List of people from Wisconsin

State Flag of Wisconsin

This is a list of prominent people from the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Hometown is in parentheses.

Art and literature

Alter Esselin

E. Gary Gygax

Ron Kovic

Georgia O'Keeffe

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Oprah Winfrey

Frank Lloyd Wright

• Kevin J. Anderson (1962–), writer (Racine)
• Rasmus B. Anderson (1846–1936), author, professor, and historian (Albion)
• Walter Annenberg (1908–2002), creator of TV Guide and Seventeen (Milwaukee)
• Antler (born 1946), poet (Wauwatosa)
• Ruth Ball (1879–1960), sculptor (Madison)
• Lynda Barry (born 1956), author and cartoonist (Richland Center)
• Gary Beecham (1955–), glass artist (Ladysmith)
• George Bergstrom (1876–1955), architect, designer of The Pentagon (Neenah)
• Norbert Blei (1935–), writer (Ellison Bay)
• Carrie Jacobs Bond (1862–1946), songwriter (Janesville)
• Esther Bubley (1921–1998), photojournalist (Phillips)
• Nancy Ekholm Burkert (1933–), artist and illustrator, recipient of the Caldecott Medal (Milwaukee)
• Ole Amundsen Buslett (1855–1924), author, newspaperman, and politician (Town of Iola, Northland, La Crosse, Stoughton)
• Kathryn Casey, writer and journalist
• Connie Clausen (1923–1997), literary agent (Menasha)
• Chester Commodore (1914–2004), cartoonist (Racine)
• Jeremiah Curtin (1835–1906), translator (Milwaukee County)
• Tyler Dennett (1883–1949), biographer, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize (Spencer)
• August Derleth (1909–1971), writer (Sauk City)
• Gene DeWeese (1934–), writer (Milwaukee)
• Donn F. Draeger (1922–1982), writer and martial artist (Milwaukee)
• Alter Esselin (1889–1974), poet (Milwaukee)
• Edna Ferber (1885–1968), writer (Appleton)
• Jack Finney (1911–1995), writer (Milwaukee)
• Mike Fitzgerald, writer (Janesville)
• Lewis R. Freeman (1878–1960), journalist (Genoa Junction)
• Zona Gale (1874–1938), writer (Portage, Beaver Dam, Milwaukee)
• Hamlin Garland (1860–1940), novelist, biographer, short story writer and poet (West Salem)
• Elmer Grey (1872–1963), noted architect and painter (Milwaukee)
• E. Gary Gygax (1938–2008), novelist and co-creator of "Dungeons & Dragons" (Lake Geneva)
• Jane Hamilton (born 1957), writer (Rochester)
• Stephen Hayes, senior writer for The Weekly Standard, Fox News contributor, author (Wauwatosa)
• Kevin Henkes (1960–), author and illustrator, recipient of the Caldecott Medal (Racine, Madison)
• Eastman Johnson (1824–1906), co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Superior)
• Russell Klika, photojournalist and combat photographer (Appleton, Wisconsin)
• Jim Knipfel (born 1965), writer (Green Bay)
• Ron Kovic (born 1946), writer, Born on the Fourth of July (Ladysmith)
• David Lenz (born 1962), painter (Milwaukee)
• Gerda Lerner (born 1920), Women's Studies, founder of women's history (Madison)
• Paul Linebarger (1913–1966), writer (Milwaukee)
• Per Lysne (1880–1947), folk artist who popularized rosemaling in the United States (Stoughton)
• Karl E. Meyer, journalist for The New York Times and editor of World Policy Journal (Madison)
• Jacquelyn Mitchard (born 1957), writer (Milwaukee, Madison)
• John Nichols, political correspondent for The Nation (Union Grove)
• Lorine Niedecker (1903–1970), poet (Fort Atkinson)
• Lucius W. Nieman (1857–1935), founder of the Milwaukee Journal, the Nieman Foundation for Journalism was dedicated to him (Sauk County)
• Jessica Nelson North (1891–1988), writer (Madison, Edgerton)
• Sterling North (1906–1974), writer (Edgerton)
• Georgia O'Keeffe (1887–1986), artist (Sun Prairie)
• George Wilbur Peck (1840–1916), writer, newspaper editor, and politician (Cold Spring, Ripon, La Crosse, Milwaukee)
• George Pollard (1920–2008), artist (Waldo, Kenosha)
• Richard Quinney (born 1934), sociologist and writer (Madison)
• Ellen Raskin (1928–1984), writer and illustrator (Milwaukee)
• Vinnie Ream (1847–1914), sculptor (Madison)
• John Ridley (born 1965), novelist (Milwaukee)
• David Robbins (born 1957), artist, writer (Whitefish Bay)
• Patrick Rothfuss (born 1973), writer (Madison)
• Joe Schoenmann, journalist and author
• Clifford D. Simak (1904–1988), writer (Millville)
• Peter Straub (born 1943), writer (Milwaukee)
• John Toland (1912–2004), Pulitzer Prize–winning writer (La Crosse)
• Arthur Thrall (born 1926), artist (Milwaukee)
• Neal Ulevich (1946–), photographer, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize (Milwaukee)
• Dave Umhoefer (born 1961), Pulitzer Prize recipient (La Crosse)
• Ignatiy Vishnevetsky (born 1986), film critic and essayist (Wauwatosa)
• Viola S. Wendt (1907–1986), poet (West Bend)
• Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919), writer and poet (Johnstown)
• John Wilde (1919–2006), artist (Milwaukee, Evansville)
• Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867–1957), writer (Pepin)
• Thornton Wilder (1897–1975), writer (Madison)
• Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959), architect (Richland Center)

Business

Carol Bartz

Edward L. Doheny

King C. Gillette

• George Addes (1911–1990), founder of United Auto Workers (La Crosse)
• Edward P. Allis (1824–1899), co-founder of Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company (Two Rivers, Milwaukee)
• Carol Bartz (1948–), President and CEO of Yahoo! (Alma)
• Ernest J. Briskey (1930–2006), Vice President, Technical and Administration of Campbell Soup Company (Waunakee)
• Jerome Case (1819–1891), founder of an agricultural and construction equipment company (Racine)
• Leo Crowley (1889–1972), banker & FDIC director (Milton)
• John Cudahy (1887–1943), industrialist (Milwaukee)
• Michael Cudahy (born 1924), entrepreneur (Milwaukee)
• Alexander M. Cutler, CEO of the Eaton Corporation (Milwaukee)
• Arthur Davidson, Walter Davidson, and William A. Davidson, co-founders of Harley-Davidson
• Edward L. Doheny (1856–1935), oil tycoon (Fond du Lac)
• Ole Evinrude (1877–1924), inventor and entrepreneur (Cambridge, Madison, Milwaukee)
• Chris Gardner (born 1954), entrepreneur, subject of movie The Pursuit of Happyness (Milwaukee)
• King C. Gillette (1855–1932), industrialist (Fond du Lac)
• Donald Goerke (1926–2010), Campbell Soup Company executive, inventor of SpaghettiOs (Waukesha)
• William S. Harley (1880–1943), co-founder of Harley-Davidson (Milwaukee)
• Randolph E. Haugan (1902–1985), editor and publisher (Martell)
• Ken Hendricks (1941–2007), billionaire (Janesville, Beloit, Afton)
• Jay L. Johnson, CEO of General Dynamics (West Salem)
• Samuel Curtis Johnson, Sr. (1833–1919), founder of consumer products company (Racine)
• Phil Katz (1962–2000), computer programmer (Glendale)
• Carl Kiekhaefer (1906–1983), owner of Mercury Marine (Mequon)
• Herbert Kohler (born 1939), business executive (Kohler)
• Oscar Mayer (1859–1955), founder of meat packing company (Milwaukee, Fitchburg)
• John Menard (born 1940), business executive (Eau Claire)
• George Safford Parker (1863–1937), pen inventor and entrepreneur (Shullsburg, Janesville)
• John Shannon ( born 1945–) CEO Quick Cable Inc. ( La Crosse)
• Herbert Simon (1916–2001), economist and computer scientist (Milwaukee)
• James Trane (1857–1936), founder of heating and air conditioning company (La Crosse)
• Reuben Trane (1886–1954), co-foudner of Trane (La Crosse)
• Elmer Winter (1912–2009), co-founder of Manpower Inc. (Milwaukee)
• Dean Witter (1887–1969), founder of Dean Witter & Co. investment house (Wausau)
• Walter Wriston (1919–2005), chairman and CEO of Citicorp (Appleton)

Brewing

• Valentin Blatz (Milwaukee)
• Harry G. John (Milwaukee)
• Frederick Miller (Milwaukee)
• Frederick Pabst (Milwaukee, Whitefish Bay)
• Joseph Schlitz (Milwaukee)

Education

A. Starker Leopold

Luna Leopold

Margarethe Schurz

• Thomas Barnett (1962–), Professor of Warfare Analysis & Research Development at the Naval War College (Chilton, Boscobel)
• Theodore Brameld (1904–1987), professor at Long Island University, Adelphi College, University of Minnesota, New York University, and Boston University (Neillsville)
• Arthur Louis Breslich (1873–1924), President of German Wallace College and Baldwin-Wallace College (Madison, Milwaukee)
• Ernest J. Briskey (1930–2006), Dean of Agricultural Science of Oregon State University (Waunakee)
• George Bunn (1865–1918), Dean of the William Mitchell College of Law (Sparta)
• Carlos Castillo-Chavez, Professor of Mathematical Biology at Arizona State University
• Joanne V. Creighton, President of Mount Holyoke College (Marinette)
• Tyler Dennett (1883–1949), Professor of American History at Johns Hopkins University and Columbia University, Professor of International Relations at Princeton University, President of Williams College (Spencer)
• Katharine Elizabeth Dopp (1863–1944), Dean of Chicago Normal School (Dopp)
• Lars Paul Esbjörn (1808–1870), Professor of Theology at Illinois State Normal University (Clinton)
• Ernst Guillemin (1898–1970), electrical engineer and computer scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Milwaukee)
• Harlan Hanson (1925–1996), Director of the Advanced Placement program from 1965 to 1989 (Madison)
• Frederick Hemke (1935–), Professor of Saxophone at Northwestern University (Milwaukee)
• Bruno E. Jacob (1899–1979), Founder of the National Forensic League (Valders)
• Peter Laurentius Larsen (1833–1915), Founding President of Luther College
• John Leonora (1928–2006), Professor of Physiology and Pharmacology at Loma Linda University (Milwaukee)
• A. Carl Leopold (1919–2009), Graduate Dean of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Madison)
• A. Starker Leopold (1913–1983), Professor of Zoology and Conservation at the University of California, Berkeley (Madison)
• Luna Leopold (1915–2006), Professor of Geology and Geophysics and of Landscape Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley (Madison)
• James Maxwell, President of Faith Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary (Menomonee Falls)
• Charles McCarthy, librarian and political scientist (Madison)
• Thorbjorn N. Mohn (1844–1899), Founding President of St. Olaf College (Columbia County)
• Christian Keyser Preus (1852–1921), President of Luther College (Spring Prairie)
• Margarethe Schurz (1851–1876), opened first kindergarten in the United States (Watertown)
• Philip Stieg (1952–), Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University and New York-Presbyterian Medical Center (Milwaukee)
• Rose Thering (1920–2006), Professor of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue at Seton Hall University (Plain, Racine)
• Gerald Charles Ward (1901–1978), Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Central Florida (Babcock)
• Norman Wengert (1916–2001), member of the faculty at the City College of New York, North Dakota State University, University of Maryland, College Park, Wayne State University, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Sarajevo (Milwaukee)
• James Wright (1939–), President of Dartmouth College (Madison)
• Nicholas S. Zeppos (1954–), Chancellor of Vanderbilt University (Milwaukee)

