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Famous people · Springfield

Scientists and doctors stand out among the 41 famous people born in Springfield

Andre Iguodala, the American basketball player, is the most widely known, written about in 42 languages. Second and third on the list are Robert Todd Lincoln and Seth Barnes Nicholson. The largest group, 16, was born between 1920 and 1969. Over 172 years of births, the list goes from William Jayne (1826) to Albert Okwuegbunam (1998).

#1 best knownAndre IguodalaSports · born 1984
+37more
Born here
41
notable people
Best known
Andre Iguodala
in 42 Wikipedia languages
First
1826
William Jayne
Youngest
1998
Albert Okwuegbunam
Most common field
Sports
16 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents

What stands out about Springfield’s famous people

★ What stands out · Known for

What Springfield is known for

Compared with the usual town, scientists and doctors are the most over-represented field, at 2.9 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 Springfield’s famous people were born

The busiest decade was the 1960s, with 5 births.

A new nationMills & railroadsThe American centuryToday1850190019502000Vachel LindsaySeth Barnes NicholsonJune ChristyAndre IguodalaRobert Todd Lincoln
SportsScience & MedicineFilm, TV & StagePolitics & LawMusicWriting & ArtsMilitaryNotableFaith

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

The best known

Born in Springfield

Andre Iguodala leads with articles in 42 languages, ahead of Robert Todd Lincoln (35) and Seth Barnes Nicholson (32).

Andre Iguodala#1
Sports

Andre Iguodala

born 1984

American basketball player

42 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Robert Todd Lincoln#2
Military

Robert Todd Lincoln

1843–1926

Union Army officer, U.S. ambassador, and Secretary of War

35 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Seth Barnes Nicholson#3
Science & Medicine

Seth Barnes Nicholson

1891–1963

American astronomer

32 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Everyone

Everyone else born in Springfield

The rest number 38, with 15 athletes among them.

Vachel Lindsay

Vachel Lindsay

1879–1931

American poet

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
CS

Cecily Strong

born 1984

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
DC

Douglass Cadwallader

1884–1971

American golfer

EH

Edmund H. Hansen

1894–1962

American sound engineer

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
SM

Sarah Danielle Madison

1974–2014

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
RE

Ruth Ellis

1899–2000

LGBT rights activist

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
KG

Kevin Gamble

born 1965

American basketball player-coach

EH

Ed Horton

born 1967

American basketball player

MC

Mickey Cottrell

1944–2024

American film publicist and actor

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
SN

Susan Nolen-Hoeksema

1959–2013

Professor of Psychology at Yale University

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
JS

Joey Sternaman

1900–1988

American football player

JF

John E. Franz

1929–2026

American chemist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
LS

Louise Stanley

1915–1982

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
MB

Margaret M. Burnett

born 1949

American computer scientist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
SL

Steve Little

1956–1999

Player of American football

A chosen home

Also called Springfield home

One more notable person made the town home: Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

1809–1865

President of the United States from 1861 to 1865

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

Who’s the most famous person from Springfield?

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Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

Of the towns nearby, 1 have famous names listed.

From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Springfield 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 (8)