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Famous people · New Bern

Soldiers and sailors stand out among the 44 famous people born in New Bern

Linda McMahon leads the list, covered in 42 languages. Behind the leader come Kevin Williamson and Maddie Hasson. Between 1920 and 1969, 16 were born, the most of any period. Born in 1758, Richard Dobbs Spaight is the first name on record, and Jordon Riley, born in 1998, the most recent.

#1 best knownLinda McMahonPolitics & Law · born 1948
+40more
Born here
44
notable people
Best known
Linda McMahon
in 42 Wikipedia languages
First
1758
Richard Dobbs Spaight
Youngest
1998
Jordon Riley
Most common field
Politics & Law
14 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents

What stands out about New Bern’s famous people

★ What stands out · Known for

What New Bern is known for

No other field is as far above the usual share as soldiers and sailors, at 2.5 times.

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 New Bern

Performers take two of the three places.

Linda McMahon#1
Politics & Law

Linda McMahon

born 1948

United States Secretary of Education since 2025

42 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Kevin Williamson#2
Film, TV & Stage

Kevin Williamson

born 1965

American screenwriter, director, and producer

33 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
MH#3
Film, TV & Stage

Maddie Hasson

born 1995

American actress

26 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years

When New Bern’s famous people were born

The 1940s alone account for 6 of the births charted here.

Colonial daysA new nationMills & railroadsThe American centuryToday175018001850190019502000Kevin WilliamsonLinda McMahonGeorge Edmund BadgerLewis Armistead
Politics & LawSportsMilitaryFilm, TV & StageWriting & ArtsFaithNotableMusicBusinessScience & Medicine

Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.

Everyone

Everyone else born in New Bern

41 more, from 1758 to 1998.

Walt Bellamy

Walt Bellamy

1939–2013

American basketball player

Lewis Armistead

Lewis Armistead

1817–1863

Confederate general

Richard Dobbs Spaight

Richard Dobbs Spaight

1758–1802

8th governor of North Carolina

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
George Edmund Badger

George Edmund Badger

1795–1866

American Secretary of the Navy and senator for North Carolina

John S. Battle

John S. Battle

1890–1972

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
MH

Mike Hughes

born 1997

American football player

William Gaston

William Gaston

1778–1844

American politician from North Carolina

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Shawn Armstrong

Shawn Armstrong

born 1990

American baseball player

Bill Bunting

Bill Bunting

born 1947

American basketball player

KW

Kent Williams

born 1962

Painter and graphic novel artist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Richard Dobbs Spaight

Richard Dobbs Spaight

1796–1850

27th governor of North Carolina

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
BS

Brian Simmons

born 1975

All-American college football player, professional football player, linebacker

CS

Charles Biddle Shepard

1808–1843

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Edward Stanly

Edward Stanly

1810–1872

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Gabriel J. Rains

Gabriel J. Rains

1803–1881

Confederate Army general

John J. Tolson

John J. Tolson

1915–1991

United States Army general

William Biddle Shepard

William Biddle Shepard

1799–1852

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
BW

Beth Wood

born 1954

American account, politician, and Auditor of North Carolina

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
JB

John Heritage Bryan

1798–1870

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
AM

Aaron Martin

1941–2017

American football player born 1941

AC

Almira Kennedy Coursey

1914–1996

Community activist and educator

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
BW

Bayard Wootten

1876–1959

American photographer known for naming Pepsi Cola

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
BP

Bob Perry

1934–2017

American baseball player

A chosen home

Also called New Bern home

Born elsewhere, Christoph von Graffenried, 1st Baron of Bernberg lived here.

CB

Christoph von Graffenried, 1st Baron of Bernberg

1661–1743

Swiss nobleman and colonialist

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

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From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is New Bern 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)