39.9292° N, 75.2300° W

PHILADELPHIA

Most Famous People Born in Philadelphia, United States

Notable people
5,575
Peak decade
1940s
Median birth year
1928
Most distinctive
Baseball 6.0×

The original American capital, then the capital of nothing in particular, then a sports town. Philadelphia's notables run thick through the 18th century — lawyers, philanthropists, financiers — and then settle into a long, steady output of baseball players, basketball players, jazz bandleaders, and character actors. The city has one of the highest shares of notables in organized labor of the early 20th century and one of the deepest benches of soul singers of the late 20th.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Click a decade to filter the list below. Peak: 1940s with 556 notable births.

What Philadelphia Is Known For

Click any row to filter the list of people below.

Politician is Philadelphia's biggest profession — 9% of all notables (482).

Philadelphia over-indexes on baseball6.0× the global rate.

Philadelphia under-produces football — only 0.4× the global rate.

  1. Politician482
  2. Actor414
  3. Baseball383
  4. Basket260
  5. Football251
  6. Music206
  7. Lawyer185
  8. Singer161
  1. Baseball3836.0×
  2. Basket2603.7×
  3. Boxer723.3×
  4. Rower572.8×
  5. Music2062.6×
  6. Officer842.3×
  7. Lawyer1851.9×
  8. Film1131.6×
  1. Football2510.4×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

1700175018001850190019502000
  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Film & TV
  • Music
  • Science
  • Writing
  • Other
All5,575
Sort By

5,575 notable people

5401 CAMPAIGN

Henry Brutsche

1846 - 1880

Preview
5402 RAPPER

Niem Green

Born 1982

Preview
5403 LIEUTENANT

Charles Henry Alden

1836 - 1906

Preview
5404 ACTOR

Olive Wyndham

1886 - 1971

Preview
5405 BASEBALL

Louis Graff

1866 - 1955

Preview
5406 LAWYER

Joseph Modeste Sweeney

1920 - 2000

Preview
5407 BASEBALL

William Coon

1855 - 1915

Preview
5408 SOLDIER

Charles H. Clausen

1842 - 1922

Preview
5409 ACADEMIC

John B. Van Meter

1842 - 1930

Preview
5410 HISTORIAN

Henry S. Horn

Died 2019

Preview
5411 WRITER

Francesca Anna Canfield

1803 - 1833

Preview
5412 HORSE TRAINER

Joe Orseno

Born 1955

Preview
5413 LAWYER

I. Raymond Kremer

1921 - 1999

Preview
5414 LAWYER

Vance A. Funk III

Born 1942

Preview
5415 POLITICIAN

William Beck Sr.

Born 1934

Preview
5416 LIEUTENANT

Robert L. Ord III

Born 1940

Preview
5417 ROWING

Allen Rosenberg (rowing)

1931 - 2013

Preview
5418 BASKET

Frank E. Weiss

Born 1951

Preview
5419 BASEBALL

Alex Ferson

1866 - 1957

Preview
5420 SCULPTOR

Katherine M. Cohen

1859 - 1914

Preview
5421 APOSTOLISCHER

Edward Francis Joseph Schlotterback

1912 - 1994

Preview
5422 FOOTBALL

Mike Dennery

Born 1950

Preview
5423 INVENTOR

Arthur Donaldson

1734 - 1797

Preview
5424 POLITICIAN

William M. Clayton

1824 - 1892

Preview
5425 POLITICIAN

Frederick Taylor Pusey

1872 - 1936

Preview
5426 BASEBALL

Bert Conn

1879 - 1944

Preview
5427 POLITICIAN

William Esling

1868 - 1946

Preview
5428 LAWYER

Richard L. Fox

-

Preview
5429 BASKET

Danielle Green

Born 1986

Preview
5430 DEVELOPER

William Wainwright (land developer)

1836 - 1904

Preview
5431 FOOTBALL

Larry Sullivan (soccer)

-

Preview
5432 PRESBYTER

Charles William Nassau

1804 - 1878

Preview
5433 SINGER

Bill Ricchini

Born 1974

Preview
5434 MEDIA

Fatima Togbe

-

Preview
5435 DIPLOMAT

Curtin Winsor Jr.

Born 1939

Preview
5436 FOOTBALL

Barney Bircham

1924 - 2007

Preview
5437 FOOTBALL

John O'Hara (soccer, born 1959)

Born 1959

Preview
5438 CAMPAIGN

John E. Clopp

1845 - 1866

Preview
5439 SINGER

Jack McTamney

Born 1963

Preview
5440 FOOTBALL

Charles C. Schrader

1893 - 1967

Preview
5441 LAWYER

P. Frederick Rothermel

1850 - 1929

Preview
5442 BASKET

Daniel Stewart

Born 1992

Preview
5443 FAN

Bill Leinhauser

1893 - 1978

Preview
5444 PHYSICIST

John Howard (optical physicist)

1921 - 2015

Preview
5445 GOLF

William Smith (golfista)

-

Preview
5446 FOOTBALL

Ian Checcio

Born 1975

Preview
5447 PLAYER

Annabella Wistar

-

Preview
5448 PUBLISHER

D. Herbert Lipson

1929 - 2017

Preview
5449 SINGER

Arabella Fields

1879 - 1932

Preview
5450 LAWYER

Charles William Kraft Jr.

1903 - 2002

Preview
5451 BASEBALL

George Ewell

1850 - 1910

Preview
5452 BASEBALL

Ad Swigler

1895 - 1975

Preview
5453 OFFICER

Charles E. Colahan

1849 - 1904

Preview
5454 LAWYER

Joseph Leo McGlynn Jr.

1925 - 1999

Preview
5455 BISHOP

J. Brooke Mosley

1915 - 1988

Preview
5456 SOLDIER

Joseph Fisher (soldier)

1843 - 1903

Preview
5457 FOOTBALL

Harry Connaughton

1905 - 1969

Preview
5458 MERCHANT

Jacob R. Snyder

1812 - 1878

Preview
5459 FOOTBALL

George Thayer

1905 - 1952

Preview
5460 OFFICER

Allan C. Kelton

1846 - 1928

Preview
5461 WRITER

Ellen Giles

1874 - 1914

Preview
5462 MILITAR

John Johnson (Medal of Honor, 1839)

Born 1839

Preview
5463 SPORT

Ike Richman

1913 - 1965

Preview
5464 PRIEST

Wilson Reiff Stearly

1869 - 1941

Preview
5465 PHOTOGRAPHER

Lydia Panas

Born 1958

Preview
5466 EXECUTIVE

Howard G. Kelley

1858 - 1928

Preview
5467 MILITAR

William Jones (sailor)

Born 1831

Preview
5468 BUSINESS

Walter M. Jeffords Sr.

1883 - 1960

Preview
5469 PAINTER

Georgiana Klingle Holmes

1841 - 1940

Preview
5470 BASEBALL

Bill Peterman

1921 - 1999

Preview
5471 BASKET

Paul Wallace (basketball)

1925 - 1998

Preview
5472 SOLDIER

William E. Goodman

1838 - 1912

Preview
5473 CAMPAIGN

John B. Fassett

1843 - 1905

Preview
5474 SINGER

Princess White

1881 - 1976

Preview
5475 FOOTBALL

Akiel Smalley

Born 1984

Preview
5476 BASEBALL

Johnny Berger

1901 - 1979

Preview
5477 GUERRILLA

Renato Berardinucci

1921 - 1944

Preview
5478 ANTHROPOLOGIST

Marcus Goldstein

1906 - 1997

Preview
5479 ENGINEER

Bill Kurlish

1920 - 2000

Preview
5480 BOXER

Dan Bucceroni

1927 - 2008

Preview
5481 FOOTBALL

John Wendell (American football)

1885 - 1962

Preview
5482 HOCKEY

Raymond Marchand

1890 - 1969

Preview
5483 MILITAR

John Charles Groome (police officer)

1862 - 1930

Preview
5484 POLITICIAN

Samuel G. King

1816 - 1899

Preview
5485 BUSINESS

Zedekiah Johnson Purnell

Born 1813

Preview
5486 EXECUTIVE

Jim Kensil

1930 - 1997

Preview
5487 BISHOP

J. Michael Garrison

Born 1945

Preview
5488 BASEBALL

Bill Hughes (pitcher)

1896 - 1963

Preview
5489 COLLECTOR

Etta Wedell Mastbaum

1866 - 1953

Preview
5490 BASEBALL

Elmer Burkart

1917 - 1995

Preview
5491 FOOTBALL

Mallori Lofton-Malachi

Born 1987

Preview
5492 SPORT

Tina Sloan Green

Born 1944

Preview
5493 BASEBALL

Red Miller (baseball)

1897 - 1973

Preview
5494 MILITAR

William Weise

Born 1929

Preview
5495 BASEBALL

Harry Adams (baseball umpire)

1863 - 1941

Preview
5496 BASEBALL

Marty Walker

1899 - 1978

Preview
5497 BASEBALL

Bill Gallagher (baseball)

-

Preview
5498 SAXOPHONIST

Joey Ambrose

Born 1934

Preview
5499 INVENTOR

Kate Duval Hughes

Born 1837

Preview
5500 BASEBALL

Pat Carroll (baseball)

1853 - 1916

Preview
5501 POLITICIAN

Sarah Clotworthy Stevenson

1824 - 1885

Preview
5502 BASEBALL

John Mullen (catcher)

1856 - 1909

Preview
5503 BASEBALL

George Stutz

1893 - 1930

Preview
5504 OPERA

Mary Elizabeth Williams

Born 1977

Preview
5505 BASEBALL

Bob Gamble

1867 - 1958

Preview
5506 BASKET

Rubin Collins

Born 1953

Preview
5507 LAWYER

Edwin DeHaven Steel Jr.

1904 - 1986

Preview
5508 SPORT

Thomas Johnson (American football coach)

1917 - 2007

Preview
5509 BOXER

Gil Turner

1930 - 1996

Preview
5510 RAPPER

Hammy Down Versace

Born 1985

Preview
5511 BASEBALL

George Craig (baseball)

1887 - 1911

Preview
5512 BASEBALL

Mase Graffen

1845 - 1883

Preview
5513 BASEBALL

John Quinn (umpire)

1897 - 1968

Preview
5514 SINGER

Mike Virus

Born 1974

Preview
5515 ENGINEER

Charles Mitchell Smith Leslie

1827 - 1889

Preview
5516 BASEBALL

Hal Schwenk

1890 - 1955

Preview
5517 BUSINESS

Wilbur H. Hamilton

1909 - 1964

Preview
5518 DRUMMER

Clayton Scrivner

Born 1976

Preview
5519 ACTOR

Tommy Conlon

1917 - 2000

Preview
5520 SPORT

Harry Off

Born 1874

Preview
5521 POLITICIAN

William T. Ramsey

1873 - 1937

Preview
5522 POLITICIAN

William A. Craven

-

Preview
5523 EDUCATOR

Caroline G. Boughton

1854 - 1905

Preview
5524 BASEBALL

Charlie Hilsey

1864 - 1918

Preview
5525 POLITICIAN

Guy F. Muziani

1925 - 1988

Preview
5526 PAINTER

Hannah Tempest Jenkins

1855 - 1927

Preview
5527 SINGER

Donna Morein

-

Preview
5528 BASKET

Paul Johnson (Basketballspieler)

Born 1983

Preview
5529 POLITICIAN

James O. McManus

Born 1894

Preview
5530 BASEBALL

Adam Rocap

1854 - 1892

Preview
5531 PLAYER

Joseph Carpenter

Born 1910

Preview
5532 PUBLISHER

John Geoghegan (publisher)

1917 - 1999

Preview
5533 ACTOR

Rosemary Carr

1910 - 1987

Preview
5534 BASEBALL

Ed Haigh

1867 - 1953

Preview
5535 BASEBALL

Mark McGrillis

1872 - 1935

Preview
5536 WRITER

Rasheed Clark

Born 1975

Preview
5537 ARCHITECT

George C. Thomas junior

1873 - 1932

Preview
5538 COMPOSER

Ricci Mareno

1938 - 2008

Preview
5539 POLITICIAN

Albert Magnin

1846 - 1906

Preview
5540 BASEBALL

John Hill (baseball)

1876 - 1922

Preview
5541 BASKET

Dale Hodges

Born 1968

Preview
5542 WRITER

Jonathan Falconbridge Kelly

Born 1817

Preview
5543 ACTOR

Louella Carr

1899 - 1937

Preview
5544 BOTANIST

Charles Schäffer

1838 - 1903

Preview
5545 FOOTBALL

John Furlow

1929 - 2018

Preview
5546 POLITICIAN

John F. Byrne Sr.

1911 - 1965

Preview
5547 POLITICIAN

Mary Virginia Weber

1927 - 2016

Preview
5548 BASKET

Vincent Simpson

Born 1988

Preview
5549 SPORT

Cecil J. Toor

1895 - 1969

Preview
5550 ACTOR

Maxine Reiner

1916 - 2003

Preview
5551 LAWYER

Thomas W. Sutherland

1817 - 1859

Preview
5552 ACTOR

Maybeth Carr

1912 - 1996

Preview
5553 ACTOR

Kitty Blanchard

1847 - 1911

Preview
5554 FOOTBALL

Hoot Haines

1907 - 1968

Preview
5555 OFFICER

Martin H. Ray Jr.

1913 - 1942

Preview
5556 BASKET

Carlene Hightower

Born 1986

Preview
5557 BISHOP

Thomas A. Starkey

1819 - 1903

Preview
5558 PAINTER

Katharine Hood McCormick

1882 - 1960

Preview
5559 BISHOP

Thomas Frederick Davies Jr.

1872 - 1936

Preview
5560 PAINTER

Helen Kiner McCarthy

1884 - 1927

Preview
5561 POLITICIAN

Steven M. Petrillo

Born 1958

Preview
5562 POLITICIAN

Priscilla B. Anderson

Born 1935

Preview
5563 RACEHORSE

Stephen L. DiMauro

Born 1957

Preview
5564 POLITICIAN

Eugene Raymond III

1916 - 2014

Preview
5565 WORKER

Kate Smeed Cross

1858 - 1943

Preview
5566 POLITICIAN

Winfield S. Braddock

1848 - 1920

Preview
5567 POLITICIAN

Robert J. Meyer

1935 - 1984

Preview
5568 SPORT

Joe McCahey

1888 - 1917

Preview
5569 FOOTBALL

Frank Cephous

Born 1961

Preview
5570 POLITICIAN

Wayne O. Burkes

Born 1929

Preview
5571 BISHOP

Edward Makin Cross

1880 - 1965

Preview
5572 POLITICIAN

Miles W. Lederer

1897 - 1953

Preview
5573 BOXER

Frankie Sodano

1931 - 2015

Preview
5574 ASSEMBLY

James Gailliard

-

Preview
5575 PIANIST

John Houston (Musiker)

Born 1933

Preview