#1Famous people · Athens
Writers and artists stand out among the 43 famous people born in Athens
At the top of the list is the American sculptor and architect Maya Lin, covered in 31 languages. Behind the leader come Kevin Hartman and Art Tripp. Gwyneth Philips, born in 2000, is the youngest, and Julia Perkins Ballard, born in 1828, the first on record. For every 10,000 residents the town has 18.4, while at least half the towns in Ohio list nobody born there.
Born here
43
notable people
Best known
Maya Lin
in 31 Wikipedia languages
First
1828
Julia Perkins Ballard
Youngest
2000
Gwyneth Philips
Most common field
Sports
13 people
Also called it home
3
notable residents
What stands out about Athens’ famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Athens is known for
The field furthest above the usual share is writers and artists, at 2.3 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 Athens
First, Maya Lin (31 languages), then Kevin Hartman (14) and Art Tripp (10).
#1
#2
#3Through the years
When Athens’s famous people were born
More of them were born in the 1940s than in any other ten years, 5 in all.
SportsWriting & ArtsPolitics & LawScience & MedicineMusicMilitaryNotableFilm, TV & StageFaith
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Athens
40 more, from 1828 to 2000.
Megan Griffiths
born 1975American screenwriter, cinematographer and film director
Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Elizabeth O. Sampson Hoyt
1828–1912American philosopher, teacher, author, and social activist
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Oscar Brindley
1885–1918NotableWikipedia ↗
Ralph C. Kenney
?–1966American sports coach, athletics administrator, military officer (c. 1887 – 1966)
SportsWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Athens home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Athens, though born elsewhere.
Richard Vedder
born 1940American writer, economist, and distinguished professor at Ohio University
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Bianca Spriggs
born 1981American poet, professor, and multidisciplinary artist
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick
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From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Athens 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 (23)
- Maya Lin: Berkeley Center for New Media, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Kevin Hartman: Mahanga, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Art Tripp: Arthur Tripp, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John William Brown: "Akron Beacon Journal" (Akron, OH)., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Gwyneth Philips: U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles F. Scott: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Israel Moore Foster: National Photo Company Collection, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Dow Finsterwald: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edwin Tappan Adney: Tappan Adney, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles Caldwell McCabe: Photograph, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Sxip Shirey: Stacey~ from Portland, OR, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- David Hastings Moore: "Athens Home Coming," Athens Ohio, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Kahler: American Tobacco Company, sponsor, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Harlan Hoge Ballard: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Louis R. de Steiguer: U.S. Navy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Russ Finsterwald: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Dick Coury: Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Elizabeth O. Sampson Hoyt: Photographer not named., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Oscar Brindley: Federal Government Employee, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William Daniel Mahon: Bain News Service, publisher, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Earl Cranston: Harris & Ewing, photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Atul Gawande: United States Agency for International Development, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Vedder: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons