PW#1
Famous people · Norfolk
37 famous people were born in Norfolk, more of them musicians than in most towns
The best known is the American actor Patrick Wilson, with articles in 53 languages. Grant Gustin, the American actor and singer, comes second, with Margaret Sullavan third. 20 of them were born between 1920 and 1969, more than in any other period. The list is still growing: 8 were born since 1970.
Born here
37
notable people
Best known
Patrick Wilson
in 53 Wikipedia languages
First
1809
Joseph Jenkins Roberts
Youngest
1999
Keyshawn Davis
Most common field
Film, TV & Stage
12 people
Also called it home
4
notable residents
What stands out about Norfolk’s famous people
A town of musiciansAmong the 37 people born here, 8 are musicians: 3.9 times the usual share.Known worldwidePatrick Wilson is written about in 53 languages.Still making namesThe most recent birth on the list came in 1999, among 16 since 1950.A chosen home4 more notable people chose to live in Norfolk, including Ralph Northam.
★ What stands out · Known for
What Norfolk is known for
The field furthest above the usual share is musicians, at 3.9 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 Norfolk
All three are performers.
#2
#3Through the years
When Norfolk’s famous people were born
No decade has more births than the 1940s, at 6.
Film, TV & StageMusicSportsWriting & ArtsPolitics & LawNotableScience & MedicineFaith
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Norfolk
34 more, from 1809 to 1999.
Ella Josephine Baker
1903–1986African-American civil rights and human rights activist
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Elizabeth Jordan Carr
born 1981First person born in the United States of an in-vitro fertilisation
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Stacy Horn
born 1956American author, businesswoman and occasional journalist
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Norfolk home
Born elsewhere, they lived here: 4 in all, led by Ralph Northam.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Norfolk?
Pick one and say why. Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Your pick
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Of the towns nearby, Hampton lists the most people: 58.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Norfolk 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 (13)
- Grant Gustin: Tim Blackmon for Galaxy Con, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Margaret Sullavan: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Jenkins Roberts: not stated, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Gene Vincent: Roland Godefroy, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Clarence Clemons: Martin Olbrich, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ella Josephine Baker: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Murray Leinster: Jacket design by I. Heilbron, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Stephen Furst: Lois Benton, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ralph Northam: Craig from Richmond, Virginia`, United States, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Allen Iverson: Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Walker Scobell: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Alonzo Mourning: Keith Allison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Patton Oswalt: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons