#1Science & Medicine
Norbert Wiener
1894–1964American mathematician, scientist in cybernetics and artificial intelligence
74 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Columbia
51 famous people were born in Columbia, more of them performers than in most towns
Best known of all is Norbert Wiener, written about in 74 languages. The American actress Jessica Capshaw ranks second, ahead of Carlos PenaVega. The largest group, 25, was born between 1920 and 1969. Births since 1970 account for 16 of the names.
Born here
51
notable people
Best known
Norbert Wiener
in 74 Wikipedia languages
First
1860
Bayard T. Hainer
Youngest
1999
Jontay Porter
Most common field
Sports
15 people
Also called it home
5
notable residents
What stands out about Columbia’s famous people
Known worldwideRead in 74 languages, Norbert Wiener is known far beyond the town.A town of performers11 of the 51 people born here are performers, 2.3× the usual share.Still making names29 were born since 1950, the youngest in 1999.A chosen home5 more notable people chose to live in Columbia, including Frederick Chapman Robbins.
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Columbia
Performers take two of the three places.
#1JC#2
#3Film, TV & Stage
Carlos PenaVega
born 1989American film and TV actor, singer-songwriter, dancer and television show host
29 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for
What Columbia is known for
No other field is as far above the usual share as performers, at 2.3 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 Columbia’s famous people were born
The 1980s alone account for 8 of the births charted here.
SportsFilm, TV & StagePolitics & LawScience & MedicineWriting & ArtsNotableBusinessMusic
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Columbia
48 more names, born between 1860 and 1999.
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Columbia home
Born elsewhere, they lived here: 5 in all, led by Frederick Chapman Robbins.
Ann Walton Kroenke
born 1948American businesswoman, heiress to the Walmart fortune
BusinessWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick
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From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Columbia 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 (15)
- Norbert Wiener: Konrad Jacobs, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, Wikimedia Commons
- Carlos PenaVega: Paparazzo Presents, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rob Benedict: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stan Kroenke: Fox Sports, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Smith: Sequoia Pictures, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Clay Shirky: Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sophie Cunningham: John Mac, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lisa Wilcox: Artemisboy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- J'den Cox: Ilgar Jafarov, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Rebecca Blank: U.S. Department of Commerce, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Brett James: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Carl Edwards: Mauricio Campino, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Howard Hickman: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Frederick Chapman Robbins: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Smith: Bengt Nyman from Vaxholm, Sweden, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons