#1Music
Les Paul
1915–2009American jazz guitarist, country guitarist, songwriter and inventor
63 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Waukesha
39 famous people were born in Waukesha, more of them scientists and doctors than in most towns
Les Paul is the best known, with articles in 63 languages. For every 10,000 residents the town has 5.5, while at least half the towns in Wisconsin list nobody born there. The largest group, 17, was born between 1920 and 1969. The list is still growing: 14 were born since 1970.
Born here
39
notable people
Best known
Les Paul
in 63 Wikipedia languages
First
1904
Gordon Keith Chalmers
Youngest
1999
Jarred Kelenic
Most common field
Sports
14 people
What stands out about Waukesha’s famous people
★ What stands out · Known for
What Waukesha is known for
Scientists and doctors stand out most, at 2.6 times the usual share.
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 Waukesha
By how many languages cover them, Les Paul comes first (63), then Vernor Vinge (38) and Gwen Jorgensen (23).
#1
#2Science & Medicine
Vernor Vinge
1944–2024American mathematician, computer scientist, and science fiction writer
38 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Through the years
When Waukesha’s famous people were born
The busiest decade was the 1980s, with 6 births.
SportsScience & MedicinePolitics & LawMusicNotableFilm, TV & StageMilitaryWriting & Arts
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Waukesha
Another 36, 14 of them athletes.
John Anderson
born 1956American linebacker in the National Football League (Green Bay Packers 1978-1989)
SportsWikipedia ↗
Patricia A. Berglund
Researcher at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
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Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Close by, Brookfield counts 17 famous people, the most of its neighbours.
From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Waukesha 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)
- Les Paul: William P. Gottlieb, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Vernor Vinge: Raul654, Maarten1980, Zanaq, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gwen Jorgensen: Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michelle Thaller: NASA, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Erik Sowinski: Yann Caradec from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Elli Ochowicz: McSmit, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Caroline Ingalls: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- David Koepp: Claudette Barius, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons