FrançaisGuest, Sign inJoin
Famous people · Val-de-Cognac, Charente

3 famous people call Val-de-Cognac their birthplace

Most widely known is James Hennessy, the French politician, with articles in 6 languages. The next two names are Jean Hennessy and Georges Ménier. The list runs from James Hennessy, born in 1867, to Jean Hennessy, born in 1874. Per head, the list is long: 8.6 for every 10,000 residents, where the typical town in Charente has 5.5.

#1 best knownJames HennessyPolitics & Law · 1867–1945
+1more
Born here
3
confirmed by Wikipedia
Best known
James Hennessy
6 Wikipedia and sister-site articles
First
1867
James Hennessy
Youngest
1874
Jean Hennessy
Most common field
Politics & Law
3 people
The best known

Born in Val-de-Cognac

All three are leaders.

James Hennessy#1
Politics & Law

James Hennessy

1867–1945

French politician (1867–1945)

6 Wikipedia and sister-site articlesWikipedia ↗
Jean Hennessy#2
Politics & Law

Jean Hennessy

1874–1944

French politician (1874-1944)

6 Wikipedia and sister-site articlesWikipedia ↗
GM#3
Politics & Law

Georges Ménier

1873–1967

French politician (1873-1967)

2 Wikipedia and sister-site articlesWikipedia (French) ↗
Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

Around it, Cognac has the most people on record, 44 of them.

Questions about famous people from Val-de-Cognac

Who is the most famous person from Val-de-Cognac?

James Hennessy (French politician (1867–1945)) is the best known by our measure: 6 Wikipedia and sister-site articles in different languages. Next come Jean Hennessy and Georges Ménier.

How many famous people were born in Val-de-Cognac?

3 people born in Val-de-Cognac have a French Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace (and an English one that agrees, when there is one).

What is Val-de-Cognac known for?

Among its famous people, leaders: 3 of the 3. That is 100% of the town’s list, against 24% across French towns.

Who is the earliest-born famous person from Val-de-Cognac?

James Hennessy, born in 1867. The youngest on the list was born in 1874.

Who counts as from Val-de-Cognac?

People whose Wikidata birthplace is Val-de-Cognac itself, matched by its INSEE code (a commune merged into it counts when the dates allow), whose French Wikipedia article agrees, and their English article too when they have one. A hospital or neighbourhood recorded without its commune isn’t matched. People who only lived here, adult performers and people known mainly for crimes aren’t listed.

Why is someone missing?

Their Wikidata birthplace may be a hospital, a neighbourhood or a wider area, another commune, or missing, or their articles may not name a birthplace. We only list people the sources agree on; editing Wikidata or Wikipedia changes this page at the next refresh.

From Wikidata (CC0: birthplaces, descriptions, years, occupations, how many Wikipedia and sister-site articles cover each person) and French and English Wikipedia (each person’s articles confirm the birthplace; linked, not quoted). Birthplaces are matched to the commune by INSEE code and its history of mergers (INSEE COG 2026). Ranked by the number of articles. Fields are read from Wikidata’s description and occupations. “The usual town”: everyone listed across French towns. Portraits: each person’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the license below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (4)

Contains public sector information under the Licence Ouverte / Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab): INSEE, DGFiP, the Interior Ministry’s statistics service (SSMSI), the Ministry of Education (DEPP), the Health Ministry’s statistics service (DREES) and the Housing Ministry (Carte des loyers). Commune boundaries: IGN Admin Express.