GB#1
Famous people · Bristol
Of the 42 famous people born in Bristol, an unusual share are scientists and doctors
The best known is the American actor Gary Burghoff, with articles in 17 languages. The American screenwriter Mike Reiss ranks second, ahead of Donovan Clingan. From Orville Hungerford to Donovan Clingan, the births on the list run from 1790 to 2004. Most were born between 1920 and 1969: 21 of them.
Born here
42
notable people
Best known
Gary Burghoff
in 17 Wikipedia languages
First
1790
Orville Hungerford
Youngest
2004
Donovan Clingan
Most common field
Sports
17 people
What stands out about Bristol’s famous people
★ What stands out · Through the years
When Bristol’s famous people were born
More were born in the 1960s than in any other decade: 8.
SportsPolitics & LawFilm, TV & StageScience & MedicineMusicBusinessWriting & ArtsNotableMilitary
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Known for
What Bristol is known for
The field furthest above the usual share is scientists and doctors, at 1.6 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
The best known
Born in Bristol
Ranked by languages covered: Gary Burghoff with 17, then Mike Reiss with 17 and Donovan Clingan with 16.
#2
#3Everyone
Everyone else born in Bristol
39 more, best known first.
Charles Norman Shay
1924–2025American writer and veteran from World War II and the Korean War
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Dwight Whitefield Pardee
1822–1893Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court from 1873 to 1890
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Bristol?
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The fullest list close by belongs to Southington, with 26.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Bristol and whose English Wikipedia article agrees, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. People known mainly for crimes, and adult performers, aren’t listed. “The usual town” = everyone born in the towns gathered so far.
Photo credits (24)
- Mike Reiss: Sarah from Wisconsin, United States, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Donovan Clingan: The White House, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jocelin Donahue: Gregsantos, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gordon J. Humphrey: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Norman Shay: Romain Bréget, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Denorfia: SD Dirk on Flickr, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Amethyst: DVSROSS, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Corbat: Citigroup Inc., CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Orville Hungerford: Engraved by John Chester Buttre from a daguerreotype, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- G. B. Ward: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Dudley Seymour: Mary Rogers Williams, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Larry Kopf: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Salter: Minimalist100, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ruth Morize: Papers of Andre Morize, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Steve Pikiell: Alexander Jonesi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Wallace Barnes: Intern5, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Keith LeBlanc: Manfred Werner (Tsui), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tom Shopay: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edward Robinson: Conder, C. R. (Claude Reignier), 1848-1910, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kathleen Rubins: Robert Markowitz, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Amos Bronson Alcott: Photographer unidentified, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ted Christopher: Steven Harrell from Springfield, MA, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Dutton: Cornish, Lamport & Co., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ted Knight: CBS Television, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons