preview
0143 POLITICIAN

Percy Priest

1900 - 1956

Preview
0144 POLITICIAN

Frank Lane Wolford

1817 - 1895

Preview
0145 ACTOR

Amy Benedict

Born 1964

Preview
0146 LAWYER

John Finis Philips

1834 - 1919

Preview
0147 ARCHITECT

Thomas Phifer

Born 1953

Preview
0148 AEROSPACE

Apollo M. O. Smith

1911 - 1997

Preview
0149 LAWYER

Hamilton G. Ewart

1849 - 1918

Preview
0150 BOXER

Ron Stander

Born 1944

Preview
0151 PRIEST

Peter Muldoon

1862 - 1927

Preview
0152 PROFESSOR

Maurice G. Burnside

1902 - 1991

Preview
0153 FOOTBALL

Shaq Mason

Born 1993

Preview
0154 HISTORIAN

David Roediger

Born 1952

Preview
0155 FOOTBALL

Andre Roberts (American football)

Born 1988

Preview
0156 BASEBALL

Zach Neal

Born 1988

Preview
0157 HORSE TRAINER

Tom Bass (horse trainer)

1859 - 1934

Preview
0158 OFFICER

Leon W. Johnson

1904 - 1997

Preview
0159 SINGER

Jason Downs

Born 1973

Preview
0160 BASEBALL

Kirby Higbe

1915 - 1985

Preview
0161 ROWER

John Freitag

1877 - 1932

Preview
0162 CHEMIST

Joseph H. Burckhalter

1912 - 2004

Preview
0163 BASKET

Greg Whittington

Born 1993

Preview
0164 PLAYER

Anthony Gregg

Born 1986

Preview
0165 POLITICIAN

Henry Cooper (U.S. senator)

1827 - 1884

Preview
0166 POLITICIAN

Charles J. Boatner

1849 - 1903

Preview
0167 SUSPECT

Mary Reeser

1884 - 1951

Preview
0168 LAWYER

George Caldwell (politician)

1814 - 1866

Preview
0169 MODEL

Kimberly Clarice Aiken

Born 1975

Preview
0170 ACTOR

Michelle Hendley

Born 1991

Preview
0171 BASKET

Leon Benbow

Born 1950

Preview
0172 POLITICIAN

James E. Smith Jr.

Born 1967

Preview
0173 SINGER

Florence Hinkle

1885 - 1933

Preview
0174 BASKET

Torrell Martin

Born 1985

Preview
0175 ACTOR

Taylar Hender

Born 2002

Preview
0176 POLITICIAN

Lemuel P. Padgett

1855 - 1922

Preview
0177 SCHOLAR

Phil Cousineau

Born 1952

Preview
0178 JOURNALIST

Craig Melvin

Born 1979

Preview
0179 LAWYER

Isaac Roberts Hawkins

1818 - 1880

Preview
0180 FOOTBALL

Terry Long (American football)

1959 - 2005

Preview
0181 FOOTBALL

Jonathan Goodwin (American football)

Born 1978

Preview
0182 ARMY

James Argyle Smith

1831 - 1901

Preview
0183 FOOTBALL

Russell Payne (soccer)

Born 1975

Preview
0184 FOOTBALL

Brad Hopkins

Born 1970

Preview
0185 POLITICIAN

Judy Baker

Born 1960

Preview
0186 POLITICIAN

W. Fox McKeithen

1946 - 2005

Preview
0187 EQUESTRIAN

Linden Wiesman

Born 1975

Preview
0188 POLITICIAN

Rufus King Polk

1866 - 1902

Preview
0189 BASKET

Nate Davis

Born 1953

Preview
0190 ACTIVIST

Modjeska Monteith Simkins

1899 - 1992

Preview
0191 MUSIC

Ron Westray

Born 1970

Preview
0192 POLITICIAN

Max Schwabe

1905 - 1983

Preview
0193 POLITICIAN

Robert Porter Caldwell

1821 - 1885

Preview
0194 BASEBALL

Dooley Womack

Born 1939

Preview
0195 ACTOR

Scott Holroyd

Born 1975

Preview
0196 POLITICIAN

Nathaniel D. Wallace

1845 - 1894

Preview
0197 BASKET

Shaunzinski Gortman

Born 1979

Preview
0198 ACADEMIC

Edwin Bucher Williams

1891 - 1975

Preview
0199 BASEBALL

Jerry Martin (baseball)

Born 1949

Preview
0200 BANDLEADER

Snookum Russell

1913 - 1981

Preview
0201 LAWYER

Matthew J. Perry

1921 - 2011

Preview
0202 POLITICIAN

Gil Carmichael

1927 - 2016

Preview
0203 FILM

Grace Lee (director)

Born 1968

Preview
0204 THEORIST

Daniel A. Wren

Born 1932

Preview
0205 POLITICIAN

James R. Hindman

1839 - 1912

Preview
0206 DIPLOMAT

Fred Morris Dearing

1879 - 1963

Preview
0207 ACADEMIC

Nancy Dye

1947 - 2015

Preview
0208 POET

Dean Young (poet)

Born 1955

Preview
0209 POLITICIAN

Peter Singleton Wilkes

1827 - 1900

Preview
0210 BASKET

Bob Vanatta

1918 - 2016

Preview
0211 FOOTBALL

David Howard (defensive tackle)

Born 1987

Preview
0212 COMEDIAN

J. Anthony Brown

-

Preview
0213 FOOTBALL

David Treadwell

Born 1965

Preview
0214 POLITICIAN

Vi Lyles

Born 1952

Preview
0215 ACTOR

Suzanne Westenhoefer

Born 1961

Preview
0216 FOOTBALL

Ricky Sapp

Born 1986

Preview
0217 CLARINET

Burnie Peacock

1921 - 1997

Preview
0218 FOOTBALL

Clint Peay

Born 1973

Preview
0219 BASEBALL

Preston Ward

1927 - 2013

Preview
0220 TEACHER

Lyman T. Johnson

1906 - 1997

Preview
0221 OFFICER

James Alexander Williamson

1829 - 1902

Preview
0222 ACTOR

Nadia Alexander

Born 1993

Preview
0223 PAINTER

Anna Heyward Taylor

1879 - 1956

Preview
0224 POLITICIAN

John E. Thrasher

Born 1943

Preview
0225 BASEBALL

Billy Laval

1885 - 1957

Preview
0226 MILITAR

John Harlan Willis

1921 - 1945

Preview
0227 BASKET

Rolando Howell

1982 - 2016

Preview
0228 POLITICIAN

Katrina Shealy

Born 1954

Preview
0229 ACTOR

Julianne Morris

Born 1968

Preview
0230 SINGER

Puma Jones

1953 - 1990

Preview
0231 FOOTBALL

Zebrie Sanders

Born 1989

Preview
0232 ACTOR

Blake Cooper Griffin

-

Preview
0233 ARTIST

Jacolby Satterwhite

Born 1986

Preview
0234 WRESTLER

Man Mountain Mike

1940 - 1988

Preview
0235 FOOTBALL

Mike Cofer (kicker)

Born 1964

Preview
0236 FOOTBALL

Derek Phillips (footballer, born 1975)

Born 1975

Preview
0237 POLITICIAN

Neil Riser

Born 1962

Preview
0238 JOURNALIST

Howard Rusk Long

1906 - 1988

Preview
0239 BASEBALL

Terry Blocker

Born 1959

Preview
0240 SCREENWRITER

Wray Physioc

1890 - 1933

Preview
0241 POLITICIAN

Alex Wan

Born 1967

Preview
0242 TRAINER

Ryan W. Ferguson

Born 1984

Preview
0243 BASEBALL

Kip Bouknight

Born 1978

Preview
0244 SPORT

Robert Galloway (tennis)

Born 1992

Preview
0245 PRIEST

C. FitzSimons Allison

Born 1927

Preview
0246 MILITAR

Lucius M. Walker

1829 - 1863

Preview
0247 SPORT

Kris Jenkins (basketball)

Born 1993

Preview
0248 SPORT

Elizabeth Callahan

Born 1952

Preview
0249 PLAYWRIGHT

Jane Chambers

1937 - 1983

Preview
0250 LAWYER

Henry H. Kennedy Jr.

Born 1948

Preview
0251 POET

Fleda Brown

Born 1944

Preview
0252 PAINTER

Rodney McMillian

Born 1969

Preview
0253 BASEBALL

T. J. Mathews

Born 1970

Preview
0254 FILM

Peter Gerard

-

Preview
0255 POLICE

Gerald Mason

1934 - 2017

Preview
0256 LAWYER

Buddy Caldwell

Born 1946

Preview
0257 COACH

Gene Gossage

1935 - 2011

Preview
0258 LAWYER

Richard Gergel

Born 1954

Preview
0259 PLAYER

Megan Bradley

Born 1983

Preview
0260 FILM

Andrew Droz Palermo

-

Preview
0261 POLITICIAN

Carol Rasco

Born 1948

Preview
0262 SCIENTIST

William J. Abernathy

1933 - 1983

Preview
0263 COACH

Matt Wells (American football coach)

Born 1973

Preview
0264 FOOTBALL

Bobby Johnson

Born 1951

Preview
0265 CHOREOGRAPHER

Rachel Rockwell

1969 - 2018

Preview
0266 SOLDIER

Stephen Atkins Swails

1832 - 1900

Preview
0267 PASTOR

Bryant Wright

Born 1952

Preview
0268 ACTOR

Race Owen

Born 1975

Preview
0269 BASKET

LaMont McIntosh

Born 1982

Preview
0270 MUSIC

Henry Goodwin (musician)

1910 - 1979

Preview
0271 BASEBALL

Hal Jeffcoat

1924 - 2007

Preview
0272 DRIVER

Coo Coo Marlin

1932 - 2005

Preview
0273 PATENT

Henry E. Baker

1857 - 1928

Preview
0274 NOVELIST

Annie Maria Barnes

Born 1857

Preview
0275 ACTOR

Missy Crider

Born 1974

Preview
0276 DIPLOMAT

Weston Adams (diplomat)

Born 1938

Preview
0277 LAWYER

Chet D. Traylor

Born 1945

Preview
0278 WRITER

Edith O'Shaughnessy

1876 - 1939

Preview
0279 LAWYER

Frank Gaines Harris

1871 - 1944

Preview
0280 ACTOR

Mary Jane Irving

1913 - 1983

Preview
0281 FOOTBALL

Travis Jervey

Born 1972

Preview
0282 SECRETARY

Lilian Welsh

1858 - 1938

Preview
0283 POET

Ray McManus

Born 1972

Preview
0284 BEAUTY PAGEANT

Shelby Ringdahl

Born 1992

Preview
0285 JUDGE

Mary Geiger Lewis

Born 1958

Preview
0286 ARCHITECT

James Edwin Ruthven Carpenter Jr.

1867 - 1932

Preview
0287 POLITICIAN

Scott Ourth

Born 1959

Preview
0288 FOOTBALL

Claudis James

1943 - 2013

Preview
0289 FOOTBALL

Eagle Day

1932 - 2008

Preview
0290 WRITER

Sandra Seaton

-

Preview
0291 POLITICIAN

Todd Rutherford

Born 1970

Preview
0292 ATHLETIC

Airese Currie

Born 1982

Preview
0293 ACTOR

Zachary Dylan Smith

Born 1994

Preview
0294 FOOTBALL

Ricky Bell (cornerback)

1974 - 2011

Preview
0295 FOOTBALL

Greg Jones (fullback)

Born 1981

Preview
0296 FOOTBALL

Ryan Bethea

Born 1967

Preview
0297 JUDGE

Guido Norman Lieber

1837 - 1923

Preview
0298 ACTOR

Bobby Roe

Born 1978

Preview
0299 LAWYER

Kenneth Ulman

Born 1974

Preview
0300 FOOTBALL

Zack Bowman

Born 1984

Preview