Born here
38
notable people
Best known
Lee Van Cleef
in 59 Wikipedia languages
First
1753
Frederick Frelinghuysen
Youngest
1989
Mason Robinson
Most common field
Sports
11 people
What stands out about Somerville’s famous people ★ What stands out · Known for What Somerville is known for Somerville has 3.4× the usual share of musicians.
Sports 11 people 29%about usual Music 7 people 18%3.4× usual Writing & Arts 5 people 13%about usual Notable 5 people 13% Film, TV & Stage 3 people 8%about usual Politics & Law 3 people 8%below usual Science & Medicine 2 people 5%about usual Military 2 people 5%1.5× 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 Somerville Counted by languages, Lee Van Cleef is ahead of Frederica von Stade and Philip Morrison: 59, 25 and 21.
#1 Film, TV & Stage Lee Van Cleef 1925–1989 American actor
#2 Music Frederica von Stade born 1945 American singer and recording artist
#3 Science & Medicine Philip Morrison 1915–2005 American astrophysicist
Through the years When Somerville’s famous people were born The busiest decade was the 1940s, with 8 births.
Colonial days A new nation Mills & railroads The American century Today 1750 1800 1850 1900 1950 2000 Frederica von Stade Lee Van Cleef Frederick Frelinghuysen Elinor Wylie Sports Music Writing & Arts Notable Film, TV & Stage Politics & Law Science & Medicine Military
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone Everyone else born in Somerville 35 more, best known first.
All · 35 Politics & Law · 3 Military · 2 Sports · 11 Music · 6 Film, TV & Stage · 2 Writing & Arts · 5 Science & Medicine · 1 Notable · 5
Any time Colonial days · 1 A new nation · 1 Mills & railroads · 1 The American century · 25 Today · 5
Elinor Wylie 1885–1928 American poet
NA Nicole Arendt born 1969 American tennis player
Frederick Frelinghuysen 1753–1804 United States general and senator
Don Elliott 1926–1984 Jazz musician
SM Stephanie Maxwell-Pierson born 1964 American rower
EM Eric Murdock born 1968 American basketball player
John Mack 1927–2006 American oboist
LM Lynne Marta 1945–2024 American actress ( 1945-2024 )
JK Joyce Kozloff born 1942 American artist
DU Douglas Urbanski born 1957 American film producer
PW Patti Webster 1964–2013 Publicist, author, minister
KG Kenneth Gaburo 1926–1993 American composer
RH Reggie Harrison born 1951 American football player
CW Craig Walsh born 1971 American composer
NJ Naomi Jakobsson born 1941 American politician
RB Raymond Bateman 1927–2016 American politician
AR Arnold F. Riedhammer born 1947 American musician
BR Brian E. Rumpf born 1964 Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
CW Charley Winner 1924–2023 American football player and coach
EE Esther Ervin American artist
FA Frank Asch 1946–2022 American children's writer
GF Gene Freed 1930–2009 American physician and bridge player
JW Jennifer Weiss born 1959 American politician
JW Judd Woldin 1925–2011 American composer
MR Mason Robinson born 1989 Player of American football
AA Alicia Albe born 1977 American rhythmic gymnast
DB Doug Bateman born 1954 American luger
FS Frank Snook born 1949 Former American baseball player
JV Joe Vitko born 1970 American baseball player
JS John Sullivan 1941–2023 Baseball catcher and coach from the United States
MH Matt Hollowell born 1971 Former baseball umpire from the United States
RJ Ray Bateman, Jr. 1955–1990 American luger
DV Daniel Spader Voorhees 1852–1935 American government official
EA Eddie Allen American football coach and player
RH Richard Healey born 1959 American luger
No one matches both filters.
Show all 35 The town’s pick Who’s the most famous person from Somerville? 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 Somerville? → Who should be on this list but isn’t? → Next door Famous people from the towns next door Of the towns around it, Bridgewater Township has the most on record: 9.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Somerville 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 (9) Lee Van Cleef: Giulio Petroni (director)PEC/United Artists, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Frederica von Stade: SPC 5 B. Goulait, U.S. Department of Defense, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Philip Morrison: NASA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Elinor Wylie: Unidentified photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Frederick Frelinghuysen: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons Don Elliott: Conn Instruments, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons John Mack: The original uploader was Brookie at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 , Wikimedia Commons Casey Murphy: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0 , Wikimedia Commons Peter Dumont Vroom: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons