List of first ladies of the United States

The first lady of the United States is the hostess of the White House. The position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, but, on occasion, the title has been applied to women who were not presidents' wives, such as when the president was a bachelor or widower, or when the wife of the president was unable to fulfill the duties of the first lady. The first lady is not an elected position; it carries no official duties and receives no salary. Nonetheless, she attends many official ceremonies and functions of state either along with or in place of the president. Traditionally, the first lady does not hold outside employment while occupying the office, although Eleanor Roosevelt earned money writing and giving lectures, but gave most of it to charity, and Jill Biden maintained her regular job as an educator during her time in the role. The first lady has her own staff, including the White House social secretary, the first lady's chief of staff, the communications director, the White House chief floral designer, and the executive chef. The Office of the First Lady is also in charge of all social and ceremonial events of the White House, and is a branch of the Executive Office of the President.

There have been total of 54 first ladies.

Following Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025, his wife, Melania Trump, became the 44th official first lady. There are four living former first ladies: Hillary Clinton; Laura Bush; Michelle Obama; and Jill Biden. The most recent first lady to die was Rosalynn Carter. The first first lady was Martha Washington. Presidents John Tyler and Woodrow Wilson had two official first ladies; both remarried during their presidential tenures. The wives of four presidents died before their husbands were sworn into office but are still considered first ladies by the White House and National First Ladies' Library: Martha Jefferson; Rachel Jackson; Hannah Van Buren; and Nell Arthur.

One woman who was not married to a president is still considered an official first lady: Harriet Lane, niece of bachelor James Buchanan. The other non-spousal relatives who served as White House hostesses are not recognized by the First Ladies' Library.

In 2007, the United States Mint began releasing a set of half-ounce $10 gold coins under the First Spouse Program with engravings of portraits of the first ladies on the obverse. When a president served without a spouse, a gold coin was issued that bears an obverse image emblematic of Liberty as depicted on a circulating coin of that era and a reverse image emblematic of themes of that president's life. This is true for the coins for Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, and James Buchanan's first ladies, but not the coin for Chester A. Arthur's first lady, which instead depicts suffragette Alice Paul.31 U.S.C. § 5112(o)(3)(D)(i)(II) Denominations, specifications, and design of coins. The First Spouse Gold Coins. Cornell University. Retrieved on January 10, 2009.

List This list includes all persons who served as first ladies, regardless of whether they were married to the incumbent president or not, as well as persons who are considered first ladies and the White House Historical Association. It is sorted by the name the first ladies were commonly known as.

No.PortraitNameTenureAge at tenure startPresident1Martha WashingtonApril 30, 1789–March 4, 1797George Washington2Abigail AdamsMarch 4, 1797–March 4, 1801John Adams3Martha RandolphMarch 4, 1801–March 4, 1809Thomas Jefferson4Dolley MadisonMarch 4, 1809–March 4, 1817James Madison5Elizabeth MonroeMarch 4, 1817–March 4, 1825James Monroe6Louisa AdamsMarch 4, 1825–March 4, 1829John Quincy Adams7Emily DonelsonMarch 4, 1829–November 26, 1834Andrew JacksonSarah JacksonNovember 26, 1834–March 4, 1837Andrew Jackson8VacantMarch 4, 1837–November 27, 1838VacantMartin Van BurenAngelica “Sarah” Van BurenNovember 27, 1838–March 4, 1841Martin Van Buren9Anna HarrisonMarch 4, 1841–April 4, 1841William Henry HarrisonJane HarrisonMarch 4, 1841–April 4, 1841William Henry Harrison10Letitia TylerApril 4, 1841–September 10, 1842†John TylerPriscilla TylerSeptember 10, 1842–June 26, 1844John TylerJulia TylerJune 26, 1844–March 4, 1845John Tyler11Sarah PolkMarch 4, 1845–March 4, 1849James K. Polk12Margaret "Peggy" TaylorMarch 4, 1849–July 9, 1850Zachary Taylor13Abigail FillmoreJuly 9, 1850–March 4, 1853Millard Fillmore14Jane PierceMarch 4, 1853–March 4, 1857Franklin Pierce15Harriet LaneMarch 4, 1857–March 4, 1861James Buchanan16Mary LincolnMarch 4, 1861–April 15, 1865Abraham Lincoln17Eliza JohnsonApril 15, 1865–March 4, 1869Andrew Johnson18Julia GrantMarch 4, 1869–March 4, 1877Ulysses S. Grant19Lucy HayesMarch 4, 1877–March 4, 1881Rutherford B. Hayes20Lucretia GarfieldMarch 4, 1881–September 19, 1881James A. Garfield21Mary McElroySeptember 19, 1881–March 4, 1885Chester A. Arthur22Rose ClevelandMarch 4, 1885–June 2, 1886Grover ClevelandFrances ClevelandJune 2, 1886–March 4, 1889Grover Cleveland23Caroline HarrisonMarch 4, 1889–October 25, 1892†Benjamin HarrisonMary Harrison McKeeOctober 25, 1892–March 4, 1893Benjamin Harrison24Frances ClevelandMarch 4, 1893–March 4, 1897Grover Cleveland25Ida McKinleyMarch 4, 1897–September 14, 1901William McKinley26Edith RooseveltSeptember 14, 1901–March 4, 1909Theodore Roosevelt27Helen "Nellie" TaftMarch 4, 1909–March 4, 1913William H. Taft28Ellen WilsonMarch 4, 1913–August 6, 1914†Woodrow WilsonMargaret WilsonAugust 6, 1914–December 18, 1915Woodrow WilsonEdith WilsonDecember 18, 1915–March 4, 1921Woodrow Wilson29Florence HardingMarch 4, 1921–August 2, 1923Warren G. Harding30Grace CoolidgeAugust 2, 1923–March 4, 1929Calvin Coolidge31Lou HooverMarch 4, 1929–March 4, 1933Herbert Hoover32Eleanor RooseveltMarch 4, 1933–April 12, 1945Franklin D. Roosevelt33Elizabeth "Bess" TrumanApril 12, 1945–January 20, 1953Harry S. Truman34Mary "Mamie" EisenhowerJanuary 20, 1953–January 20, 1961Dwight D. Eisenhower35Jacqueline "Jackie" KennedyJanuary 20, 1961–November 22, 1963John F. Kennedy36Claudia "Lady Bird" JohnsonNovember 22, 1963–January 20, 1969Lyndon B. Johnson37Thelma "Pat" NixonJanuary 20, 1969–August 9, 1974Richard Nixon38Elizabeth "Betty" FordAugust 9, 1974–January 20, 1977Gerald Ford39Rosalynn CarterJanuary 20, 1977–January 20, 1981Jimmy Carter40Nancy ReaganJanuary 20, 1981–January 20, 1989Ronald Reagan41Barbara BushJanuary 20, 1989–January 20, 1993George H. W. Bush42Hillary ClintonJanuary 20, 1993–January 20, 2001Bill Clinton43Laura BushJanuary 20, 2001–January 20, 2009George W. Bush44Michelle ObamaJanuary 20, 2009–January 20, 2017Barack Obama45Melania TrumpJanuary 20, 2017–January 20, 2021Donald Trump46Jill Biden–Joe Biden47 |Melania Trump–PresentDonald Trump

Other spouses of presidents of the United States Certain spouses of presidents of the United States are not considered first ladies of the United States.

Four presidents were widowed prior to their presidencies: Thomas Jefferson was married to Martha Wayles from 1772 until her death in 1782. Andrew Jackson was married to Rachel Donelson from 1794 until her death in 1828. Martin Van Buren was married to Hannah Hoes from 1807 until her death in 1819. Chester A. Arthur was married to Ellen Lewis Herndon from 1859 until her death in 1880.

Two presidents were widowed and remarried prior to their presidencies: Theodore Roosevelt was married to Alice Lee from 1880 until her death in 1884. He was subsequently married to Edith Carow from 1886 to his death in 1919. Joe Biden was married to Neilia Hunter from 1966 until her death in 1972. He has subsequently been married to Jill Jacobs since 1977.

Two presidents were divorced and remarried prior to their presidencies: Ronald Reagan was married to Jane Wyman from 1940 until 1949. He was subsequently married to Nancy Davis from 1952 to his death in 2004. Donald Trump was married to Ivana Zelníčková from 1977 until 1992 and to Marla Maples from 1993 until 1999. He has subsequently been married to Melania Knauss since 2005.

Two presidents remarried after their presidencies: Millard Fillmore was married to Caroline Carmichael from 1858 until his death in 1874. Benjamin Harrison was married to Mary Dimmick, the niece of his first wife, from 1896 until his death in 1901.

List of first ladies of the United States

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