Born here
44
notable people
Best known
Linda McMahon
in 42 Wikipedia languages
First
1758
Richard Dobbs Spaight
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.
Politics & Law 14 people 32%1.5× usual Sports 14 people 32%about usual Military 4 people 9%2.5× usual Film, TV & Stage 3 people 7%about usual Writing & Arts 2 people 5%below usual Faith 2 people 5%2.7× usual Notable 2 people 5% Music 1 person 2%below usual Business 1 person 2%about usual Science & Medicine 1 person 2%below usual 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.
#1 Politics & Law Linda McMahon born 1948 United States Secretary of Education since 2025
#2 Film, TV & Stage Kevin Williamson born 1965 American screenwriter, director, and producer
MH #3
Film, TV & Stage Maddie Hasson born 1995 American actress
Through the years When New Bern’s famous people were born The 1940s alone account for 6 of the births charted here.
Colonial days A new nation Mills & railroads The American century Today 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 Kevin Williamson Linda McMahon George Edmund Badger Lewis Armistead Politics & Law Sports Military Film, TV & Stage Writing & Arts Faith Notable Music Business Science & 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.
All · 41 Politics & Law · 13 Military · 4 Sports · 14 Music · 1 Film, TV & Stage · 1 Writing & Arts · 2 Science & Medicine · 1 Business · 1 Faith · 2 Notable · 2
Any time Colonial days · 1 A new nation · 9 Mills & railroads · 7 The American century · 14 Today · 8
Walt Bellamy 1939–2013 American basketball player
Lewis Armistead 1817–1863 Confederate general
Richard Dobbs Spaight 1758–1802 8th governor of North Carolina
George Edmund Badger 1795–1866 American Secretary of the Navy and senator for North Carolina
John S. Battle 1890–1972 American politician
MH Mike Hughes born 1997 American football player
William Gaston 1778–1844 American politician from North Carolina
Shawn Armstrong born 1990 American baseball player
Bill Bunting born 1947 American basketball player
KW Kent Williams born 1962 Painter and graphic novel artist
Richard Dobbs Spaight 1796–1850 27th governor of North Carolina
BS Brian Simmons born 1975 All-American college football player, professional football player, linebacker
CS Charles Biddle Shepard 1808–1843 American politician
Edward Stanly 1810–1872 American politician
Gabriel J. Rains 1803–1881 Confederate Army general
John J. Tolson 1915–1991 United States Army general
William Biddle Shepard 1799–1852 American politician
BB Bessie Banks born 1938 American musician
BW Beth Wood born 1954 American account, politician, and Auditor of North Carolina
JB John Heritage Bryan 1798–1870 American politician
AM Aaron Martin 1941–2017 American football player born 1941
AC Almira Kennedy Coursey 1914–1996 Community activist and educator
BW Bayard Wootten 1876–1959 American photographer known for naming Pepsi Cola
BP Bob Perry 1934–2017 American baseball player
GD Gary Downs born 1972 American football player
GJ George Augustus Stallings, Jr. born 1948 African-American Independent Catholic bishop
JR Jordon Riley born 1998 American football player
CB Comfort Baker 1870–1946 American teacher
DH Donna Hutchinson born 1949 American politician
GK George Koonce born 1968 American football player
JM Jeremy McDaniel born 1976 American football player
KR Kevin Reddick born 1989 American football player
NH Nathan Healy born 1990 American basketball player
SB Samuel J. Battle 1883–1966 African-American pioneer police officer
WB Wayne Brock born 1948 Chief executive of the Boy Scouts of America
CV Claude Charles Vaché 1926–2009 American prelate of The Episcopal Church, who served as the seventh Bishop of Southern Virginia
ED Ellis Dillahunt born 1964 American football defensive back
GK Ghost Kid American record producer
OG Owen Haywood Guion 1861–1925 American politician and judge
RP Robert M. Price 1930–2020 American computer scientist and businessman
WC W. T. Caho American lawyer and politician
No one matches both filters.
Show all 41 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
The town’s pick Who’s the most famous person from New Bern? Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Town Square → No picks yet
Be the first to say who New Bern’s most famous person is.
Or tell us
Did you grow up with someone famous from New Bern? → Who should be on this list but isn’t? → 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) Linda McMahon: US Government, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Kevin Williamson: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gageskidmore/, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Walt Bellamy: NBA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Lewis Armistead: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Richard Dobbs Spaight: Ellen Sharples, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons George Edmund Badger: James Bogle, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons John S. Battle: John S. Battle for Governor campaign, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons William Gaston: Asher Brown Durand, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Shawn Armstrong: Keith Allison: Flickr, e-mail, Twitter, Instagram, website, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Bill Bunting: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Richard Dobbs Spaight: Seth_Ilys (Uploads), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Edward Stanly: Mathew Benjamin Brady, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Gabriel J. Rains: Duffee & Murdock, Mobile, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons John J. Tolson: U.S. Army, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons William Biddle Shepard: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons