#1Performers stand out among the 46 famous people born in Lancaster
At the top of the list is the American actor and singer Jonathan Groff, covered in 43 languages. Second and third on the list are Beth Behrs and Taylor Kinney. 22 of them were born since 1970, more than in any other period. Only 11 of the 946 towns in Pennsylvania with anyone on record list more.
What stands out about Lancaster’s famous people
What Lancaster is known for
No other field is as far above the usual share as performers, at 2.1 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
When Lancaster’s famous people were born
The 1990s top the chart, with 8 births in the decade.
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Born in Lancaster
The three best known are all performers.
#1
#2
#3Everyone else born in Lancaster
43 more, best known first.





Benjamin Smith Barton
1766–1815American physician, professor, and botanist










John D. Anderson
born 1937Curator of Aerodynamics at the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institution

No one matches both filters.
Also called Lancaster home
Notable people Wikidata lists as living in Lancaster, though born elsewhere.


Who’s the most famous person from Lancaster?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Be the first to say who Lancaster’s most famous person is.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Lancaster 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 (21)
- Jonathan Groff: Alan Light, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Beth Behrs: jjduncan_80, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Taylor Kinney: Behind The Velvet Rope TV, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Todd Young: Rebecca Hammel, U.S. Senate Photographic Services, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Smith: Portrait by Freeman Thorpe., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Abby Dahlkemper: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Andrew J. Feustel: Web Summit, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Benjamin Smith Barton: Charles Willson Peale, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John F. Reynolds: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Billy Bletcher: Christie Film Company / Educational Film Exchanges, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jennifer Gareis: Photo by Glenn Francis of www.PacificProDigital.com, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Barbara Franklin: US gov, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Barry Pearl: TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hugh Herr: Joi Ito, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Carla Kihlstedt: Andy Newcombe, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Russell Canouse: Jamie Smed, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Andrew Wenger: Joe Nuxoll from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John D. Anderson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Lamar Patterson: Lamar Patterson (-21) (12574749654).jpg: Thomson20192 derivative work: (simple crop) Crazypaco, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- James Buchanan: From Brady daguerreotype (Mathew Brady) (1822-1896), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hugh O'Brian: Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons