#1No town in North Carolina has more famous people than Wilmington: 67
Most widely known is Ariana DeBose, the American actress, with articles in 45 languages. The list has 1.7 times the usual share of soldiers and sailors, 4 in all. 22 were born in 1970 or later. Between 1920 and 1969, 23 were born, the most of any period.
What stands out about Wilmington’s famous people
Born in Wilmington
Ranked by languages covered: Ariana DeBose with 45, then Sugar Ray Leonard with 44 and Charlie Daniels with 28.
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#3What Wilmington is known for
Wilmington has 1.7× the usual share of soldiers and sailors.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
When Wilmington’s famous people were born
The 1980s saw the most births of any decade: 10.
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone else born in Wilmington
64 more, from 1765 to 2009.










David Walker
1785–1830Outspoken African-American abolitionist and anti-slavery activist

















Edwin Alderman
1861–1931American educator, first president of the University of Virginia






No one matches both filters.
Also called Wilmington home
Born elsewhere, they lived here: 4 in all, led by Michael Jordan.


Who’s the most famous person from Wilmington?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Be the first to say who Wilmington’s most famous person is.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Wilmington 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 (38)
- Ariana DeBose: The White House, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sugar Ray Leonard: Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charlie Daniels: Office of the Governor of Maryland, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lara Trump: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Percy Heath: Tom Marcello Webster, New York, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Brinkley: NBC Television, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kristen Dalton: Toglenn, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Don Payne: Rennae Croisant at https://www.flickr.com/photos/dancer2die4/, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kadeem Allen: Mikibronx, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jane Barnell: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Meadowlark Lemon: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Barbara Guest: Onehandclapping, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tamera Young: Lorie Shaull from St Paul, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George Davis: The original uploader was GhostPirate at English Wikipedia., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Myles Borne: KMcWrestling Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sonny Jurgensen: National Football League, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alton Lennon: United States Senate Historical Office, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William W. Loring: Unidentified photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John D. Barry: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kenny Gattison: The Chronicle, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sammy Davis, Sr.: Farfaraway123, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Thorington: Published in above-mentioned work, which was by Benjamin F. Gue, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Roman Gabriel: Art Rogers, Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sharyn McCrumb: Osmund Geier, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Frederick Price: Maryknoll Missioners, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alex Highsmith: Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jonathan Cooper: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Kuralt: CBS Photo Division, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Connor Barth: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edwin Alderman: Rufus Holsinger, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edwin Alexander Anderson: Bain News Service, publisher, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry G. Connor: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- James B. Dudley: Credited to "Joyce Eng Co", Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ross Tomaselli: Hayden Schiff from Cincinnati, USA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Dillard Bellamy: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Lucien C. Gause: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Jordan: DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Nicholas Pryor: NBC Television, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons