#1Famous people · Reading
Of the 34 famous people born in Reading, an unusual share are scientists and doctors
With articles in 91 languages, John Updike is the most widely known. 13 of them were born between 1920 and 1969, more than in any other period. The first birth on record is Edward Burd Hubley’s, in 1792, and the last Jaclyn Kintzer’s, in 1988. Half or more of the towns in Pennsylvania have no one on record, but this one has 3.6 for every 10,000 residents.
Born here
34
notable people
Best known
John Updike
in 91 Wikipedia languages
First
1792
Edward Burd Hubley
Youngest
1988
Jaclyn Kintzer
Most common field
Sports
11 people
Also called it home
1
notable residents
What stands out about Reading’s famous people
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Reading
Two of the three are writers and artists.
#1
#2
#3Business
Chad Hurley
born 1977American businessman, co-founder of YouTube
39 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for
What Reading is known for
No other field is as far above the usual share as scientists and doctors, at 2.5 times.
The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.
Through the years
When Reading’s famous people were born
The busiest decade was the 1950s, with 5 births.
SportsScience & MedicineWriting & ArtsFilm, TV & StagePolitics & LawBusinessMusicNotableFaith
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Reading
31 more, best known first.
Spencer Fullerton Baird
1823–1887American naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, museum curator, and the 2nd Secretary of the Smithsonian
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Kristy Kowal
born 1978American swimmer, Olympic silver medalist, world champion, former world record-holder
SportsWikipedia ↗
Eugene Miller Van Reed
1835–1873BusinessWikipedia ↗
Russell Weigley
1930–2004The Distinguished University Professor of History at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a noted military historian
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Shelly Steely
born 1962American college track and field athlete, international track and field athlete, distance runner, cross country runner, world champion, Olympian
SportsWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Reading home
One more notable person made the town home: Friedrich List.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Reading?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Your pick
No picks yet
Be the first to say who Reading’s most famous person is.
Or tell us
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
The fullest list close by belongs to Wyomissing, with 5.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Reading 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 (8)
- John Updike: Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Wallace Stevens: Photograph by Sylvia Salmi., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Chad Hurley: The Bui Brothers, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Barrasso: United States Senate, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Spencer Fullerton Baird: Mathew Benjamin Brady / Levin Corbin Handy, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Meg Foster: Hong Le, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Friedrich List: Josef Kriehuber, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Hiester: http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/governors/hiester.asp?secid=31, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons