List of people from Knoxville, Tennessee

The following is a list of notable people who have lived in Knoxville, Tennessee. For University of Tennessee students and alumni not otherwise associated with Knoxville, see List of University of Tennessee people.

• Charles I. Barber (1887–1962), architect
• George Franklin Barber (1854–1915), architect^[1]
• Albert Baumann, Jr. (1897–1952), architect
• Albert Baumann, Sr. (1861–1942), architect
• Joseph Baumann (1844–1920), architect
• Lloyd Branson (1853–1925), painter
• Darby Conley (b. 1970), cartoonist, Get Fuzzy^[2]
• Beauford Delaney (1901–1979), painter
• Joseph Delaney (1904–1991), painter
• R. F. Graf (1865–1929), architect
• Thomas Hope (1757–1820), architect
• Dennis Hwang (b. 1978), graphic artist for Google and Niantic
• Joseph Knaffl (1861–1938), photographer
• Adelia Armstrong Lutz (1859–1931), painter
• Bruce McCarty (1920–2013), architect
• T. M. Schleier (1832–1908), photographer
• Catherine Wiley (1879–1958), painter

• Alexander Arthur (1846–1912), entrepreneur
• Jake Butcher (1936–2017), rogue banker and gubernatorial candidate
• Eldad Cicero Camp (1839–1920), coal tycoon
• Ashley Capps (b. 1955), AC Entertainment founder, co-creator of Bonnaroo Music Festival^[3]
• George Dempster (1887–1964), inventor of the Dempster-Dumpster, mayor of Knoxville
• Guilford Glazer (1921–2014), real estate developer and philanthropist^[4]
• Dee Haslam (b. 1954), CEO of RIVR Media
• Jim Haslam (b. 1930), founder of Pilot Corp.^[5]
• Jimmy Haslam (b. 1954), owner of the Cleveland Browns
• Cal Johnson (1844–1925), saloon and racetrack owner
• Peter Kern (1835–1907), confectioner, founder of Kern's Bakery
• Joseph Alexander Mabry, Jr. (1826–1882), entrepreneur^[6]
• Charles McClung McGhee (1828–1907), railroad tycoon
• William J. Oliver (1867–1925), contractor and manufacturer, original low bidder for the construction of the Panama Canal
• Edward J. Sanford (1831–1902), manufacturing tycoon
• James G. Sterchi (1867–1932), furniture tycoon
• Dave Thomas (1932–2002), restaurant owner, founder of Wendy's^[7]
• Cas Walker (1902–1998), grocery store magnate, radio and television personality
• Chris Whittle (b. 1947), entrepreneur, founder of Channel One News and Edison Schools

• Eben Alexander (1851–1910), Greek language scholar and ambassador
• Charles W. Cansler (1871–1953), Austin High School principal, civil rights advocate and author
• William Henderson Franklin (1852–1935), educator, minister, journalist, and founder of Swift Memorial College^[8][9][10]
• Thomas William Humes (1815–1892), president of the University of Tennessee (1865–1883)
• Harcourt Morgan (1867–1950), president of the University of Tennessee (1919–1934), director and chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority

• Kelsea Ballerini (b. 1993), singer-songwriter
• Bianca Belair (b. 1989), professional wrestler^[11]
• Polly Bergen (1930–2014), actress, singer
• Natalie Bible' (b. 1983), film director
• Clarence Brown (1890–1987), film director
• Archie Campbell (1914–1987), television personality
• Henry Cho (b. 1962), comedian, actor
• Simeon Coxe (1938–2020), musician, pioneer of synth-pop music
• Cylk Cozart (b. 1957), actor
• John Cullum (b. 1930), Tony Award-winning actor and singer^[12]
• Dale Dickey (b. 1961), actress
• Harry Fujiwara (1935–2016), better known as "Mr. Fuji," professional wrestler^[13]
• Christina Hendricks (b. 1975), actress^{[14][unreliable source?]}
• Glenn Jacobs (b. 1967), better known as "Kane," professional wrestler, Knox County mayor ^[15]
• Jeff Jarrett (b. 1967), professional wrestler^[16]
• David Keith (b. 1954), actor
• Johnny Knoxville (b. 1971), actor and daredevil, changed his last name in reference to his hometown^[7]
• Jamie Marchi (b. 1977), actress
• Patricia Neal (1926–2010), Academy Award-winning actress^[7]
• Lillian Randolph (1898–1980), actress
• Brad Renfro (1982–2008), actor^[7]
• Cailee Spaeny (b.1998), actress born in Knoxville but raised in Missouri
• Quentin Tarantino (b. 1963), Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director^[7]
• Bob Thomas (b. 1954), radio personality, actor, writer
• Jake Thomas (b. 1990), actor^[7]
• Tina Wesson (b. 1960), contestant, Survivor television series; winner of Survivor: The Australian Outback

• Alexander Bonnyman Jr. (1910–1943), Medal of Honor recipient; killed in action during the Battle of Tarawa
• Roddie Edmonds (1919–1985), World War II POW credited with saving the lives of Jewish service members; honored as Righteous Among the Nations
• David Farragut (1801–1870), Civil War (Union) admiral^[17]
• Norman C. Gaddis (1923–2024), Air Force general and Vietnam War POW
• Thomas C. Hindman (1828–1868), Civil War (Confederate) general
• Bruce K. Holloway (1912–1999), Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Air Command (1968–1972)
• Lawrence Tyson (1861–1929), World War I general and United States Senator
• Maurice F. Weisner (1917–2006), admiral, Commander-in-Chief of United States Pacific Command, 1976–1979

• Roy Acuff (1903–1992), country music singer
• Sheila Aldridge (b. 1956), country music singer, the Aldridge Sisters^[18]
• Sherry Aldridge (b. 1954), country music singer, the Aldridge Sisters^[18]
• Chet Atkins (1924–2001), country music guitarist
• Rodney Atkins (b. 1969), country musician
• Kelsea Ballerini (b. 1993), country music artist
• Ava Barber (b. 1954), country music singer, featured performer from The Lawrence Welk Show^[19]
• Dave Barnes (b. 1978), singer/songwriter/musician
• Brian Bell (b. 1968), guitarist for the band Weezer
• Didi Benami (b. 1986), singer/songwriter, top-ten American Idol finalist
• Chris Blue (b. 1990), singer/songwriter, The Voice season 12 winner
• Kenny Chesney (b. 1968), country musician^[7]
• Ashley Cleveland (b. 1957), gospel musician
• Mary Costa (b. 1930), opera singer, voice of Briar Rose / Princess Aurora in Disney's 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty
• Jerome Courtland (1926–2012), actor and director
• John Davis (b. 1974), musician, lead singer of Superdrag^[20]
• The Dirty Works, punk band
• Don Everly (1937–2021), early rock-and-roll singer, the Everly Brothers
• Phil Everly (1939–2014), early rock-and-roll singer, the Everly Brothers
• Con Hunley (b. 1945), country music artist
• Phil Leadbetter (b. 1962), bluegrass musician
• Briston Maroney (b. 1998), folk rock musician
• Harry McClintock (1882–1957), folk musician, "The Big Rock Candy Mountains"
• Mary McDonald, sacred music composer
• Brownie McGhee (1915–1996), blues musician
• Stick McGhee (1917–1961), blues musician
• Ashley Monroe (b. 1986), country singer
• Grace Moore (1898–1947), opera singer^[21]
• Joseph Patrick Moore (b. 1969), jazz composer, bassist, arranger, producer^[22]
• Bobby Ogdin (b. 1945), musician
• Nick Raskulinecz (b. 1970), Grammy-winning record producer^[23]
• Florence Reece (1900–1986), folk songwriter; coal mining labor activist^[24]
• Emily Ann Roberts (b. 1998), singer/songwriter, The Voice runner-up
• Brent Smith (b. 1978), rock singer, lead vocalist for Shinedown
• Richard Aaker Trythall (1939–2022), composer and pianist
• Myra Brooks Turner (1936–2017), composer
• 10 Years, alternative rock band
• Whitechapel, deathcore band

• Robert H. Adams (1792–1830), United States Senator from Mississippi^[25]
• Alexander O. Anderson (1794–1869), United States Senator
• Victor Ashe (b. 1945), former mayor, U.S. Ambassador to Poland
• George W. Baxter (1855–1929), territorial governor of Wyoming
• William Blount (1749–1800), Constitutional Convention delegate, Governor of the Southwest Territory, United States Senator
• William G. "Parson" Brownlow (1805–1877), publisher of the Knoxville Whig, Governor of Tennessee, United States Senator^[26]
• John Hervey Crozier (1812–1889), U.S. congressman
• James Alexander Fowler (1863–1955), U.S. Assistant Attorney General and Knoxville mayor
• Lizzie Crozier French (1851–1926), women's suffragist
• Lucius F. C. Garvin (1841–1922), former governor of Rhode Island
• Sion Harris (1811–1854), member of the Liberian legislature
• Bill Haslam (b. 1958), Governor of Tennessee, former mayor of Knoxville
• William H. Hastie (1904–1976), U.S. Virgin Islands governor, first African American federal appellate court judge^[27]
• Leonidas Houk (1836–1891), U.S. congressman
• Ray Jenkins (1897–1980), attorney, Senate counsel during the Army-McCarthy Hearings
• Horace Maynard (1814–1882), U.S. congressman and postmaster general
• William Gibbs McAdoo (1863–1941), U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
• Lee McClung (1870–1914), U.S. Treasurer
• John Randolph Neal, Jr. (1876–1959), law professor, Scopes Trial attorney
• T.A.R. Nelson (1812–1873), U.S. congressman
• John Reinhardt (1920–2016), diplomat
• Glenn Reynolds (b. 1960), legal academic and blogger^[28]
• James Herman Robinson (1907–1972), clergyman, founder of Operation Crossroads Africa
• Edward Terry Sanford (1865–1930), U.S. Supreme Court justice
• John Sevier (1745–1815), pioneer and soldier, first governor of Tennessee^[29]
• William Henry Sneed (1812–1869), U.S. congressman
• Oliver Perry Temple (1820–1907), attorney, judge, and historian
• Hugh Lawson White (1773–1840), United States Senator, presidential candidate
• James White (1747–1820), pioneer, founder of Knoxville
• John Williams (1778–1837), United States Senator
• William F. Yardley (1844–1924), attorney, first African American to run for governor of Tennessee

• William M. Bass (b. 1928), founder of the University of Tennessee's Body Farm; author of Death's Acre
• Randall Collins (b. 1941), sociologist and author
• Weston Fulton (1871–1946), meteorologist, inventor
• Jack Hanna (b. 1947), zoologist
• Gerald North (b. 1938), climatologist^{[citation needed]}
• Helen Smith, forensic psychologist

• Erik Ainge (b. 1986), former NFL quarterback and sports radio personality
• Trevor Bayne (b. 1991), NASCAR driver and 2011 Daytona 500 winner
• Chad Bell (b. 1989), Major League Baseball player
• Ralph Boston (1939–2023), Olympic athlete
• John Bruhin (b. 1964), NFL player
• Ken Burkhart (1916–2004), MLB player and umpire
• Brett Carroll (b. 1982), MLB player
• Joey Clinkscales (b. 1964), NFL player and executive
• Reggie Cobb (1968–2019), NFL running back
• Mike Cofer (1960–2019), NFL linebacker
• Tony Cosey (b. 1974), All-American cross country and track runner; Olympic athlete in the steeplechase at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
• Cartha Doyle (b. 1929), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Chad Finchum (b. 1994), NASCAR driver
• Phillip Fulmer (b. 1950), former head coach of Tennessee Volunteers football team^[30]
• Ray Graves (1918–2015), former NFL player and head coach at Florida
• Anthony Hancock (b. 1960), former NFL player
• Todd Helton (b. 1973), Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player
• Adam Henley (b. 1994), professional soccer player
• Paul Hogue (1940–2009), former NBA player
• Scott Holtzman (b. 1983), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
• Garth Iorg (b. 1954), Major League Baseball player and coach^[31]
• Tim Irwin (b. 1958), former NFL offensive lineman
• Todd Kelly (b. 1970), NFL linebacker^[32]
• Pete Kreis (1900–1934), race car driver
• Terry McDaniel (b. 1965), NFL defensive back^[32]
• Raleigh McKenzie (b. 1963), NFL lineman
• Reggie McKenzie (b. 1963), NFL linebacker, General Manager of the Oakland Raiders
• Kathleen Malach (1926–2011), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Billy Meyer (1893–1957), Major League Baseball player and manager
• Robert Neyland (1892–1962), University of Tennessee football coach
• Kevin O'Connell (b. 1985), NFL player
• Rafaello Oliveira (b. 1982), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
• Peter Oppegard (b. 1959), Olympic figure skater
• Randy Orton (b. 1980), professional wrestler, actor
• Jackie Parker (1932–2006), CFL football player
• Chad Pennington (b. 1976), NFL quarterback
• Jerry Punch (b. 1953), ESPN analyst
• Fuad Reveiz (b. 1963), NFL placekicker
• Ovince St. Preux (b. 1983), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
• Doris Sams (1927–2012), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player^[33]
• Aaron Schoenfeld (b. 1990), American-Israeli Major League Soccer player
• Steve Searcy (b. 1964), former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Harrison Smith (b. 1989), NFL safety for Minnesota Vikings
• Lee Smith (b. 1987), NFL tight end
• Pat Summitt (1952–2016), former head coach, Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team^[34]
• Davis Tarwater (b. 1984), Olympic swimmer
• John Tate (1955–1998), Olympic and professional boxer
• Ben Testerman (b. 1962), professional tennis player
• Leroy Thompson (b. 1968), former NFL running back
• Bubba Trammell (b. 1971), Major League Baseball player
• Elston Turner (b. 1959), NBA player and coach
• Jackie Walker (1950–2002), All-American linebacker at Tennessee
• Josh Walker (b. 1991) NFL guard
• Jason Witten (b. 1982), NFL tight end
• Chris Woodruff (b. 1973), professional tennis player^[35]
• Trey Cabbage (b. 1997), Major League Baseball player

• James Agee (1909–1955), Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Paul Y. Anderson (1893–1938), Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter
• Anne W. Armstrong (1872–1958), author of This Day and Time (1930)^[36]
• Carson Brewer (1920–2003), journalist and conservationist
• Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924), author of The Secret Garden^[37]
• Albert Chavannes (1836–1903), Utopian philosopher
• Lowell Cunningham (b. 1959), comic book writer, Men in Black creator
• Nikki Giovanni (b. 1943), poet
• Alex Haley (1921–1992), author of Roots
• George Washington Harris (1814–1869), Southern humorist
• Frederick Heiskell (1786–1882), pioneering Tennessee journalist; cofounder of the Knoxville Register
• Ed Hooper (b. 1964), author, journalist^[38]
• Joseph Wood Krutch (1893–1970), writer, naturalist
• S.J. Mathes (1849?–1927), pioneer California newspaperman
• Cormac McCarthy (1933–2023), Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Adolph Ochs (1858–1935), newspaper publisher^[39]
• J. G. M. Ramsey (1797–1884), historian
• William Rule (1839–1928), newspaper editor, mayor of Knoxville
• Ed Sams (b. 1952), author and educator
• Bernadotte Schmitt (1886–1969), Pulitzer Prize-winning historian^[40]
• Karl Edward Wagner (1945–1994), fantasy writer

• Jane Franklin Hommel Denney (1878–1946), socialite and women's club leader
• Adam Ragusea (b. 1982), YouTube chef
• Mary Boyce Temple (1856–1929), philanthropist and preservationist

• History of Knoxville, Tennessee
• List of people from Tennessee