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Famous people · Newport

No town in Rhode Island has more famous people than Newport: 49

Mena Suvari leads the list, covered in 58 languages. 9 of them are performers, 2 times the share across U.S. towns. The largest group, 14, was born in the age of mills and railroads. Births since 1970 account for 4 of the names.

#2 best knownMatthew C. PerryMilitary · 1794–1858
+45more
Born here
49
notable people
Best known
Mena Suvari
in 58 Wikipedia languages
First
1640
Walter Clarke
Youngest
1987
Ashley Newbrough
Most common field
Politics & Law
14 people
Also called it home
2
notable residents

What stands out about Newport’s famous people

★ What stands out · The best known

Born in Newport

Mena Suvari leads with articles in 58 languages, ahead of Matthew C. Perry (41) and Van Johnson (34).

MS#1
Film, TV & Stage

Mena Suvari

born 1979

American actress, fashion designer, model

58 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Matthew C. Perry#2
Military

Matthew C. Perry

1794–1858

American naval officer

41 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Van Johnson#3
Film, TV & Stage

Van Johnson

1916–2008

American actor

34 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Known for

What Newport is known for

Newport has 2× the usual share of performers.

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 Newport’s famous people were born

No decade has more births than the 1880s, at 4.

Colonial daysA new nationMills & railroadsThe American century16501700175018001850190019502000William Ellery ChanningThomas H. Ince
Politics & LawFilm, TV & StageWriting & ArtsSportsScience & MedicineNotableMilitaryFaithMusic

Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.

Everyone

Everyone else born in Newport

The other 46 span the years 1640 to 1987.

William Ellery Channing

William Ellery Channing

1780–1842

American Unitarian clergyman

Thomas H. Ince

Thomas H. Ince

1882–1924

American film producer

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Aileen Riggin

Aileen Riggin

1906–2002

American diver, swimmer, Olympic gold medalist

Nadia Bjorlin

Nadia Bjorlin

born 1980

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
HA

Harry Anderson

1952–2018

American actor and magician

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
William Ellery

William Ellery

1727–1820

American politician and signer of the United States Declaration of Independence

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Leon Wilkeson

Leon Wilkeson

1952–2001

American bass guitarist

Ogden L. Mills

Ogden L. Mills

1884–1937

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Charles Bird King

Charles Bird King

1785–1862

American artist

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Clarence King

Clarence King

1842–1901

American geologist

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Blanche Oelrichs

Blanche Oelrichs

1890–1950

American actress and writer

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
Christopher Ellery

Christopher Ellery

1768–1840

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Christopher Grant Champlin

Christopher Grant Champlin

1768–1840

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Ethel Sands

Ethel Sands

1873–1962

American-born British artist, socialite, patron

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Ida Lewis

Ida Lewis

1842–1911

American lighthouse keeper

JA

Jimmy Van Alen

1902–1991

Founder of the International Tennis Hall of Fame

Francis Malbone

Francis Malbone

1759–1809

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Gladys Vanderbilt Széchenyi

Gladys Vanderbilt Széchenyi

1886–1965

American socialite

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
Helene Rosson

Helene Rosson

1897–1985

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
William Hunter

William Hunter

1774–1849

American politician and diplomat

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
CL

Carol Lavell

1943–2023

Olympic medalists in equestrian

AN

Ashley Newbrough

born 1987

American actress

Film, TV & StageWikipedia ↗
A chosen home

Also called Newport home

2 notable people born elsewhere made the town home, Sheldon Whitehouse the best known.

Sheldon Whitehouse

Sheldon Whitehouse

born 1955

American lawyer and politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Eugenia Smith

Eugenia Smith

1899–1997

Romanov imposter who claimed to be the Grand Duchess Anastasia of Russia

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

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Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

Of the towns around it, Jamestown has the most on record: 3.

From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Newport 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 (24)