Besides the Jersey shore, New Jersey is also known for being home for many famous people. Read the article to find out who these famous people from New Jersey are.
When you look at the map of the United States, you will find that New Jersey is in fact, one of the smallest states. However, it is the most densely populated state in the union. It has a huge and diverse population with many well-known significant people, who have either lived, were born or brought up there. No matter which state they were born or brought up in, a true New Jerseyan will always be one through and through. Following is a detailed list of famous people from New Jersey.
Well-known New Jersey Women
Here is a list of famous women from New Jersey who have made a huge impact on not just the state, but also the country’s progress. With the various contributions throughout history in different fields, these women have made history.
- Clara Barton (Founder of American Red Cross)
- Dorothea Lynde Dix (American Activist and Social Reformer)
- Nellie Morrow Parker (First African-American Public School Teacher)
- Jillian Armenante (Actress)
- Priscilla Barnes (Actress)
- Regina Belle (Singer)
- Joan Bennett (Actress)
- Mary Birdsong (Actress and Comedian)
- Tammy Blanchard (Actress)
- Jacqueline Brookes (Actress)
- Joanna Cassidy (Actress)
- Valerie Cruz (Actress)
- Tawny Cypress (Actress)
- Hope Davis (Actress)
- Sandra Dee (Actress)
- Martina Deignan (Soap Opera Actress)
- Kelly Wright (Artist and Radio Host)
- Tabitha D’umo (Dance Teacher, Choreographer, and Creative Director)
- Kirsten Dunst (Actress)
- Andrea Dworkin (Radical Feminist and Activist)
- Hallie Kate Eisenberg (Teen Actress)
- Linda Emond (Actress)
- Vera Farmiga (Actress)
- Susan Flannery (Soap 0pera Actress)
- Beth Fowler (Actress and Singer)
- Connie Francis (Pop Singer)
- Genie Francis (Actress)
- Kate French (Actress)
- Roxanne Hart (Actress)
- Lauryn Hill (Singer, Rapper, and Songwriter)
- Cissy Houston (Singer)
- Whitney Houston (Singer and Actress)
- Linda Jones (Soul Singer)
- Laura San Giacomo (Actress)
- Eva Marie Saint (Actress)
- Jennifer Schwalbach Smith (Actress)
- Martha Stewart (Lifestyle Guide and Entrepreneur)
- Meryl Streep (Actress)
- Tammy Lynn Sytch (Professional Wrestling Valet)
- Ashley Tisdale (Actress and Singer)
- Sarah Vaughan (Singer)
- Vernee Watson-Johnson (Actress)
- Karen Young (Actress)
- Wendy Williams (Radio and Television Host)
- Maxine Jones (Singer)
- Jane Krakowski (Actress)
- Ali Larter (Actress)
- Nicole Leach (Actress)
- Fran Lebowitz (Author)
- Amy Locane (Actress)
- Martha MacCallum (News Anchor for Fox News Channel)
- Lisa Marie Presley (Model and Actress)
- Heather McComb (Actress)
- Mary McCormack (Actress)
- Lindsey McKeon (Actress)
- Lee Meredith (Actress)
- Bebe Neuwirth (Actress)
- Ashley Rose Orr (Actress)
- Queen Latifah (Singer, Actress, and Rapper)
- Alice Paul (Suffragist)
- Elizabeth Peña (Actress)
- Millie Perkins (Actress)
- Laura Prepon (Actress)
- Molly Price (Actress)
- Keshia Knight Pulliam (Actress)
- Melissa Reeves (Soap Opera Actress)
- Tara Reid (Actress)
- Kelly Ripa (Actress and Television host)
- Mary J. Blige (Songwriter, Singer, Producer, Actress, and Rapper)
- Sarah Chang (Korean-American Violin Virtuoso)
- Connie Chung (American Journalist)
- Mary Higgins Clark (Author)
- Melissa ‘Missy’ Elliott (Singer, Producer, Songwriter, Rapper, and Actress)
- Kitty Kallen (Singer)
- Lil’ Kim (Rapper, Songwriter, and Actress)
- Heather Locklear (Actress)
- Kimora Lee Simmons (Fashion Model, Author, and CEO of Baby Phat)
- Brooke Shields (Actress, Author, and Model)
- Cindy Sherman (Photographer)
- Mary Chapin Carpenter (Folk and Country Singer)
- Debra Hill (Screenwriter and Producer)
- Linda Hunt (Actress)
- Camryn Manheim (Actress and Left-Wing Activist)
- Christina Milian (R&B and Pop Singer, Songwriter, Dancer, Actress, and Model)
- Dana Reeve (Actress, Singer, Widow of Christopher Reeve)
- Janeane Garofalo (Comedian, Actress, and Left-Wing Activist)
- Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari (Musician)
Well-Known New Jersey Men
From comedians to actors, musicians to sports personalities, these famous men from New Jersey are remembered for their work in respective arenas. Let’s see who they are.
- Dave Thomas (Founder of Wendy’s)
- Kal Penn (Actor)
- Joe Pesci (Actor)
- Redman (Rap Musician)
- Claudio Reyna (Soccer Player)
- Giuseppe Rossi (Soccer Player)
- Alfred Stieglitz (Photographer)
- Vitamin C (Pop Singer)
- John Travolta (Actor)
- Frankie Valli (Singer)
- Amiri Baraka (Poet)
- Martin Truex, Jr. (NASCAR Driver)
- Frank Sinatra (Singer and Actor)
- Philip Roth (Author)
- Bud Abbott (Actor and Comedian)
- Jason Biggs (Actor)
- Harry Carson (Retired NFL Player)
- Danny DeVito (Actor)
- Michael Douglas (Actor and Producer)
- Jim Dowd (Professional NFL Player)
- Al Leiter (Retired MLB Player)
- Arthur Lenk (Israeli Diplomat)
- Derek Luke (Actor)
- Jesse Barfield (Retired MLB Player)
- Yogi Berra (Retired MLB Player)
- George Benson (Musician)
- AZ (Rapper)
- Lior Haramaty (Entrepreneur and Inventor)
- Bobby Hebb (African-American Singer and Songwriter)
- Sam Huff (Retired NFL Player)
- Tommy John (Retired MLB Player)
- Jim Jones (Rapper)
- Ja Rule (Rapper, Singer, and Actor)
- James “J.T.” Taylor (R&B Singer)
- Zab Judah (Professional Boxer)
- Jason Kidd (Professional NBA Player)
- Andre Braugher (Actor)
- Patrick Malone (Actor)
- David Marciano (Actor)
- John Marin (Artist)
- Andrew McCarthy (Actor)
- Tony Meola (Soccer Player)
- Mark Blum (Actor)
- Jon Bon Jovi (Musician)
- Joe Dante (Film Director)
- Danny Aiello (Director and Producer)
- Grover Cleveland (22nd and 24th President of the United States)
- Joseph Alexander Adams (Noted Engraver)
- Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin (NASA Astronaut – Second man to walk on the moon)
- Samuel Alito (U.S. Supreme Court Justice)
- David Newsom (Actor and Photographer)
- Jim Norton (Comedian, Radio Personality, Actor, and Author)
- Dennis Rodman (Retired Professional NBA Player)
- Mark Rudd (Left-Wing Activist, Founder of the Weather Underground)
- Steven Rudolph (Educator and Researcher)
- Bruce Springsteen (Singer and Songwriter)
- Ray Toro (Lead Guitarist of My Chemical Romance)
- Rudy Van Gelder (Blue Note Records Recording Engineer)
- Bret Baier (News anchor for FOX News Channel)
- James J. Barry Jr. (Assemblyman, Director of Consumer Affairs)
- Count Basie (Jazz Pianist, Organist, and Bandleader)
- Lanny Davis (former Special Counsel to the President Bill Clinton)
- Christopher McQuarrie (Screenwriter and Director)
- Alan Alda (Actor, Director, Screenwriter)
- Wesley Snipes (Actor, Film Producer, and Martial Artist)
- Paul Anka (Canadian Singer, Songwriter, and Actor)
- Brian Baldinger (Retired Professional NBA Player)
- Jim Bunning (Politician and former MLB Player)
- Jim Byrnes (Blues Musician, Guitarist, and Actor)
- Vince Carter (Professional NBA Player)
- Bobby Clarke (Retired Canadian Professional NHL Player)
- Muhammad Ali (Retired American Boxer)
- Alon Cohen (Entrepreneur and Inventor)
- Stephen Colbert (American Political Satirist, Writer, Comedian, and Television Host)
- Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs (Record Producer, Rapper, Actor, Men’s Fashion Designer)
- Johnny Damon (Professional MLB Player)
- Damon Dash (Label Executive)
- Darryl Dawkins (Retired Professional NBA Player)
- Steve Doocy (FOX News Co-host and Author)
- Halim El-Dabh (Composer, Performer, Educator, and Ethnomusicology)
- Jeff Feagles (Retired NFL Player)
- Jay-Z (Rapper, Entrepreneur, and Partial owner of New Jersey Nets)
- Michael Johns (Health care Executive, Author, Writer, Public Policy Analyst, and Former Federal Government Official)
- Eddie Murphy (Actor, Comedian, Director, Producer, Voice Actor, and Singer)
- Chris Rock (Comedian, Actor, Screenwriter, Television and Film Producer, and Director)
- Joseph Simmons (Rapper, Producer, D.J., and Reverend)
- Russell Simmons (Entrepreneur, and Media and Fashion Mogul)
- Stevie Wonder (Singer, Songwriter, Multi-instrumentalist, Record Producer, and Activist)
These were some of the famous men and women from New Jersey who are either living or have lived in the state. Whether they chose to live in New Jersey, because it’s their hometown or due to their work, they are one the many true New Jerseyans.