#1Music
Louis Armstrong
1901–1971American jazz musician, trumpeter and singer
178 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · New Orleans
Of the 20 famous people born in New Orleans, an unusual share are performers
With articles in 178 languages, Louis Armstrong is the most widely known. The American writer Truman Capote ranks second, ahead of Reese Witherspoon. The earliest on the list is Paul Morphy, born in 1837, and the youngest Vernon Norwood, born in 1992. Births since 1970 account for 6 of the names.
Born here
20
notable people
Best known
Louis Armstrong
in 178 Wikipedia languages
First
1837
Paul Morphy
Youngest
1992
Vernon Norwood
Most common field
Film, TV & Stage
7 people
Also called it home
13
notable residents
What stands out about New Orleans’ famous people
Known worldwideRead in 178 languages, Louis Armstrong is known far beyond the town.A town of performers7 of the 20 people born here are performers, 3.7× the usual share.Still making namesBirths since 1950 number 8, the most recent in 1992.A chosen home13 more notable people chose to live here, Sandra Bullock among them.
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in New Orleans
The three are covered in 178, 103 and 102 languages: Louis Armstrong, Truman Capote and Reese Witherspoon.
#1
#2
#3Known for
What New Orleans is known for
Set against the usual town, performers come out 3.7 times as common.
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 New Orleans’s famous people were born
The 1970s saw the most births of any decade: 5.
Film, TV & StageMusicWriting & ArtsNotableSportsScience & MedicinePolitics & Law
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in New Orleans
A further 17 follow, born between 1837 and 1992.
Ken Thompson
born 1943American programmer and computer scientist, co-creator of the Unix operating system
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called New Orleans home
13 notable people born elsewhere made the town home, Sandra Bullock the best known.
Ellen DeGeneres
born 1958American comedian, television host, actress, and writer
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Rhonda Shear
born 1954American actress, television personality, and comedian
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from New Orleans?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Your pick
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Close by, Metairie counts 33 famous people, the most of its neighbours.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is New Orleans 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 (19)
- Louis Armstrong: World-Telegram staff photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Truman Capote: Jack Mitchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Reese Witherspoon: dtstuff9, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Simmons: Angela George, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lee Harvey Oswald: Dallas Police; Warren Commission, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Anne Rice: Anne Rice, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Paul Morphy: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ken Thompson: A.C.Diller, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fats Domino: Heinrich Klaffs, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mahalia Jackson: Carl Van Vechten, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sandra Bullock: Kevin Paul, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edgar Degas: Edgar Degas, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Tennessee Williams: Orlando Fernandez, World Telegram staff photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ellen DeGeneres: Toglenn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Aleister Crowley: Aleister Crowley, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Cormac McCarthy: From dust jacket: "Photograph of Cormac McCarthy by David Styles", Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Elfrid Payton: Jose Garcia, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Vance Joseph: Army Sgt. Zach Sheely of the Colorado National Guard, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Greg G. Guidry: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons