Biographical Records

Notable People from Virginia

2,381 notable figures born in Virginia, showing page 2 of 48, ranked by historical prominence.

Joseph E. Johnston
Joseph E. Johnston
Confederate general (1807-1891)
1807 – 1891
army officerpolitician
Cyrus McCormick
Cyrus McCormick
American inventor and businessman (1809–1884)
1809 – 1884
peace activistjournalistinventor
George Mason
George Mason
American delegate from Virginia to the U.S. Constitutional Convention (1725-1792)
1725 – 1792
planter classpoliticianlawyer
Nat Turner
Nat Turner
American slave rebellion leader (1800-1831)
1800 – 1831
religious leaderslaveabolitionist
Ella Josephine Baker
Ella Josephine Baker
African-American civil rights and human rights activist (1903–1986)
1903 – 1986
women's rights activistactivistcivil rights advocate
J. E. B. Stuart
J. E. B. Stuart
Confederate cavalry general (1833–1864)
1833 – 1864
major generalmilitary officerpolitician
Matthew Fontaine Maury
Matthew Fontaine Maury
United States Navy officer
1806 – 1873
naval officereducatoroceanographer
Ruth Brown
Ruth Brown
American singer-songwriter (1928-2006)
1928 – 2006
songwritermusiciansinger
D’Angelo
D’Angelo
American musician (1974–2025)
1974 – 2025
soul musicianlyricistmulti-instrumentalist
V. C. Andrews
American novelist (1923–1986)
1923 – 1986
novelistwriter
James Branch Cabell
James Branch Cabell
American author (1879–1958)
1879 – 1958
autobiographershort story writerhumorist
Willard Scott
Willard Scott
American weather presenter and television personality (1934–2021)
1934 – 2021
television actorfilm actorvoice actor
William H. Crawford
William H. Crawford
American politician and judge (1772-1834)
1772 – 1834
finance ministerdiplomatpolitician
Martha Jefferson
First lady of Virginia, wife of Thomas Jefferson (1748-1782)
1748 – 1782
politician
Ellen Glasgow
Ellen Glasgow
Novelist, short story writer (1873–1945)
1873 – 1945
essayistnovelistsuffragette
Henry Lee III
Henry Lee III
American politician, governor, and representative (1756–1818)
1756 – 1818
military officergovernorpolitician
Alexander Vandegrift
Alexander Vandegrift
United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient and Commandant of the Marine Corps (1887–1973)
1887 – 1973
military commandermilitary officer
Stephen Furst
Stephen Furst
American actor (1954–2017)
1954 – 2017
television actorfilm actorvoice actor
Richard Henry Lee
Richard Henry Lee
Founding Father of the United States (1732–1794)
1732 – 1794
statespersonpoliticianjudge
John Payne
John Payne
American actor (1912–1989)
1912 – 1989
film actortelevision actorvoice actor
Ambrose Powell Hill
Ambrose Powell Hill
Confederate Army general (1825-1865)
1825 – 1865
soldiermilitary officer
Dred Scott
Dred Scott
African-American plaintiff in freedom suit (c.1799–1858)
1799 – 1858
slaveactivist
Matthew Ridgway
Matthew Ridgway
United States Army general (1895–1993)
1895 – 1993
army officersoldiermilitary officer
David Huddleston
David Huddleston
American actor (1930-2016)
1930 – 2016
television actorfilm actorfilm producer
Roy Sullivan
American park ranger
1912 – 1983
forestry ranger
Dorothy Height
Dorothy Height
American activist (1912-2010)
1912 – 2010
political activistsocial workerjournalist
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen F. Austin
American empresario, founder of Texas, namesake of Austin, Texas (1793-1836)
1793 – 1836
politician
William Isaac Thomas
William Isaac Thomas
American sociologist (1863-1947)
1863 – 1947
sociologistpsychologistwriter
Murray Leinster
Murray Leinster
novelist, short story writer (1896–1975)
1896 – 1975
science fiction writernovelistinventor
Jubal Early
Jubal Early
lawyer, politician, and general of the Confederate States Army (1816-1894)
1816 – 1894
army officerpoliticianmilitary personnel
Lynn Bari
Lynn Bari
American actress (1913–1989)
1913 – 1989
film actoractor
John Forsyth
John Forsyth
American politician (1780–1841)
1780 – 1841
foreign ministerdiplomatgovernor
Sally Hemings
American enslaved woman (c1773-1835); owned by Thomas Jefferson and mother of his children
1773 – 1835
Abel P. Upshur
Abel P. Upshur
lawyer and politician (1790-1844)
1790 – 1844
diplomatpoliticianlawyer
S. S. Van Dine
S. S. Van Dine
American art critic and writer (1888–1939)
1888 – 1939
art criticnovelistcritic
Henry Lee Lucas
Henry Lee Lucas
American convicted murderer and claimed serial killer (1936–2001)
1936 – 2001
rapistcriminalmurderer
William Haines
William Haines
American actor, interior designer (1900–1973)
1900 – 1973
interior architectfilm actordesigner
Lewis Binford
American archaeologist (1931-2011)
1931 – 2011
prehistorianarchaeologistanthropologist
Kate Smith
Kate Smith
American singer (1907-1986)
1907 – 1986
autobiographerfilm actortelevision actor
William Wyatt Bibb
William Wyatt Bibb
first Governor of the U.S. state of Alabama (1781-1820)
1781 – 1820
politician
George Caleb Bingham
George Caleb Bingham
American artist (1811–1879)
1811 – 1879
architectural drafterpaintergraphic artist
Bill Robinson
Bill Robinson
American dancer and actor (1877/1878–1949)
1878 – 1949
film actordancerstage actor
Sterling Price
Sterling Price
American politician and Confederate States Army general in the Civil War (1809–1867)
1809 – 1867
military officermajor generalgovernor
George Pickett
George Pickett
Confederate States Army general (1825–1875)
1825 – 1875
soldiermilitary personnel
Roy Clark
Roy Clark
American multi-instrumentalist musician (1933–2018)
1933 – 2018
country musicianbanjoistsongwriter
Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur
Ellen Lewis Herndon Arthur
wife of U.S. president Chester A. Arthur (1837–1880)
1837 – 1880
Mae Murray
Mae Murray
American actress, dancer, film producer, screenwriter (1885–1965)
1885 – 1965
film producerdancertelevision actor
Charles Lee
Charles Lee
American lawyer (1758-1815)
1758 – 1815
politicianlawyerjudge
George Henry Thomas
George Henry Thomas
United States Army general (1816-1870)
1816 – 1870
military officer
Harry F. Byrd Jr.
Harry F. Byrd Jr.
politician from the United States (1914-2013)
1914 – 2013
journalisteditormilitary officer
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