Global Leaderboard 100 in view

Most Famous People from New Zealand

All 152,953
New Zealand 700
634 ER Ernest Rutherford Ernest Rutherford New Zealand Scientist 1871–1937
656 PJ Peter Jackson New Zealand Film b. 1961
1,129 EH Edmund Hillary Edmund Hillary New Zealand Mountaineer 1919–2008
2,173 L Lorde Lorde New Zealand Singer b. 1996
2,273 LL Lucy Lawless Lucy Lawless New Zealand Actor b. 1968
2,486 SN Sam Neill Sam Neill New Zealand Actor b. 1947
6,081 ML Melanie Lynskey Melanie Lynskey New Zealand Actor b. 1977
6,777 KT Kiri Te Kanawa Kiri Te Kanawa New Zealand Opera b. 1944
6,806 TW Taika Waititi Taika Waititi New Zealand Actor b. 1975
7,251 JC Jemaine Clement Jemaine Clement New Zealand Comedian b. 1974
8,363 MW Maurice Wilkins Maurice Wilkins New Zealand Physicist 1916–2004
9,578 MC Marton Csokas Marton Csokas New Zealand Actor b. 1966
9,865 HC Helen Clark Helen Clark New Zealand Politician b. 1950
10,169 HW Hayley Westenra Hayley Westenra New Zealand Singer b. 1987
10,176 KC Keisha Castle-Hughes Keisha Castle-Hughes New Zealand Actor b. 1990
10,907 CC Cliff Curtis Cliff Curtis New Zealand Actor b. 1968
11,455 ZB Zoë Bell Zoë Bell New Zealand Actor b. 1978
11,831 MC Martin Campbell Martin Campbell New Zealand Film b. 1943
12,567 K Kimbra New Zealand Singer b. 1990
13,807 AN Andrew Niccol Andrew Niccol New Zealand Screenwriter b. 1964
13,828 AD Alan Dale Alan Dale New Zealand Actor b. 1947
13,944 JM John Money John Money New Zealand Psychologist 1921–2006
13,998 RH Rachel Hunter Rachel Hunter New Zealand Actor b. 1969
17,992 NF Neil Finn Neil Finn New Zealand Music b. 1958
18,695 TB Tim Bevan Tim Bevan New Zealand Film b. 1958
20,987 PS Peter Snell Peter Snell New Zealand Runner 1938–2019
23,380 DL David Lange David Lange New Zealand Politician 1942–2005
25,166 CP Craig Parker Craig Parker New Zealand Actor b. 1970
27,417 CA Chris Amon Chris Amon New Zealand Driver 1943–2016
29,471 DC Dan Carter Dan Carter New Zealand Player b. 1982
29,531 RM Richie McCaw Richie McCaw New Zealand Player b. 1980
33,273 RO Rena Owen Rena Owen New Zealand Actor b. 1962
34,786 KH Keith Holyoake Keith Holyoake New Zealand Politician 1904–1983
34,806 RG Rebecca Gibney Rebecca Gibney New Zealand Actor b. 1964
35,978 FW Frank Worsley Frank Worsley New Zealand Explorer 1872–1943
37,177 MM Margaret Mahy Margaret Mahy New Zealand Writer 1936–2012
38,144 DH Denny Hulme Denny Hulme New Zealand Driver 1936–1992
38,334 MJ Michael Joseph Savage Michael Joseph Savage New Zealand Politician 1872–1940
38,947 JW John Walker (runner) John Walker (runner) New Zealand Runner b. 1952
40,020 RS Ronald Syme Ronald Syme New Zealand Historian 1903–1989
40,367 BM Burt Munro New Zealand Racer 1899–1978
42,597 WP William Phillips (economist) William Phillips (economist) New Zealand Economist 1914–1975
43,948 LM Lawrence Makoare Lawrence Makoare New Zealand Actor b. 1968
45,359 JL Jack Lovelock Jack Lovelock New Zealand Athlete 1910–1949
45,988 AJ Aaron Jeffery Aaron Jeffery New Zealand Actor b. 1970
47,534 MW Marilyn Waring Marilyn Waring New Zealand Politician b. 1952
49,287 MT Mark Todd (equestrian) Mark Todd (equestrian) New Zealand Jockey b. 1956
49,639 KP Keith Park Keith Park New Zealand Army 1892–1975
50,525 VW Vincent Ward (director) Vincent Ward (director) New Zealand Film b. 1956
53,669 AP Arthur Porritt (Baron Porritt) Arthur Porritt (Baron Porritt) New Zealand Olympic 1900–1994
53,876 NK Norman Kirk Norman Kirk New Zealand Politician 1923–1974
53,947 RK Roy Kerr New Zealand Mathematician b. 1934
55,869 NW Nick Willis New Zealand Runner b. 1983
58,150 EM Eliza McCartney Eliza McCartney New Zealand Athletic b. 1996
58,468 JB Jack Bauer (cyclist) Jack Bauer (cyclist) New Zealand Sport b. 1985
61,438 ĀN Āpirana Ngata Āpirana Ngata New Zealand Politician 1874–1950
62,024 RP Richard Pearse Richard Pearse New Zealand Inventor 1877–1953
62,387 PF Peter Fraser Peter Fraser New Zealand Politician 1884–1950
62,436 WM William Massey New Zealand Politician 1856–1925
63,998 ND Nyree Dawn Porter New Zealand Actor 1936–2001
66,816 MH Murray Halberg Murray Halberg New Zealand Runner b. 1933
69,345 MH Mark Hadlow Mark Hadlow New Zealand Actor b. 1957
72,828 RT Ryan Thomas (footballer) Ryan Thomas (footballer) New Zealand Football b. 1994
73,492 BC Bob Charles (golfer) Bob Charles (golfer) New Zealand Golf b. 1936
74,018 SH Sidney Holland Sidney Holland New Zealand Politician 1893–1961
74,745 MC Michael Campbell New Zealand Golf b. 1969
74,889 FA Fleur Adcock New Zealand Poet b. 1934
75,116 TW Tomas Walsh Tomas Walsh New Zealand Shot Putter b. 1992
75,414 JG Jake Gleeson New Zealand Football b. 1990
76,837 BE Bill English Bill English New Zealand Politician b. 1961
76,856 WC Whina Cooper Whina Cooper New Zealand Teacher 1895–1994
77,600 RJ Rupert Julian Rupert Julian New Zealand Actor 1879–1943
80,363 JK Jerome Kaino Jerome Kaino New Zealand Player b. 1983
80,882 MM Mils Muliaina Mils Muliaina New Zealand Player b. 1980
85,773 TR Te Rangi Hīroa Te Rangi Hīroa New Zealand Physician 1880–1951
85,917 CM Connan Mockasin Connan Mockasin New Zealand Music
87,161 JC Jerry Collins New Zealand Player 1980–2015
89,409 MC Martin Crowe Martin Crowe New Zealand Cricket 1962–2016
91,262 PK Phil Keoghan Phil Keoghan New Zealand Creator b. 1967
92,445 GC Gordon Coates Gordon Coates New Zealand Politician 1878–1943
92,498 RA Rewi Alley New Zealand Poet 1897–1987
92,824 ZB Zinzan Brooke New Zealand Player b. 1965
94,621 BS Ben Sigmund New Zealand Football b. 1981
95,422 MI Mark Inglis Mark Inglis New Zealand Mountaineer b. 1959
95,588 HH Hongi Hika Hongi Hika New Zealand Chef De Guerre 1772–1828
98,116 TL Tony Lochhead New Zealand Football b. 1982
99,671 HA Harry Atkinson Harry Atkinson New Zealand Politician 1831–1892
99,821 LM Luke McAlister Luke McAlister New Zealand Player b. 1983
100,183 WB Walter Buller Walter Buller New Zealand Ornithologist 1838–1906
102,773 TA Te Atairangikaahu Te Atairangikaahu New Zealand Queen 1931–2006
105,411 JS Jesse Sergent Jesse Sergent New Zealand Cyclist b. 1988
110,226 PO Pat O'Connor (wrestler) Pat O'Connor (wrestler) New Zealand Wrestler 1924–1990
110,703 PW Portia Woodman Portia Woodman New Zealand Player b. 1991
113,647 HH Hōne Heke Hōne Heke New Zealand Chef De Guerre 1807–1850
113,721 HR Hayden Roulston Hayden Roulston New Zealand Cyclist b. 1981
114,039 JR Joe Rokocoko Joe Rokocoko New Zealand Player b. 1983
119,174 SA Sylvia Ashton-Warner New Zealand Poet 1908–1984
120,814 GF George Forbes (New Zealand politician) George Forbes (New Zealand politician) New Zealand Politician 1869–1947
123,793 RS Robert Stout New Zealand Lawyer 1844–1930
124,481 JB Jed Brophy Jed Brophy New Zealand Actor b. 1963
See all 152,953 rankings →

Ranked by cross-verified academic notability — how it works

By the numbers

Inside New Zealand

700 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

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

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births in New Zealand peaked in the 1980s with 57 people.

What New Zealand Is Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Sports is New Zealand's biggest group — 37% of all notables (262).

New Zealand over-indexes on sports — 1.7× the global rate.

New Zealand under-produces religion — only 0.3× the global rate.

  1. Sports262
  2. Politics & Law132
  3. Science60
  4. Other55
  5. Film & TV43
  6. Writing43
  7. Art & Design31
  8. Music27
  1. Sports2621.7×
  1. Religion130.3×
  2. Writing430.5×
  3. Military180.6×
  4. Music270.7×

Profession Mix Over Time

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

  • Sports
  • Politics & Law
  • Science
  • Writing
  • Film & TV
  • Art & Design
  • Other

Datelines

The biggest birthplaces of fame — every city is a doorway.