The following is a list of prominent people who were born in/lived in or around the U.S. state of New York, or for whom New York is a significant part of their identity.
Government and politics
Presidents
Chester A. Arthur (1829–1886), 20th vice president and 21st president of the United States – Schenectady Grover Cleveland (1837–1908), 22nd and 24th president of the United States – Fayetteville Millard Fillmore (1800–1874), 12th vice president and 13th president of the United States – Moravia Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919), 25th vice president and 26th president of the United States – Manhattan Franklin D. Roosevelt (1883–1945), 32nd president of the United States – Hyde Park Donald Trump (born 1946), 47th president of the United States (previously 45th) – Queens Martin Van Buren (1782–1862), 8th vice president and 8th president of the United States – Kinderhook
Vice presidents
Aaron Burr (1756–1836), 3rd vice president of the United States – Manhattan George Clinton (1739–1812), 4th vice president of the United States – Little Britain Schuyler Colfax (1823–1885), 17th vice president of the United States – Manhattan Levi P. Morton (1824–1920), 22nd vice president of the United States – Albany Nelson Rockefeller (1908–1979), 41st vice president of the United States – Albany James S. Sherman (1855–1912), 27th vice president of the United States – Utica Daniel D. Tompkins (1774–1825), 6th vice president of the United States – Scarsdale William A. Wheeler (1819–1887), 19th vice president of the United States – Malone
Governors
DeWitt Clinton (1769–1828), 6th governor of New York, built the Erie Canal Andrew Cuomo (born 1957), 56th governor of New York, praised for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, but forced into resigning amid sexual harassment allegations Mario Cuomo (1932–2015), 52nd governor of New York, father of Andrew Cuomo Howard Dean (born 1948), former governor of Vermont (1991–2003), and 2004 Democratic candidate for president Thomas E. Dewey (1902–1971), 47th governor of New York, Republican nominee for president in 1944 and 1948 Charles Evans Hughes (1862–1948), 36th governor of New York, aecretary of atate, 11th chief justice of the United States and 1916 Republican presidential nominee Kathy Hochul (born 1958), 57th (incumbent) governor of New York, and first woman to hold that position John Jay (1745–1829), 1st chief justice of the United States, 2nd Governor of New York, and 8th president of the Continental Congress David Paterson (born 1954), 55th governor of New York, first African American governor and lieutenant governor of New York George Pataki (born 1945), 53rd governor of New York, governor during the 9/11 attacks L. Bradford Prince (1810–1886), governor of New Mexico Territory and member of New York's state assembly and state senate Horatio Seymour (1810–1886), 18th governor of New York and 1868 Democratic presidential nominee Al Smith (1873–1944), 42nd governor of New York and 1928 Democratic presidential candidate Samuel J. Tilden (1814–1886), 25th governor of New York and 1876 Republican presidential candidate
Senators
Barbara Boxer (born 1940), longtime United States senator from California (1993–2017) – New York City Hillary Clinton (born 1947), former United States Secretary of State (2009–2013), New York senator (2000–2009), and former First Lady (1993–2000), 2016 Democratic nominee for president – Chappaqua Roscoe Conkling (1829–1888), New York senator (1867–1881) and leader of the Stalwart faction of the Republican Party – Albany Al Franken (born 1951), Minnesota senator (2009–2018) – New York City Kirsten Gillibrand (born 1966), New York senator since 2009 – Albany Bob Menendez (born 1954), New Jersey senator (2006–2024) – New York City Chris Murphy (born 1973), former congressman (2007–2013) and current Connecticut senator since 2013 – White Plains Bernie Sanders (born 1941), Vermont senator since 2007, former Mayor of Burlington, Vermont (1981–1989) and 2016 and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate – Brooklyn Chuck Schumer (born 1950), Democratic Leader of the United States Senate since 2017 and long-time New York senator since 1999, cousin of comedian Amy Schumer – Brooklyn Robert F. Wagner (1877–1953), New York senator (1927–1949) – Manhattan
Mayors
Eric Adams (born 1960), 110th (incumbent) mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio (born 1961), 109th mayor of New York City (2014–2021) Michael Bloomberg (born 1942), 108th mayor of New York City (2002–2013) Rudy Giuliani (born 1944), 107th mayor of New York City (1994–2001), mayor during the 9/11 attacks David Dinkins (1927–2020), 106th mayor of New York City (1990–1993), first African-American Mayor of New York City Ed Koch (1924–2013) 105th mayor of New York City (1978–1989) Fiorello La Guardia (1882–1947), 99th mayor of New York City (1934–1945) John Lindsay (1921–2000), 103rd mayor of New York City (1966–1973) Stephanus Van Cortlandt (1643–1700), 17th, and first native-born, mayor of New York City (1677–1678 and 1686–1688) Robert Anderson Van Wyck (1849–1918), 91st mayor of New York City (1898–1901), first Mayor post-consolidation Robert F. Wagner Jr. (1910–1991), 102nd mayor of New York City (1954–1965) Jimmy Walker (1881–1946), flamboyant 97th mayor of New York City (1926–1932) forced into resigning by the Seabury Commission
Other politicians
Parmenio Adams (1776–1832), sheriff and US congressman Alan Bersin (born 1946), President Obama's "Border Czar," US attorney for the Southern District of California, California Secretary of Education, commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection, US Department of Homeland Security Secretary for International Affairs, and INTERPOL vice president"Alan Bersin, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy," Department of Homeland Security. Alessandra Biaggi (born 1986), New York State senator Mario Biaggi (1917–2015), decorated policeman and US congressman Shirley Chisholm (1924–2005), US congresswoman and 1972 Democratic presidential candidate Éamon de Valera (1882–1975), 3rd president of Ireland John "J.J." Dewey (1822–1891), territorial legislator in Minnesota August Dietrich, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly William H. Donaldson (1931–2024), 27th chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Asaph Elston (1845–1914), member of the Wisconsin State Assembly Geraldine Ferraro (1935–2011), US congresswoman from New York and first female vice presidential candidate of a major political party in 1984 Alexander Hamilton (1757–1804), first US secretary of the treasury Zach Iscol (born 1978), US Marine Corps veteran, entrepreneur, candidate in the 2021 New York City Comptroller election , Commissioner of New York City Emergency Management Boris Johnson (born 1964), Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Lazarus Joseph (1891–1966), NY state senator and New York City comptroller Anna Kaplan (born 1985), NY State Senator Jack Kemp (1935–2009), NFL football player for the Buffalo Bills, secretary of housing under President George H. W. Bush, and 1996 Republican nominee for vice president under Bob Dole Caroline Kennedy (born 1957), former U.S. ambassador to Japan (2013–2017), and daughter of former president John F. Kennedy and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Micah Lasher (born 1981) – New York State Assemblyman William Loeb Jr. (1866–1937), secretary to President Theodore Roosevelt Joseph McGoldrick (1901–1978), NYC comptroller and NY state residential rent control commissioner, lawyer, and professor Harvey Milk (1930–1978), first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California Mazi Melesa Pilip (born 1978 or 1979), Ethiopian-born American politician William M. Tweed (1823–1878), known as "Boss" Tweed; Grand Sachem of Tammany Hall
First Ladies
Barbara Bush (1925–2018), First Lady of the United States as the wife of George H. W. Bush Rose Cleveland (1846–1918), First Lady of the United States as the wife of Grover Cleveland Abigail Fillmore (1798–1853), First Lady of the United States as the wife of Millard Fillmore Mary Arthur McElroy (1841–1917), acting First Lady of the United States as the sister of Chester A. Arthur Elizabeth Monroe (1768–1830), First Lady of the United States as the wife of James Monroe Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929–1994), First Lady of the United States as the wife of John F. Kennedy Frances Cleveland (1864–1947), First Lady of the United States as the wife of Grover Cleveland Nancy Reagan (1921–2016), First Lady of the United States as the wife of Ronald Reagan Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962), First Lady of the United States as the wife of Franklin D. Roosevelt Julia Gardiner Tyler (1820–1889), First Lady of the United States as the wife of John Tyler Priscilla Cooper Tyler (1816–1889), First Lady of the United States as the wife of John Tyler
Entertainment
Film, television, theater, and dance
2xrakai (2008) Twitch Streamer, Rapper George Abbott (1887–1995), stage producer Eva Allen Alberti (1856–1938), dramatics teacher Gia Allemand (1983–2013), actress Woody Allen (born Allan Konigsberg; 1935), actor, director, and writer Roger Allers (1949-2026), film-director, writer, artist, playwright June Allyson (1917–2006), actress Tyler Alvarez (born 1997), actor Michael Angarano (born 1987), actor Diane Arbus (1923–1971), photographer Moisés Arias (born 1994), actor Alan Arkin (1934–2023), actor Alison Arngrim (born 1962), actress and comedian Rosanna Arquette (born 1959), actress Jean Arthur (1900–1991), actress Jake T. Austin (born 1994), actor Lauren Bacall (born Betty Perske; 1924–2014), actress Morena Baccarin (born 1979), Brazilian-born actress Alec Baldwin (born 1958), actor, producer, and comedian Daniel Baldwin (born 1960), actor, director, and producer Stephen Baldwin (born 1966), actor, author, and producer William Baldwin (born 1963), actor, producer, and writer Lucille Ball (1911–1989), actress Anne Bancroft (1931–2005), actress Joseph Barbera (1911–2006), animator, producer, and director Mikhail Baryshnikov (born 1948), ballet dancer Frances Bavier (1902–1989), actor Barbara Bel Geddes (1922–2005), actress William Bendix (1906–1964), actor Constance Bennett (1904–1965), actress Matt Bennett (born 1991), actor Mabelle Biggart (1861–unknown), dramatic reader, preacher Ed Bishop (1932-2005), actor Yasmine Bleeth (born 1968), actress Corbin Bleu (born 1989), actor and singer Joan Blondell (1906–1979), actress Nikki Blonsky (born 1988), actress Ann Blyth (1927-2026), actress Humphrey Bogart (1899–1957), actor Shirley Booth (1898–1992), actress Clara Bow (1905–1965), actress Abigail Breslin (born 1996), actress Spencer Breslin (born 1992), actor Richard Bright (1937–2006), actor Matthew Broderick (born 1962), actor Adrien Brody (born 1973), actor Mel Brooks (born Kaminsky; 1926), actor, producer, and director Steve Buscemi (born 1957), actor, comedian, and director Edd Byrnes (1932–2020), actor James Caan (1940–2022), actor James Cagney (1899–1986), actor Jeanne Cagney (1919–1984), actress William Cagney (1905–1988), actor Néstor Carbonell (born 1967), actor and director Richard S. Castellano (1933–1988), actor David Castro (born 1996), actor Raquel Castro (born 1994), actress, singer, and songwriter Kai Cenat (born 2001), Twitch Streamer, Actor, Rapper Harrison Chad (born 1992), actor and voice actor Timothée Chalamet (born 1995), actor Jeff Chandler (1918–1961), actor Chevy Chase (born 1943), actor and comedian Ruth Chatterton (1892–1961), actress James Coco (1930–1987), actor Claudette Colbert (1903–1996), actress Jennifer Connelly (born 1970), actress and model Elizabeth Marney Conner (1856–unknown), dramatic reader Kevin Conroy (1955–2022), actor and voice actor Francis Ford Coppola (born 1939), film director, producer, and screenwriter Kevin Corrigan (born 1969), actor