Born here
53
notable people
Best known
Frederick Reines
in 68 Wikipedia languages
First
1840
William Graham Sumner
Most common field
Film, TV & Stage
12 people
Also called it home
2
notable residents
What stands out about Paterson’s famous people ★ What stands out · Known for What Paterson is known for Set against the usual town, scientists and doctors come out 2.9 times as common.
Film, TV & Stage 12 people 23%2.4× usual Writing & Arts 10 people 19%1.9× usual Science & Medicine 9 people 17%2.9× usual Music 7 people 13%2.4× usual Sports 6 people 11%below usual Politics & Law 3 people 6%below usual Notable 3 people 6% Faith 1 person 2%about usual Business 1 person 2%about usual Military 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 Paterson Scientists and doctors take two of the three places.
FR #1
Science & Medicine Frederick Reines 1918–1998 American physicist
#2 Science & Medicine Kathryn D. Sullivan born 1951 American astronaut
#3 Film, TV & Stage Patrick Warburton born 1964 American actor
Through the years When Paterson’s famous people were born No decade has more births than the 1950s, at 11.
A new nation Mills & railroads The American century Today 1850 1900 1950 2000 Kathryn D. Sullivan Lou Costello William Graham Sumner Film, TV & Stage Writing & Arts Science & Medicine Music Sports Politics & Law Notable Faith Business Military
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone Everyone else born in Paterson The rest number 50, with 11 performers among them.
All · 50 Politics & Law · 3 Military · 1 Sports · 6 Music · 7 Film, TV & Stage · 11 Writing & Arts · 10 Science & Medicine · 7 Business · 1 Faith · 1 Notable · 3
Any time A new nation · 2 Mills & railroads · 10 The American century · 31 Today · 7
J. Michael Straczynski born 1954 American writer and filmmaker
JS John Spencer 1946–2005 American actor
Lou Costello 1906–1959 American actor and comedian
Frank Lautenberg 1924–2013 U.S. Senator from New Jersey
William Graham Sumner 1840–1910 American sociologist
Mark L. Polansky born 1956 American astronaut, pilot
Fetty Wap born 1991 American rapper and singer
Charlie Adler born 1956 American voice actor
Ron Cephas Jones 1957–2023 American actor
Bucky Pizzarelli 1926–2020 American jazz guitarist
JK Joseph Keller 1923–2016 American mathematician
Mindy Sterling born 1953 American actress
Peter Kreeft born 1937 Theologian, philosopher, penman, university teacher
RE Randy Edelman born 1947 American musician, producer, and composer for film and television
AW Alice White 1904–1983 American actress
Joseph Weber 1919–2000 American physicist
Michael Wolff born 1953 American author, essayist, and journalist
DM David Miller 1909–1992 Film director
GR George Rochberg 1918–2005 American composer
JD Jacqueline Dubrovich born 1994 American fencer
JD Joseph DePietro 1914–1999 American weightlifter
BM Bill Mallon born 1952 American orthopedic surgeon, golfer, and historian
JC Joseph Cortese born 1948 American actor
TW Tom Waddell 1937–1987 Founder of Gay Games
JF James Flynn 1907–2000 American fencer
JC Jeff Chase born 1968 American football player
DM Don Martin 1931–2000 American cartoonist
GK Gabriel Kolko 1932–2014 American historian
JR Joan Roughgarden born 1946 American ecologist
NB Natalie de Blois 1921–2013 American architect
AD Anthony Davis born 1951 American pianist and composer
JB Jeffrey Bewkes born 1952 American media executive, CEO of Time Warner since 2008
JH Jennie Tuttle Hobart 1849–1941 Second Lady of the United States
KS Karin Stoltenberg 1931–2012 Norwegian politician
MH Michael Hossack 1946–2012 American drummer
VC Victor Cruz born 1986 American football player, wide receiver
A Adeva born 1960 American musician
AM Alex Morales born 1997 Puerto Rican basketball player
BS Bernard F. Schutz born 1946 American physicist
JS James Scott born 1972 American basketball player
JF Joseph Farah born 1954 American conservative writer
MS Maxwell Shane 1905–1983 Screenwriter, producer, director
AB Anne Bobby born 1967 American actress
EB Edna Buchanan born 1939 American writer
HE Hy Eisman 1927–2025 Cartoonist
JH James Hayman born 2000 American film and television director, producer and cinematographer
JR James Rhody 1896–1944 American soccer player
SS Shavonda E. Sumter born 1974 Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
TL Ted Langlois born 1968 Olympic ski jumper
WG William E. Gordon 1918–2010 American astronomer
No one matches both filters.
Show all 50 A chosen home Also called Paterson home 2 notable people born elsewhere made the town home, Allen Ginsberg the best known.
Allen Ginsberg 1926–1997 American poet and writer
WD William L. Dill 1874–1952 American politician
The town’s pick Who’s the most famous person from Paterson? Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
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Did you grow up with someone famous from Paterson? → Who should be on this list but isn’t? → Next door Famous people from the towns next door The best known from each town bordering Paterson.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Paterson 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 (18) Kathryn D. Sullivan: NASA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Patrick Warburton: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons J. Michael Straczynski: Joseph Michael Straczynski, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Lou Costello: film screenshot, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Frank Lautenberg: United States Senate, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons William Graham Sumner: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Mark L. Polansky: NASA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Fetty Wap: glenjamn, CC BY 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Charlie Adler: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Ron Cephas Jones: chris roth, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Bucky Pizzarelli: Jeff Dunn from St. Clair Shores, MI, USA, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Mindy Sterling: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Peter Kreeft: uploaded by Marax, CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Joseph Weber: US Navy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Michael Wolff: Financial Times, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Allen Ginsberg: Hans van Dijk for Anefo, CC0 , Wikimedia Commons Vera Farmiga: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons Carmen Carrera: CHRISTOPHER MACSURAK, CC BY 2.0 , Wikimedia Commons