#1Science & Medicine
Henrietta Swan Leavitt
1868–1921American astronomer and human calculator
63 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Lancaster
16 famous people from Lancaster, many of them scientists and doctors
Articles in 63 languages make the American astronomer and human calculator Henrietta Swan Leavitt the best known. The largest group, 10, was born in the early republic. The oldest name on the list belongs to Samuel Willard, born in 1748, the newest to James Allen, born in 1900. For every 10,000 residents there are 18.6 on the list, well above the typical Massachusetts town’s 4.5.
Born here
16
notable people
Best known
Henrietta Swan Leavitt
in 63 Wikipedia languages
First
1748
Samuel Willard
Youngest
1900
James Allen
Most common field
Writing & Arts
5 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents
What stands out about Lancaster’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Lancaster is known for
Lancaster has 4.2× the usual share of scientists and doctors.
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 Lancaster’s famous people were born
The 1860s top the chart, with 3 births in the decade.
Writing & ArtsScience & MedicinePolitics & LawBusinessMilitarySportsNotable
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
The best known
Born in Lancaster
First, Henrietta Swan Leavitt (63 languages), then Luther Burbank (46) and Caroline Lee Hentz (10).
#1
#2Science & Medicine
Luther Burbank
1849–1926American botanist and horticulturist
46 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Writing & Arts
Caroline Lee Hentz
1800–1856American author and educator
10 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Everyone
Everyone else born in Lancaster
Still to come: 13 more, from 1748 to 1900.
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Lancaster home
Born elsewhere, Mary Rowlandson lived here.
Mary Rowlandson
1635–1711American woman captured by Native Americans during King Philip's War
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Lancaster?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Your pick
No picks yet
Be the first to say who Lancaster’s most famous person is.
Or tell us
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The longest list nearby is Leominster’s, with 33.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Lancaster 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)
- Henrietta Swan Leavitt: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Luther Burbank: Shaw Photography, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Caroline Lee Hentz: Published by E.H. Butler, Philadelphia, 1852, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Herman Vandenburg Ames: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Julia Abigail Fletcher Carney: Walsh, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ezra Butler: Tuttle Company, Rutland, VT, publisher., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James C. Carter: James S. King, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Nathaniel Thayer, Jr.: J. A. J. Wilcox, Boston, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Frederick Chandler: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Horace Cleveland: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edward Elsworth Willard: The Chelsea Gazette, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Francis Washburn: Whipple, John Adams, 1822-1891; John A. Whipple Studio, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Frank Bancroft: American Tobacco Company, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mary Rowlandson: Coverly/Rowlandson, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- R. A. Salvatore: William Wesen Appraiser, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Agnes Moorehead: ABC Television, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Wilbert Robinson: Bain News Service; restoration by Adam Cuerden, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Prentiss Mellen: John Brewster, Jr., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Levi Hutchins: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons