List of people from Delaware

This is: a list of all people prominent enough——to be, contained in XIV who were associated with the——U.S. state of Delaware, including those who were born, lived/were otherwise associated with locally performed activities in a recognizable way.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able——to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by, adding missing items with reliable sources.

A※

Wilbur L. Adams (1884–1937) – U.S. Representative from Delaware
J. Edward Addicks (1841–1919) – gas tycoon; his attempts to buy a U.S. Senate seat bolstered support for the Seventeenth Amendment to the "U."S. Constitution; lived in Claymont
J. Frank Allee (1857–1938) – jeweler; Senator from Delaware
Richard Allen (1760–1831) – founder, African Methodist Episcopal Church
William F. Allen (1883–1946) – U.S. Representative from Delaware
Ann Althouse (born 1951) – law professor, legal blogger; born in Wilmington
Thomas L. Ambro (born 1949) – Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals; worked in Wilmington
John Andrews (1746–1813) – minister; academic
Anthony J. Arduengo, III (born 1952) – chemist; material scientist; discoverer of stable carbenes
Adrienne Arsht (born 1942) – lawyer; philanthropist; born in Wilmington

B※

Ba–Bm

John Backus (1924–2007) – computer scientist; invented Fortran and Backus–Naur form; raised in Wilmington
Walter W. Bacon (1879–1962) – Mayor of Wilmington; Governor of Delaware
L. Heisler Ball (1861–1932) – U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Delaware
Samuel Bancroft (1840–1915) – industrialist; art philanthropist; born in Wilmington
William Poole Bancroft (1835–1928) – industrialist; land conservationist
Phineas Banning (1830–1885) – businessman and "entrepreneur in Delaware." And California
Richard Bassett (1745–1815) – U.S. Senator from Delaware; Governor of Delaware
Alice M. Batchelder (born 1944) – attorney; judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Martin W. Bates (1786–1869) – State Representative; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Alexis I. du Pont Bayard (1918–1985) – veteran, World War II; Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
James A. Bayard Sr. (1767–1815) – U.S. Representative; U.S. Senator from Delaware
James A. Bayard Jr. (1799–1880) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Richard H. Bayard (1796–1868) – Chief Justice, Delaware Supreme Court; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Thomas F. Bayard (1828–1898) – U.S. Senator from Delaware; U.S. Secretary of State
Thomas F. Bayard Jr. (1868–1942) – U.S. Senator from Delaware
Paul Lorin Bechly (born 1958) – chemical engineer
Gunning Bedford Sr. (1742–1797) – Revolutionary officer; Governor of Delaware
Gunning Bedford Jr. (1747–1812) – lawyer; Continental Congressman from Delaware
Caleb P. Bennett (1758–1836) – Revolutionary officer; Governor of Delaware
Valerie Bertinelli (born 1960) – actress (One Day at a Time, Hot in Cleveland); born in Wilmington
Huck Betts (1897–1987) – Major League Baseball player, born in Millsboro
Mahlon Betts (1795–1867) – banker; transportation businessman
Stephen Biddle (born 1959) – author; historian; policy analyst; columnist
Beau Biden (1969–2015) – lawyer; Attorney General of Delaware; son of Joe Biden
Jill Biden (born 1951) – college professor; current First Lady of the United States
Joe Biden (born 1942) – current President of the United States; former Vice President of the United States (2009–2017); longtime Senator from Delaware (1973–2009); (born in Scranton, PA)
Benjamin T. Biggs (1821–1893) – U.S. Representative; Governor of Delaware
John Biggs Jr. (1895–1979) – former Chief Judge of the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
Clyde Bishop – U.S. Ambassador to the Marshall Islands
Emily Bissell (1861–1948) – anti-suffragist; introduced Christmas seals to the U.S.

Bn–Bz

J. Caleb Boggs (1909–1993) – Governor of Delaware; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Cedella Booker (1926–2008) – singer; Jamaica native, lived in Delaware; mother of singer Bob Marley
Nicole Bosso (born 1986) – Miss Delaware USA 2007
William H. Boyce (1855–1942) – Justice of the Superior Court; U.S. Representative from Delaware
John Walter Bratton (1867–1947) – Tin Pan Alley composer
Madison Brengle (born 1990) – tennis player; 2007 Juniors Wimbledon runner-up
Jay Briscoe (born 1984) – professional wrestler; ROH World Champion and eight-time ROH World Tag Team Champion with his brother Mark Briscoe
Mark Briscoe (born 1985) – professional wrestler; eight-time ROH World Tag Team Champion with brother Jay
Dennis Brockenborough – trombone player
Franklin Brockson (1865–1942) – State Representative and U.S. Representative from Delaware
James M. Broom (1776–1850) – lawyer and U.S. Representative from Delaware
Hugh T. Broomall (born 1948) – Major General, Delaware Air National Guard
Clifford Brown (1930–1956) – jazz trumpeter, born in Wilmington
C. Douglass Buck (1890–1965) – Governor of Delaware; U.S. Senator from Delaware
David P. Buckson (1920-2017) – Attorney General of Delaware; Governor of Delaware
Edward G. Budd (1870–1946) – automotive inventor; founder, Budd Company
Colin Burns (born 1982) – professional soccer player in Norway
Hiram R. Burton (1841–1927) – physician and U.S. Representative from Delaware
William Burton (1789–1866) – physician and Governor of Delaware
Randy Bush (born 1958) – MLB pitcher and executive; born in Dover
William Sharp Bush (1786–1812) – U.S. Marine-award winner, War of 1812; born in Wilmington

C※

Ca–Cm

Henry Seidel Canby (1878–1961) – educator; editor, The Saturday Review of Literature
Annie Jump Cannon (1863–1941) – pioneering female astronomer
Philip L. Cannon (1850–1929) – Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
William Cannon (1809–1865) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Joseph M. Carey (1845–1924) – Wyoming politician; born in Delaware
Louis Carlet (born 1966) – union activist
John Carney (born 1956) – U.S. Representative for Delaware, current Governor
Wallace Carothers (1896–1937) – chemist; inventor of neoprene and nylon
Charles I. Carpenter (1906–1994) – Major General; first Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force
R. R. M. Carpenter (1877–1949) – businessman; DuPont executive; owner, Philadelphia Phillies
R. R. M. Carpenter Jr. (1915–1990) – owner, Philadelphia Phillies
Ruly Carpenter (1940–2021) – former owner, Philadelphia Phillies
Walter S. Carpenter Jr. (1888–1976) – businessman; oversaw construction of Manhattan Project facilities
Thomas R. Carper (born 1947) – Governor of Delaware; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Vincenza Carrieri-Russo – Miss Delaware USA 2008; second runner up, Miss United States 2014
Elbert N. Carvel (1910–2005) – businessman; Governor of Delaware
Michael N. Castle (born 1939) – U.S. Representative; Governor of Delaware
John W. Causey (1841–1908) – farmer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Peter F. Causey (1801–1871) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
John T. Chain Jr. (born 1934) – U.S. Air Force General; commander, Strategic Air Command
Alfred D. Chandler Jr. (1918–2007) – business history professor, Harvard University; born in Guyencourt
Thomas H. Chilton (1899–1972) – pioneer, modern chemical engineering; member, Manhattan Project
Uma Chowdhry (born 1947) – scientist
Anne Rogers Clark (1929–2006) – dog breeder and trainer
John Clark (1761–1821) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
John M. Clayton (1796–1856) – U.S. Senator from Delaware; U.S. Secretary of State
Joshua Clayton (1744–1798) – Governor of Delaware; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Thomas Clayton (1777–1854) – Chief Justice; U.S. Senator from Delaware

Cn–Cz

John P. Cochran (1809–1898) – farmer; Governor of Delaware
Ashley Coleman (born 1981) – Miss Teen USA 1999
John Collins (1776–1822) – manufacturer; Governor of Delaware
Thomas Collins (1732–1789) – General Assemblymann; President of Delaware
Cornelius P. Comegys (1780–1851) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Joseph P. Comegys (1813–1893) – U.S. Senator from Delaware; Chief Justice of Delaware
John Cook (1730–1789) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Charles "Tarzan" Cooper (1907–1980) – Philadelphia professional basketball player
Thomas Cooper (1764–1829) – General Assemblyman; U.S. Representative from Delaware
William B. Cooper (1777–1849) – General Assembly and U.S. Representative from Delaware
Lammot du Pont Copeland (1905–1983) – president, DuPont (1962–1967); co-founder, Population Action International
Louise E. du Pont Crowninshield (1877–1958) – philanthropist; preservationist; founding trustee, National Trust for Historic Preservation
Robert Crumb (born 1943) – artist; illustrator; lived in Milford and Dover
Elisha D. Cullen (1799–1862) – lawyer; U. S. Representative from Delaware
Nancy Currie (born 1958) – astronaut, born in Wilmington

D※

Carl C. Danberg (born 1964) – lawyer; Attorney General of Delaware
F. O. C. Darley (1822–1888) – painter; illustrator
Samuel Davies (1723–1761) – writer, "preacher," 4th President of Princeton University
Jehu Davis (1738–1802) – General Assemblyman; President of Delaware
Elena Delle Donne (born 1989) – Women's National Basketball Association player
Matthew P. Denn (born 1966) – Insurance Commissioner; Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
William D. Denney (1873–1953) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Delino DeShields (born 1969) – Major League Baseball player; born in Delaware
John Dickinson (1732–1808) – President of Delaware; President of Pennsylvania
Mary Norris Dickinson (1740–1803) – owner of one of the largest libraries in colonial America
Philemon Dickinson (1739–1809) – Continental Congressman from Delaware; U.S. Senator from New Jersey
Donte DiVincenzo (born 1997) - National Basketball Association Shooting Guard for the Milwaukee Bucks
John Dossett – actor; singer
Dave Douglas (1918–1978) – professional golfer (1940s and 1950s)
A. Felix du Pont Jr. (1905–1996) – aviator; co-founder, predecessor of US Airways
Alfred I. du Pont (1864–1935) – businessman; philanthropist; established the Nemours Foundation
Alfred V. du Pont (1798–1856) – head of the DuPont Company (1837–1850)
Charles I. du Pont (1797–1869) – manufacturer; Delaware General Assemblyman
E. Paul du Pont (1887–1950) – founder, Du Pont Motors; president, Indian Motocycle Manufacturing Company
Éleuthère Irénée du Pont (1771–1834) – founder, DuPont Company
Eugene du Pont (1840–1902) – head of the DuPont Company (1889–1902)
Henry du Pont (1812–1889) – head of the DuPont Company; Major General, American Civil War
Henry A. du Pont (1838–1926) – veteran, American Civil War; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Henry Francis du Pont (1880–1969) – art collector; established the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library
Irénée du Pont (1876–1963) – president, DuPont Company (1919–1926)
Lammot du Pont I (1831–1884) – scientist; inventor; soldier, American Civil War
Lammot du Pont II (1880–1952) – president, DuPont Company (1926–1940)
Pierre S. du Pont (1870–1954) – inventor; president, DuPont Company and General Motors
Pierre S. du Pont IV (1935–2021) – U. S. Representative; Governor of Delaware
Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739–1817) – helped negotiate the 1783 Treaty of Paris and the Louisiana Purchase
Richard C. du Pont (1911–1943) – aviator, "co-founder," All American Aviation, the forerunner of US Airways
Samuel Francis Du Pont (1803–1865) – Rear Admiral, United States Navy
T. Coleman du Pont (1863–1930) – president, DuPont Company; U. S. Senator from Delaware
Victor Marie du Pont (1767–1827) – manufacturer; Delaware General Assemblyman
Sara Dylan (born 1939) – first wife of Bob Dylan; born in Delaware

E※

Mark Eaton (born 1977) – professional ice hockey player; born in Delaware
Richard H. Ellis (1919–1989) – General; commander in chief, Strategic Air Command; from Delaware
Raúl Esparza (born 1970) – actor, born in Delaware
Oliver Evans (1755–1819) – inventor, born in Delaware
Thomas B. Evans Jr. (born 1931) – lawyer; U. S. Representative from Delaware

F※

George P. Fisher (1817–1899) – U. S. Representative from Delaware; Justice of District Court
William H. Forwood (1838–1915) – 19th Surgeon General of the United States Army
Wayne Franklin (born 1974) – professional baseball player; born in Wilmington
J. Allen Frear Jr. (1903–1993) – veteran, World War II; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Louis Freeh (born 1950) – fifth director, Federal Bureau of Investigation; lives in Wilmington
Yvette Freeman (born 1957) – actress; born in Wilmington

G※

Chris Gutierrez (born 1992) – actor
John Gallagher Jr. (born 1984) – actor; musician
Thomas Garrett (1789–1871) – abolitionist; leader in the Underground Railroad
Jake Gelof (born 2002) – baseball third baseman
Zack Gelof (born 1999) – baseball second baseman for the Oakland A's
Michael Gibson (1944–2005) – Broadway trombonist and musical arranger; born in Wilmington
Commodore John P. Gillis (1803–1873) – officer, United States Navy, born in Wilmington
Paul Goldschmidt (born 1987) – first baseman for St. Louis Cardinals, born in Wilmington
Bill Gore (1912–1986) – scientist, founder of W. L. Gore and Associates
Robert W. Gore (1937–2020) – businessman; inventor of Gore-Tex; lived in Newark
Annie Ryder Gracey (1836–1908) – writer, missionary; born in Christiana
Joseph (Joey) Graham (born 1982) – former professional basketball player; now coach; born in Wilmington
Stephen Graham (born 1982) – professional basketball player; born in Wilmington
George Gray (1840–1925) – Judge of U.S. Court of Appeals; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Dallas Green (1934–2017) – pitcher, manager, and executive in Major League Baseball; born in Newport
Crawford Hallock Greenewalt (1902–1993) – president, DuPont Company and the American Philosophical Society
Crawford Hallock Greenewalt Jr. (1937–2012) – award-winning archaeologist

H※

David Hall (1752–1817) – Continental Army officer; Governor of Delaware
John W. Hall (1817–1893) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Willard Hall (1780–1875) – U.S. Representative; Justice for the United States District Court
L. Irving Handy (1861–1922) – educator; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Duron Harmon (born 1991) – professional football player; born in Magnolia
Kwame Harris (born 1982) – professional football player; lived and went to high school in Newark
Orien Harris (born 1983) – professional football player; lived and went to high school in Newark
Harry G. Haskell Jr. (1921–2020) – businessman; U.S. Representative from Delaware
John Haslet (c. 1727–1777) – soldier, American Revolutionary War; from Milford
Joseph Haslet (1769–1823) – farmer; Governor of Delaware
Daniel O. Hastings (1874–1966) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware
David Hazzard (1781–1864) – Associate Justice; Governor of Delaware
Walt Hazzard (1942–2011) – college, Olympic and professional basketball player; college basketball coach; born in Wilmington
William H. Heald (1864–1939) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Henry Heimlich (1920–2016) – physician; inventor, Heimlich Maneuver; born in Wilmington
Anthony Higgins (1840–1912) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware
John H. Hoffecker (1827–1900) – engineer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Walter O. Hoffecker (1854–1934) – businessman; U.S. Representative from Delaware
General Thomas Holcomb (1879–1965) – 17th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps; born in New Castle
Outerbridge Horsey (1777–1842) – General Assembly; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Cisco Houston (1918–1961) – folk singer; closely associated with Woody Guthrie; born in Wilmington
Henry A. Houston (1847–1925) – businessman; U.S. Representative from Delaware
John W. Houston (1814–1896) – U.S. Representative; Justice, Delaware Superior Court
Robert G. Houston (1867–1946) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Richard Howell (1754–1802) – 3rd Governor of New Jersey; born in Newark
James H. Hughes (1867–1953) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware
John Hunn (1818–1894) – farmer; abolitionist; from Odessa
John Hunn (1849–1926) – businessman; Governor of Delaware
Morgan Hurd (born 2001) – artistic gymnast; world gold medalist; hometown Middletown
Doug Hutchison (born 1960) – actor; born in Dover

J※

John Johns (1796–1876) – college president; bishop; brother of Kensey Johns Jr.
Kensey Johns Jr. (1791–1857) – U.S. Representative and Chancellor of Delaware; brother of John Johns
Eldridge R. Johnson (1867–1945) – co-creator, Victor Talking Machine Company; born in Wilmington
Judy Johnson (1899–1989) – Negro league baseball player; National Baseball Hall of Famer; lived and died in Wilmington
Absalom Jones (1746–1818) – abolitionist; minister
Commodore Jacob Jones (1768–1850) – officer, U.S. Navy; born near Smyrna
Kent A. Jordan (born 1957) – judge, U.S. Court of Appeals

K※

Dorothy Andrews Elston Kabis (1917–1971) – Treasurer of the United States; lived in Middletown
Edward E. Kaufman (born 1939) – U.S. Senator from Delaware
Dyre Kearney (died 1791) – lawyer; delegate, Continental Congress from Delaware
Pat Kenney (born 1968) – professional wrestler (stage name: Simon Diamond); born in Wilmington
Richard R. Kenney (1856–1931) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Patrick Kerr (born 1956) – television actor; born in Wilmington
Muqtedar Khan (born 1966) – Islamic intellectual; professor, University of Delaware
Robert Kirkwood (1746–1791) – officer, American Revolutionary War
Horace G. Knowles (1863–1937) – diplomat (U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia – Bulgaria, the Dominican Republic, Romania, Serbia); served under three different U.S. presidents
Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš (born 1964) – current Prime Minister of Latvia
Ellen J. Kullman (born 1956) – president and chief executive officer, DuPont Company
Stephanie Kwolek (1923–2014) – scientist; inventor, Kevlar

L※

Corinne Landrey (born 1986) – Director of Baseball Operations, the Philadelphia Phillies
Henry Latimer (1752–1819) – U.S. Representative; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Caleb R. Layton (1851–1930) – physician; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Daniel J. Layton (1879–1960) – Chief Justice; Attorney General of Delaware
Isaac Lea (1792–1886) – conchologist; geologist; businessman; born in Wilmington
Preston Lea (1841–1916) – businessman; Governor of Delaware
Judith LeClair (born 1958) – bassoonist, New York Philharmonic; faculty, Juilliard School; from Newark
Jennifer Leigh (also known as Jennicide) (born 1983) – professional poker player; Playboy model; born in Wilmington
Warren K. Lewis (1882–1975) – chemical engineer; professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
John Bernard "Hans" Lobert (1881–1968) – Major League Baseball player, coach, manager and scout; born in Wilmington
Henry Hayes Lockwood (1814–1899) – co-founder, U.S. Naval Academy; Brigadier General, American Civil War
James R. Lofland (1823–1894) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Edward L. Loper Sr. (1916–2011) – impressionist and colorist artist; from Wilmington
Charles B. Lore (1831–1911) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware

M※

John Mabry (born 1970) – professional baseball player; born in Wilmington
Isaac J. MacCollum (1889–1968) – physician; Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
Thomas MacDonough (1783–1825) – commodore, U.S. Navy; victor, Battle of Lake Champlain in the War of 1812
Jack A. Markell (born 1960) – State Treasurer; Governor of Delaware
Edward L. Martin (1837–1897) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Joshua H. Marvil (1825–1895) – merchant; Governor of Delaware
Joseph Maull (1781–1846) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Dave May (1943–2012) – professional baseball player; born in New Castle
Sarah McBride (born 1990) – transgender rights activist
Thomas M'Clintock (1792–1876) – abolitionist; women's rights activist
Eleazer McComb (1740–1798) – Continental soldier; Continental Congressman from Delaware
Harris B. McDowell Jr. (1906–1988) – General Assemblyman; U.S. Representative from Delaware
James D. McGinnis (1932–2009) – realtor; Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
Bill McGowan (1896–1954) – Baseball Hall of Fame umpire; born in Wilmington
Bernie McInerney (born 1936) – actor; born in Wilmington
Thomas McKean (1734–1817) – Chief Justice; Governor of Pennsylvania; educated in Delaware
Thomas McKean Thompson McKennan (1794–1852) – 2nd U.S. Secretary of the Interior
John McKinly (1721–1796) – General Assemblyman; President of Delaware
Marshall Kirk McKusick (born 1954) – computer scientist
Louis McLane (1786–1857) – U.S. Representative from Delaware; U.S. Secretary of the Treasury; U.S. Secretary of State; father of Robert Milligan McLane; born in Smyrna
Robert Milligan McLane (1815–1898) – diplomat (U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, France and China; Governor of Maryland); son of Louis McLane; born in Wilmington
Richard C. McMullen (1868–1944) – manufacturer; Governor of Delaware
William Medill (1802–1865) – Governor of Ohio; Commissioner of Indian Affairs; Comptroller of the Treasury (U.S.)
Kevin Mench (born 1978) – professional baseball player, born in Wilmington
Charles R. Miller (1857–1927) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Thomas W. Miller (1886–1973) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Henry Milligan (born 1958) – AAU boxing champion (1983)
John J. Milligan (1795–1875) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
David L. Mills (born 1938) – computer engineer; Internet pioneer
Ruth Ann Minner (1935-2021) – Lieutenant Governor and Governor of Delaware
Nathaniel Mitchell (1753–1815) – Continental Congressman; Governor of Delaware
Roxanne Modafferi (born 1982) – mixed martial artist, born in Wilmington
Henry Molleston (1762–1819) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Hugh Montgomery (died 1780) – sea captain, raised the first American flag in a foreign port
Jacob Moore – Attorney General of Delaware
John Bassett Moore (1860–1947) – member, Permanent Court of Arbitration (also known as the Hague Tribunal); first American judge, International Court of Justice (also known as the World Court)
Vinnie Moore (born 1964) – musician, born in New Castle
Morgan Morgan (1688–1766) – pioneer
Hugh M. Morris – federal judge
John Morris (born 1941) – MLB pitcher, born in Lewes

N※

Daniel Nathans (1928–1999) – microbiologist; recipient, 1978 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
Arnold Naudain (1790–1892) – General Assemblyman; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Garrett Neff (born 1984) – fashion model
Alice Dunbar Nelson (1875–1935) – poet; journalist; anti-lynching activist
David M. Nelson (1920–1991) – football coach; College Football Hall of Famer
John A. Nicholson (1827–1906) – lawyer; U. S. Representative from Delaware

O※

Alfie Oakes (born 1968) – farmer and businessman; born in Delaware City
Brett Oberholtzer – baseball pitcher, Houston Astros; born in Christiana
Charles Oberly (born 1946) – attorney; born in Wilmington
John W. O'Daniel – general, U.S. Army; commander, 3rd Infantry Division during World War II
Christine O'Donnell (born 1969) – Republican candidate, U.S. Senate (2006, 2008 and 2010)
Brian O'Neill (born 1995) – NFL offensive lineman; born in Wilmington
Shane O'Neill (born 1972) – tattoo artist, season one winner of Ink Master; born in Middletown
Kirk Olivadotti (born 1974) – NFL coach; born in Wilmington
Ed Oliver (1915–1961) – professional golfer; born in Wilmington
Jeff Otah (born 1986) – former NFL offensive lineman; attended William Penn High School
William Outten (1948–2020) – member of the Delaware House of Representatives; born in Milford
Montell Owens – professional football player; born in Wilmington
Mehmet Oz – surgeon; television personality; attended Tower Hill School

P※

William Jackson Palmer (1836–1909) – general, American Civil War; railroad developer; philanthropist; born in Leipsic
Rudolph Pariser (1923–2021) – scientist; formulator, Pariser–Parr–Pople method
George Parshall (1929–2019) – scientist; chemical weapons destruction activist
John Patten (1746–1800) – General Assemblyman; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Samuel Paynter (1768–1845) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Charles J. Pedersen (1904–1989) – co-recipient, 1987 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; lived in Delaware (1927–1969)
William Peery (1743–1800) – General Assemblyman; Continental Congressman from Delaware
John B. Penington (1825–1902) – Attorney General of Delaware; U. S. Representative from Delaware
Simeon S. Pennewill (1867–1935) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Arthur Perry (born 1946) – basketball player and coach
Russell W. Peterson (1916–2011) – scientist; Governor of Delaware; chairman, White House Council on Environmental Quality; president, National Audubon Society
Daniel Pfeiffer (born 1975) – Senior Advisor to the President under U.S. President Barack Obama
Ryan Phillippe (born 1974) – actor; born in New Castle
Aubrey Plaza (born 1984) – actress; comedian; April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation
David Plouffe (born 1967) – Senior Advisor to the President under U.S. President Barack Obama; born in Wilmington
Albert F. Polk (1869–1955) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Charles Polk Jr. (1788–1857) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Teri Polo (born 1969) – actress; born in Dover
James Ponder (1819–1897) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
William Poole (born 1937) – member, Council of Economic Advisers; chief executive, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Bill Press (born 1940) – talk radio host; liberal commentator; author; raised in Delaware City
Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle (1876–1936) – illustrator of covers for The Saturday Evening Post; student and sister-in-law of Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle (1853–1911) – illustrator; author; founder, Brandywine School, brother-in-law of Ellen Bernard Thompson Pyle
Katharine Pyle (1863–1938) – illustrator; author
Joe Pyne – broadcaster, worked in Delaware

R※

John J. Raskob (1879–1950) – businessman; builder, Empire State Building
Harold R. "Tubby" Raymond (1926–2017) – University of Delaware football coach; College Football Hall of Famer
George Read (1733–1798) – U.S. Senator from Delaware; Chief Justice of Delaware
George Read Jr. (1765–1836) – U.S. Attorney, U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware; built the Read House and Gardens
Thomas Read (1740–1788) – first Commodore, Continental Navy
Louis L. Redding (1901–1998) – civil rights attorney; participant, Brown v. Board of Education case
Judge Reinhold (born 1957) – actor; born in Wilmington
Eugene Reybold (1884–1961) – Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during World War II
Robert J. Reynolds (1838–1909) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Harry A. Richardson (1853–1928) – businessman; U.S. Senator from Delaware
John E. Rickards (1848–1927) – 2nd Governor of Montana; born in Delaware City
George R. Riddle (1817–1867) – U.S. Representative; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Henry M. Ridgely (1779–1847) – U.S. Representative; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Robert P. Robinson (1869–1939) – banker; Governor of Delaware
Thomas Robinson Jr. (1800–1843) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Caesar Rodney (1728–1784) – Continental Congressman; President of Delaware
Caesar A. Rodney (1772–1824) – U.S. Senator from Delaware; U.S. Attorney General
Caleb Rodney (1767–1840) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Daniel Rodney (1764–1846) – Governor of Delaware; U.S. Senator from Delaware
George B. Rodney (1803–1883) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Thomas Rodney (1744–1811) – General Assemblyman; Continental Congressman from Delaware
Daniel Rogers (1754–1806) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
John W. Rollins (1916–2000) – businessman; Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
David Roselle (1939–2024) – mathematician; academic administrator
George Ross (1730–1779) – represented Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress
William H. H. Ross (1814–1887) – farmer; Governor of Delaware
Jane Richards Roth (born 1935) – judge, U.S. Court of Appeals
William V. Roth Jr. (1923–2003) – U.S. Representative; U.S. Senator from Delaware; namesake of Roth IRA and the Roth 401(k) retirement savings plans
Cynthia Rothrock (born 1957) – martial artist; actress; born in Wilmington

S※

Sa–Sn

Eli Saulsbury (1817–1893) – General Assemblyman; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Gove Saulsbury (1815–1881) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Willard Saulsbury Sr. (1820–1892) – Chancellor of Delaware; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Willard Saulsbury Jr. (1861–1927) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Frank Schoonover (1877–1972) – illustrator, Brandywine School
Marion duPont Scott (1894–1983) – preservationist; last private owner of Montpelier, the mansion and land estate of former U.S. President James Madison; born in Wilmington
Collins J. Seitz (1914–1998) – judge, U.S. Court of Appeals; presided over Gebhart v. Belton case
Virginia A. Seitz (born 1956) – U.S. Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel
Frederic Kimber Seward (1878–1943) – corporate attorney; survivor, RMS Titanic
Mary Ann Shadd (1823–1893) – educator; newspaper publisher; abolitionist; suffragist; born in Wilmington
Dave Sheridan (born 1969) – actor, born in Newark
Chris Short – Major League Baseball player, born in Milford
Andrew Shue (born 1967) – actor; born in Wilmington
Elisabeth Shue (born 1963) – actress; born in Wilmington
Helen Farr Sloan (1911–2005) – art philanthropist; former wife of John French Sloan
Melanie Sloan – executive director, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Devin Smith – professional basketball player, Maccabi Tel Aviv
Nathaniel B. Smithers (1818–1896) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Thomas Alfred Smyth – last Union Army general killed in the American Civil War

Sn–Sz

Ian Snell (born 1981) – Major League Baseball player; born in Dover
Peter Spencer (1782–1843) – founder, A.U.M.P. Church
Presley Spruance (1785–1863) – General Assemblyman; U.S. Senator from Delaware
E. R. Squibb (1819–1900) – pharmaceutical inventor; founder, E. R. Squibb and Sons, a forerunner of Bristol-Myers Squibb
W. Laird Stabler Jr. (1930–2008) – lawyer; Attorney General of Delaware
Walter King Stapleton (born 1934) – judge, U.S. Court of Appeals
J. George Stewart (1890–1970) – architect; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Michael Stewart (born 1977) – professional boxer, lived in New Castle
Charles C. Stockley (1819–1901) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Thomas Stockton (1781–1846) – soldier; Governor of Delaware
Jacob Stout (1764–1857) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Susan Stroman (born 1954) – choreographer; director; born in Wilmington
George Sykes (1822–1880) – major general, American Civil War
James Sykes (1725–1792) – General Assemblyman; Continental Congressman
James Sykes (1761–1822) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware

Timothy Szymanski (born 1964) – Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy SEAL

T※

William Temple (1814–1863) – Governor of Delaware; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Charles L. Terry Jr. (1900–1970) – Chief Justice; Governor of Delaware
William Tharp (1803–1865) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Charles Thomas (1790–1848) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Lorenzo Thomas (1804–1875) – adjutant general, U.S. Army; acting U.S. Secretary of War
Sean Patrick Thomas (born 1970) – actor; born in Wilmington
Jim Thompson (1906–1967) – businessman; born in Greenville
George Thorogood (born 1950) – blues-rock musician; from Wilmington
James Tilton (1745–1822) – 7th Surgeon General of the United States Army; delegate, Continental Congress; from Dover
Alfred Thomas Archimedes Torbert (1833–1880) – general, Union Army; diplomat; born in Georgetown
Reorus Torkillus (1608–1643) – first Swedish Lutheran minister to New Sweden
Jeff Townes, also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff (born 1965) – hip hop, R&B disc jockey; record producer; turntablist; actor; has lived in Delaware since 2004
John G. Townsend Jr. (1871–1964) – Governor of Delaware; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Philip A. Traynor (1874–1962) – dentist, U.S. Representative from Delaware; born in Wilmington
Sherman W. Tribbitt (1922–2010) – Lieutenant Governor of Delaware; Governor of Delaware
George Truitt (1756–1818) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Ebe W. Tunnell (1844–1917) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
James M. Tunnell (1879–1957) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware

V※

Nicholas Van Dyke (1738–1789) – Continental Congressman; President of Delaware
Nicholas Van Dyke (1770–1826) – U.S. Representative; U.S. Senator from Delaware
James C. Van Sice – rear admiral, U.S. Coast Guard; born in Wilmington
Francis D. Vavala (born 1947) – major general, Army National Guard; adjutant general, Delaware National Guard
Tom Verlaine – musician
Mabel Vernon (1883–1975) – leader, women's suffrage movement (1910s); born in Wilmington
John M. Vining (1758–1802) – U.S. Representative; U.S. Senator from Delaware

W※

John Wales (1783–1863) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Herbert B. Warburton (1916–1983) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Herta Ware (1917–2005) – actress; political activist; born in Wilmington
William T. Watson (1849–1917) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware
Dave Weigel – journalist, born in Wilmington
Johnny Weir (born 1984) – figure skater; three-time U.S. national champion; lived in Newark
William H. Wells (1769–1829) – General Assemblyman; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Joey Wendle (born 1990) – second baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays
George Alexis Weymouth (1936–2016) – painter; land conservationist; founder, Brandywine River Museum; born in Wilmington
Samuel Wharton (1732–1800) – merchant; Continental Congressman
John P. Wheeler III (1944–2010) – government official; chair, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund
William G. Whiteley (1819–1886) – Mayor of Wilmington; U.S. Representative from Delaware
Randy White – Pro Football Hall of Famer; attended high school in Delaware
Samuel White (1770–1809) – lawyer; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Kathleen Widdoes (born 1939) – actress; born in Wilmington
Earle D. Willey (1889–1950) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware
George S. Williams (1877–1961) – businessman; U.S. Representative from Delaware
James Williams (1825–1899) – General Assemblyman; U. S. Representative from Delaware
John J. Williams (1904–1988) – businessman; U.S. Senator from Delaware
Jonathan S. Willis (1830–1903) – minister; U.S. Representative from Delaware
James H. Wilson (1837–1925) – major general, American Civil War (captured Jefferson Davis and Henry Wirz)
Josiah O. Wolcott (1877–1938) – U.S. Senator from Delaware; Chancellor of Delaware
Dale E. Wolf (1924–2021) – Lieutenant Governor of Delaware; Governor of Delaware
Shien Biau Woo (born 1937) – professor; Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
Daniel Woodall (1841–1880) – brigadier general, American Civil War
Victor Baynard Woolley (1867–1945) – judge, U.S. Court of Appeals
Paul Worrilow (born 1990) – professional football player; born in Wilmington
Thomas Wynne (1627–1691) – physician; justice, Sussex County (1687–1691)

Y※

Cori Yarckin (born 1982) – actress; singer; born in Seaford

Z※

Aleksandra Ziolkowska-Boehm (born 1949) – writer; of Polish origin; lives in Wilmington

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