NG#1
Famous people · Somerville
Musicians stand out among the 45 famous people born in Somerville
Articles in 33 languages make the American philosopher Nelson Goodman the best known. 25 of them were born in the age of mills and railroads, more than in any other period. The oldest name on the list belongs to Henry F. Gilbert, born in 1868, the newest to Howie Long, born in 1960. The list comes to 5.6 for every 10,000 residents, about the same as the typical town in Massachusetts, at 4.5.
Born here
45
notable people
Best known
Nelson Goodman
in 33 Wikipedia languages
First
1868
Henry F. Gilbert
Youngest
1960
Howie Long
Most common field
Sports
14 people
Also called it home
3
notable residents
What stands out about Somerville’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Somerville is known for
Musicians stand out most, at 3.6 times the usual share.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
The best known
Born in Somerville
Three names lead: Nelson Goodman (33 languages), Hal Clement (32) and Harry Nelson Pillsbury (28).
HC#2
#3Through the years
When Somerville’s famous people were born
More of them were born in the 1900s than in any other ten years, 7 in all.
SportsMusicFilm, TV & StageScience & MedicinePolitics & LawWriting & ArtsNotableBusiness
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Somerville
42 more names, born between 1868 and 1960.
Mike Capuano
born 1952Former United States Representative from Massachusetts
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Howie Long
born 1960American football defensive end, actor, and sports analyst
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Art Mahan
1913–2010American baseball player and coach, college athletics administrator
SportsWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Somerville home
3 notable people born elsewhere made the town home, Neil Cicierega the best known.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Somerville?
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
Nearby, Arlington has the most on record, with 51.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Somerville 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 (20)
- Harry Nelson Pillsbury: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hal Connolly: Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Carle: film screenshot (United Artists), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Barbara Weeks: The New Movie Magazine, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Connie Morella: US Dept of State, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Kimball Hadley: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mike Capuano: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Howie Long: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Meranda Keller, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bobby Pickett: Leslie Gottlieb from Little Ferry, NJ, USA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Emory Leon Chaffee: Sooze1129, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nat Pierce: Raymond Ross c/o Dick Sheridan, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tony Lavelli: Larry Penzell (public relations), New York City., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry F. Gilbert: National Society of Music, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Philip Bourneuf: TV episode screenshot (ABC), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Neil Cicierega: XOXO Festival, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles R. Alcock: Harvard University News Office, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edgar Allan Poe: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Lydia Maria Child: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ellen Pompeo: lukeford.net, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
- Matt Damon: PhilipRomano, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons