#1Famous people · Reading
Leaders stand out among the 22 famous people born in Reading
James Cerretani, the US tennis player, is the most widely known, written about in 17 languages. Second and third on the list are Joe Whitney and Eddie Peabody. Since 1970, 7 were born, the most of any period. Fewer than a quarter of the 335 towns in Massachusetts with famous people list more.
Born here
22
notable people
Best known
James Cerretani
in 17 Wikipedia languages
First
1662
William Fairfield
Youngest
1991
Steven Whitney
Most common field
Sports
8 people
Also called it home
2
notable residents
What stands out about Reading’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Reading is known for
The field furthest above the usual share is leaders, at 1.5 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 Reading’s famous people were born
The busiest decade was the 1980s, with 5 births.
SportsPolitics & LawNotableMusicFaithWriting & ArtsBusiness
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
The best known
Born in Reading
James Cerretani, Joe Whitney and Eddie Peabody are written about in 17, 8 and 5 languages.
#1
#2
#3Everyone
Everyone else born in Reading
A further 19 follow, born between 1662 and 1991.
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Reading home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Reading, though born elsewhere.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Reading?
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
Around it, Wakefield has the most people on record, 37 of them.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Reading 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)
- James Cerretani: si.robi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joe Whitney: https://www.flickr.com/photos/theahl/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Eddie Peabody: Photographer-Maurice Seymour, Chicago., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jonathan Temple: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Aaron Bancroft: Contemporary portrait, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chris Pizzotti: Wasted Time R at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Steve Saviano: Saruwine, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Fred Atkinson: Harper's weekly, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Steven Whitney: TheAHL, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles A. Bessey: rossograph, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edna Lamprey Stantial: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Stephens Graham: U.S. Navy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Juliana Cannarozzo: Laser braids at English Wikipedia, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mark Feeney: Mfeene, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rachel Levine: Chris Sean Smith, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Buffy Sainte-Marie: sidrguelph from Guelph, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Benjamin Thompson: Thomas Gainsborough, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Brian Flynn: Michael Miller, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ezra Otis Kendall: William Curtis Taylor, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons