Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Bloomington

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Famous people · Bloomington

54 famous people were born in Bloomington, more of them performers than in most towns

Most widely known is Clinton Davisson, the American physicist, with articles in 83 languages. Close behind are Elbert Green Hubbard and George Lincoln Rockwell. For every 10,000 residents the town has 6.8, while at least half the towns in Illinois list nobody born there. 22 of them were born in the age of mills and railroads, more than in any other period.

#1 best knownClinton DavissonScience & Medicine · 1881–1958
+50more
Born here
54
notable people
Best known
Clinton Davisson
in 83 Wikipedia languages
First
1853
Aaron S. Stern
Youngest
2005
Tyler Bell
Most common field
Sports
15 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents

What stands out about Bloomington’s famous people

★ What stands out · The best known

Born in Bloomington

By how many languages cover them, Clinton Davisson comes first (83), then Elbert Green Hubbard (59) and George Lincoln Rockwell (38).

Clinton Davisson#1
Science & Medicine

Clinton Davisson

1881–1958

American physicist

83 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Elbert Green Hubbard#2
Writing & Arts

Elbert Green Hubbard

1856–1915

American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher

59 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
George Lincoln Rockwell#3
Politics & Law

George Lincoln Rockwell

1918–1967

American founder of the American Nazi Party

38 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for

What Bloomington is known for

The field furthest above the usual share is performers, at 2.2 times.

The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.

Through the years

When Bloomington’s famous people were born

The 1950s top the chart, with 7 births in the decade.

Mills & railroadsThe American centuryToday1850190019502000Clinton DavissonKelly Loeffler
SportsFilm, TV & StagePolitics & LawWriting & ArtsScience & MedicineMusicBusinessMilitaryFaith

Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.

Everyone

Everyone else born in Bloomington

Of the other 51, 15 are athletes.

RS

Rick Scott

born 1952

United States Senator from Florida since 2019

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Kelly Loeffler

Kelly Loeffler

born 1970

American businesswoman and politician

Richard Webb

Richard Webb

1915–1993

American actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Cleo Madison

Cleo Madison

1883–1964

Actress and film director

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Benjamin Lincoln Robinson

Benjamin Lincoln Robinson

1864–1935

U.S. botanist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Frederic Goudy

Frederic Goudy

1865–1947

American printer, artist and type designer

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Rachel Crothers

Rachel Crothers

1870–1958

American playwright and theatre director

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Irene Delroy

Irene Delroy

1900–1985

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
James Harvey Robinson

James Harvey Robinson

1863–1936

American historian

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
James Robert Mann

James Robert Mann

1856–1922

American politician and attorney

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Forrest Taylor

Forrest Taylor

1883–1965

American actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Margaret Illington

Margaret Illington

1879–1934

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
GW

George W. Whitehead

1918–2004

American mathematician

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Kathleen McClellan

Kathleen McClellan

born 1970

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Sidney Smith

Sidney Smith

1877–1935

American comic strip cartoonist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
AH

Arthur Hughes

1894–1982

American actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Christin Wurth-Thomas

Christin Wurth-Thomas

born 1980

American athlete

Frank H. Funk

Frank H. Funk

1869–1940

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
James Harbord

James Harbord

1866–1947

United States Army Lieutenant General and President of RCA

Joel Higgins

Joel Higgins

born 1943

American actor and singer

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
William R. Roy

William R. Roy

1926–2014

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Pete Elliott

Pete Elliott

1926–2013

American football player and coach

A chosen home

Also called Bloomington home

Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Bloomington, though born elsewhere.

JB

Jason Barickman

born 1975

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

Who’s the most famous person from Bloomington?

Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Town Square →
Your pick
No picks yet

Be the first to say who Bloomington’s most famous person is.

Or tell us
Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

Of the towns around it, Bloomington City Township has the most on record: 54.

From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Bloomington 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 (25)