#1Famous people · Milwaukee
29 famous people were born in Milwaukee, more of them performers than in most towns
Most widely known is Gene Wilder, the American actor, with articles in 101 languages. Second place goes to the American computer scientist and mathematician Donald Knuth, third to Spencer Tracy. The earliest on the list is Herbert Stothart, born in 1885, and the youngest Tom Cross, born in 2000. 9 were born in 1970 or later.
Born here
29
notable people
Best known
Gene Wilder
in 101 Wikipedia languages
First
1885
Herbert Stothart
Youngest
2000
Tom Cross
Most common field
Film, TV & Stage
11 people
Also called it home
9
notable residents
What stands out about Milwaukee’s famous people
Known worldwideGene Wilder is written about in 101 languages.A town of performers11 of the 29 people born here are performers, 4× the usual share.Still making namesThe most recent birth on the list came in 2000, among 16 since 1950.A chosen home9 more notable people chose to live here, Golda Meir among them.
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Milwaukee
Two of the three are performers.
#1
#2Science & Medicine
Donald Knuth
born 1938American computer scientist and mathematician
95 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Known for
What Milwaukee is known for
Milwaukee has 4× 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 Milwaukee’s famous people were born
No decade has more births than the 1960s, at 5.
Film, TV & StageScience & MedicineNotableSportsMusicPolitics & LawWriting & ArtsFaith
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Milwaukee
26 more names, born between 1885 and 2000.
Herbert Simon
1916–2001American political scientist, economist, sociologist, and psychologist
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
George F. Kennan
1904–2005American advisor, diplomat, political scientist and historian
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Phil Katz
1962–2000American software developer, developer of the ZIP file format
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
A chosen home
Also called Milwaukee home
9 notable people born elsewhere made the town home, Golda Meir the best known.
The town’s pick
Town Square →Who’s the most famous person from Milwaukee?
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
8 towns around it have someone on record.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Milwaukee 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 (12)
- Gene Wilder: Warner Brothers/Tandem Production, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Donald Knuth: Alex Handy, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Spencer Tracy: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (work for hire), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Herbert Simon: Rochester Institute of Technology, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ava Max: Justin Higuchi, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- George F. Kennan: Harris & Ewing, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Heather Graham: Dimitri Sarantis, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Golda Meir: Talmoryair after Marion S. Trikosko, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Liberace: Allan warren, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jessica Szohr: Toglenn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jim Abrahams: Eric Garcetti, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Margaret Domka: Bob Brents, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons