Biographical Records

Notable People from Kentucky

1,902 notable figures born in Kentucky, showing page 1 of 39, ranked by historical prominence.

Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
president of the United States from 1861 to 1865 (1809-1865)
1809 – 1865
statespersonpostmastermilitary officer
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
American boxer (1942–2016)
1942 – 2016
boxer
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
President of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865 (1808–1889)
1808 – 1889
political writermilitary officerpolitician
D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
American filmmaker (1875–1948)
1875 – 1948
film editorfilm screenwriterfilm producer
Thomas Hunt Morgan
Thomas Hunt Morgan
American biologist (1866–1945)
1866 – 1945
biologistphysiologistevolutionary biologist
Jim Varney
American actor and comedian (1949–2000)
1949 – 2000
stand-up comediandancertelevision actor
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson
American journalist and author (1937–2005)
1937 – 2005
essayistautobiographernovelist
Patricia Neal
Patricia Neal
American stage and film actress (1926-2010)
1926 – 2010
film actortelevision actorstage actor
Alben W. Barkley
Alben W. Barkley
vice president of the United States from 1949 to 1953
1877 – 1956
prosecutorjuristpolitician
bell hooks
bell hooks
American author and activist (1952–2021)
1952 – 2021
literary scholarnon-fiction writerphilosopher
Robert H. Grubbs
Robert H. Grubbs
Nobel prize winning American chemist (1942-2021)
1942 – 2021
autobiographeruniversity teacherchemist
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln
First Lady of the United States from 1861 to 1865
1818 – 1882
First Lady
John C. Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
vice president of the United States from 1857 to 1861 (1821–1875)
1821 – 1875
university teachermilitary officerpolitician
Richard Mentor Johnson
Richard Mentor Johnson
vice president of the United States from 1837 to 1841
1780 – 1850
juristpoliticianlawyer
Harry Dean Stanton
Harry Dean Stanton
American actor (1926–2017)
1926 – 2017
film actortelevision actorcharacter actor
Adlai Stevenson I
Adlai Stevenson I
American politician (1835–1914); Vice President of the United States from 1893 to 1897
1835 – 1914
prosecutorjuristpolitician
Irene Dunne
Irene Dunne
American actress and singer (1898–1990)
1898 – 1990
television actorfilm actorstage actor
Larry Flynt
Larry Flynt
American publisher
1942 – 2021
film actorautobiographerpublisher
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn
American country singer (1932–2022)
1932 – 2022
recording artistcountry musiciansongwriter
Rosemary Clooney
Rosemary Clooney
American singer and actress (1928–2002)
1928 – 2002
autobiographerjazz musicianfilm actor
Ned Beatty
Ned Beatty
American actor (1937–2021)
1937 – 2021
film actortelevision actorvoice actor
Robert Penn Warren
Robert Penn Warren
American poet, novelist, and literary critic (1905-1989)
1905 – 1989
children's writerliterary criticnovelist
Edgar Cayce
Edgar Cayce
purported clairvoyant healer and psychic (1877–1945)
1877 – 1945
psychicastrologer
Francis Gary Powers
Francis Gary Powers
American pilot shot down flying a U-2 spy plane over the Soviet Union (1929-1977)
1929 – 1977
spyaircraft pilot
Sue Grafton
Sue Grafton
American writer (1940-2017)
1940 – 2017
novelistjournalistauthor
Louis Brandeis
Louis Brandeis
American Supreme Court Justice (1856-1941)
1856 – 1941
juristlawyerjudge
Helen Thomas
Helen Thomas
American author and journalist
1920 – 2013
journalistwriter
Nicky Hayden
Nicky Hayden
American motorcycle racer (1981-2017)
1981 – 2017
motorcyclistmotorcycle racer
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
American jazz musician (1908–2002)
1908 – 2002
vibraphonistsaxophonistjazz musician
Kit Carson
Kit Carson
American frontiersman and Union Army general (1809-1868)
1809 – 1868
explorermilitary officer
Victor Mature
Victor Mature
American actor (1913–1999)
1913 – 1999
television actorfilm actorstage actor
Tod Browning
Tod Browning
American film actor and director (1880–1962)
1880 – 1962
film screenwritercircus performerfilm director
Mary Travers
Mary Travers
American folk singer (1936–2009)
1936 – 2009
singer-songwritersingercomposer
Warren Oates
Warren Oates
American actor (1928–1982)
1928 – 1982
film actortelevision actorrancher
Bill Monroe
Bill Monroe
American bluegrass musician, songwriter (1911-1996)
1911 – 1996
mandolinistcountry musicianguitarist
Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly
American athlete, actor, and martial artist (1946-2013)
1946 – 2013
tennis playertaekwondo athletekarateka
Tom Ewell
Tom Ewell
American actor (1909-1994)
1909 – 1994
television actorfilm actorstage actor
William Conrad
William Conrad
American actor and director (1920-1994)
1920 – 1994
producerfilm actordirector
Wes Unseld
Wes Unseld
American basketball player and coach (1946–2020)
1946 – 2020
sports executivebasketball coachbasketball player
Husband E. Kimmel
Husband E. Kimmel
United States admiral (1882-1968)
1882 – 1968
military officer
Charles Napier
Charles Napier
American actor (1936–2011)
1936 – 2011
film actortelevision actorvoice actor
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston
Confederate States Army officer (1803–1862)
1803 – 1862
army officersoldier
James Kottak
James Kottak
American drummer (1962–2024)
1962 – 2024
percussionistdrummermusician
Fred M. Vinson
Fred M. Vinson
chief justice of the United States from 1946 to 1953
1890 – 1953
politicianlawyerjudge
Una Merkel
Una Merkel
American actress (1903–1986)
1903 – 1986
film actortelevision actorstage actor
Skeeter Davis
Skeeter Davis
American singer-songwriter (1931-2004)
1931 – 2004
recording artistcountry musicianchildren's writer
Carrie Nation
Carrie Nation
American temperance advocate (1846–1911)
1846 – 1911
Journalistwriter
Ellen Churchill Semple
Ellen Churchill Semple
American geographer (1863–1932)
1863 – 1932
geopolitical analystuniversity teachergeographer
Hal Moore
Hal Moore
United States Army lieutenant general (1922–2017)
1922 – 2017
army officerwriter
William M. Branham
William M. Branham
American Christian minister (1909–1965)
1909 – 1965
faith healerevangelistpreacher
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