Most Famous American Explorers

50 American Explorers in view out of 96

Exploration 96
United States 23,678
John Glenn
John Glenn American Fighter Pilot 1921 – 2016
#1,687
Robert Peary
Robert Peary American Explorer 1856 – 1920
#3,591
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone American Explorer 1734 – 1820
#4,445
Calamity Jane
Calamity Jane American Explorer 1852 – 1903
#5,962
CM
Chris McCandless American Explorer 1968 – 1992
#7,759
William Clark
William Clark American Explorer 1770 – 1838
#8,197
Aron Ralston
Aron Ralston American Mountaineer Born 1975
#9,795
Sacagawea
Sacagawea American Explorer 1780 – 1812
#12,579
Frederick Cook
Frederick Cook American Explorer 1865 – 1940
#12,814
Kit Carson
Kit Carson American Explorer 1809 – 1868
#14,505
Jedediah Smith
Jedediah Smith American Explorer 1799 – 1831
#16,613
Joshua Slocum
Joshua Slocum American Explorer 1844 – 1909
#17,067
Zebulon Pike
Zebulon Pike American Explorer 1779 – 1813
#18,263
Matthew Henson
Matthew Henson American Explorer 1866 – 1955
#20,840
Frederick Russell Burnham
Frederick Russell Burnham American Explorer 1861 – 1947
#21,438
RC
Roy Chapman Andrews American Explorer 1884 – 1960
#21,608
Wiley Post
Wiley Post American Aviator 1898 – 1935
#34,183
John Lloyd Stephens
John Lloyd Stephens American Explorer 1805 – 1852
#35,830
James Beckwourth
James Beckwourth American Explorer 1798 – 1866
#37,333
Dean Potter
Dean Potter American Mountaineer 1972 – 2015
#51,329
Stephen Harriman Long
Stephen Harriman Long American Explorer 1784 – 1864
#52,961
Robert Gray (sea captain)
Robert Gray (sea captain) American Explorer 1755 – 1806
#55,534
Ann Bancroft
Ann Bancroft American Explorer Born 1955
#62,304
JB
Jean Baptiste Charbonneau American Explorer 1805 – 1866
#82,309
William H. Emory
William H. Emory American Explorer 1811 – 1887
#95,209
Floyd Bennett
Floyd Bennett American Aviator 1890 – 1928
#100,802
George P. Putnam
George P. Putnam American Explorer 1887 – 1950
#132,319
John Williams Gunnison
John Williams Gunnison American Explorer 1812 – 1853
#143,232
Charles Chaillé-Long
Charles Chaillé-Long American Explorer 1842 – 1917
#144,111
Kenneth Arnold
Kenneth Arnold American Aviator 1915 – 1984
#155,986
Paul Siple
Paul Siple American Explorer 1908 – 1968
#167,579
RT
Roscoe Turner American Aviator 1895 – 1970
#169,601
Ed Schieffelin
Ed Schieffelin American Explorer 1847 – 1897
#176,521
DE
David Edward Jackson American Explorer 1788 – 1837
#195,706
AW
Amiel Weeks Whipple American Explorer 1817 – 1863
#197,502
Ada Blackjack
Ada Blackjack American Explorer 1898 – 1983
#198,956
John William Mackay
John William Mackay American Explorer 1831 – 1902
#202,564
John Gore (Royal Navy officer (Died 1790))
John Gore (Royal Navy officer (Died 1790)) American Explorer 1730 – 1790
#205,357
William Austin Burt
William Austin Burt American Explorer 1792 – 1858
#207,813
TW
Thomas Walker (explorer) American Explorer 1715 – 1794
#219,833
Donald Baxter MacMillan
Donald Baxter MacMillan American Explorer 1874 – 1970
#221,790
Fernando Rivera y Moncada
Fernando Rivera y Moncada American Explorer 1725 – 1781
#225,446
Squire Boone
Squire Boone American Explorer 1744 – 1815
#235,936
Floyd Collins
Floyd Collins American Explorer 1887 – 1925
#252,340
W. Price Hunt
W. Price Hunt American Explorer 1783 – 1842
#258,180
AM
Alvin M. Johnston American Test Pilot 1914 – 1998
#262,449
Mike Fink
Mike Fink American Explorer 1770 – 1823
#294,860
RP
Ralph Plaisted American Explorer 1927 – 2008
#305,644
A. B. Rogers
A. B. Rogers American Explorer 1829 – 1889
#310,008
David Legge Brainard
David Legge Brainard American Explorer 1856 – 1946
#310,034

By the numbers

Inside the United States Explorers

96 notable people in this slice of the dataset.

Through the Decades

One face per decade — the most globally famous the united states explorers born in each.

Notable Births by Decade

Notable births among the United States Explorers peaked in the 1890s with 15 people.

What the United States Explorers Are Known For

Click any row to drill into that filter.

Explorer are the United States Explorers's biggest group — 64% of all notables (61).

The United States Explorers over-index on aviator514.0× the global rate.

  1. Explorer61
  2. Aviator20
  3. Fighter Pilot3
  4. Mountaineer3
  5. Test Pilot3
  6. World War Ii Pilot3
  7. Bush Pilot1
  8. Pilot1
  1. Aviator20514.0×
  2. Explorer61192.8×

City Hot Spots

Cities that over-produce the United States Explorers compared to the world average — multiplier shows how much more.