Entertainment

Film and theatre

Don Ameche

Jack Carson

Willem Dafoe

Brian Donlevy

Heather Graham

Harry Houdini

Frederic March

Pat O'Brien

Spencer Tracy

Orson Welles

• Jim Abrahams (born 1944), director (Shorewood, Eagle River)
• Marc Alaimo (born 1942), actor (Milwaukee)
• Don Ameche (1908–1993), actor (Kenosha)
• William Bast (1931–), screenwriter (Milwaukee, Kenosha)
• Abner Biberman (1909–1977), actor and director (Milwaukee)
• Mark Borchardt (born 1966), director (Menomonee Falls)
• Joyce Carlson (1923–2008), Disney animator (Racine)
• Jack Carson (1910–1963), actor (Milwaukee)
• Ellen Corby (1911–1999), actress (Racine)
• Anthony Crivello (born 1955), Tony Award-winning actor, singer (Milwaukee)
• Willem Dafoe (born 1955), actor (Appleton)
• Brian Donlevy (1901–1972), actor (Racine)
• Chris Farley (1964–1997), actor (Madison, Minocqua)
• John P. Farley (born 1968), actor (Madison)
• Kevin Farley (born 1965), actor (Madison)
• Lynn Fontanne (1887–1983), Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress (Genesee Depot)
• Gloria Foster (1933–2001), actress (Janesville)
• Zona Gale (1874–1938), playwright, recipient of the Pulitzer Prize (Portage, Beaver Dam, Milwaukee)
• Aimee Graham (born 1971), actress (Milwaukee)
• Heather Graham (born 1970), actress (Milwaukee)
• Uta Hagen, actress (Madison)
• Theodore Hardeen (1876–1945), magician and escape artist, founder of the Magicians Guild of America (Appleton)
• Howard Hawks (1896–1977), director (Neenah)
• Harry Houdini (1874–1926), magician (Appleton)
• Tom Hulce (born 1953), actor (Whitewater)
• Jeana Keough (born 1955), actress, Playboy Playmate (Milwaukee)
• Imran Khan (born 1983), actor (Madison)
• David Koepp (born 1963), writer/director (Pewaukee, Wales)
• Carole Landis (1919–1948), actor (Fairchild)
• Tom Laughlin (born 1931), actor (Milwaukee)
• Joseph Losey (1909–1984), director (La Crosse)
• Alfred Lunt (1892–1977), actor (Milwaukee, Genesee Depot)
• Fred MacMurray (1908–1991), actor (Beaver Dam)
• Michael Maize (born 1974), actor (Milwaukee)
• Fredric March (1897–1975), actor (Racine)
• Rob Marshall (1960–), director (Madison)
• Kerwin Mathews (1926–2007), actor (Janesville)
• John Matuszak (1950–1989), actor and football player (Milwaukee, Oak Creek)
• Hattie McDaniel (1895–1952), actress, first African-American to win an Academy Award (Milwaukee)
• Niels Mueller (born 1961), writer/director (Milwaukee)
• Cyrus Nowrasteh (born 1956), writer/director (Madison)
• Pat O'Brien (1899–1983), actor (Milwaukee)
• Robert Emmett O'Connor (1885–1962), actor (Milwaukee)
• Nancy Olson (born 1928), actress (Milwaukee)
• Manilla Powers, actress (Janesville)
• Nicholas Ray (1911–1979), director (Galesville)
• John Ridley (born 1965), screenwriter, director (Milwaukee)
• Richard Riehle (born 1948), actor (Menomonee Falls)
• Michael Ritchie (1938–2001), director (Waukesha)
• Gena Rowlands (born 1930), actor (Madison, Cambria, Milwaukee)
• Mark Ruffalo (born 1967), actor (Kenosha)
• Richard Schickel (born 1933), critic (Milwaukee)
• Greg Dean Schmitz (born 1970), online film journalist (Westfield, Middleton)
• Paul Shenar (1936–1989), actor (Milwaukee)
• Zack Snyder (born 1966), director (Green Bay)
• Ford Sterling (1882–1939), actor (La Crosse)
• Eric Szmanda (born 1975), actor (Milwaukee)
• George Tillman, Jr., director (Milwaukee)
• Spencer Tracy (1900–1967), actor (Milwaukee, Lake Geneva)
• Judy Tyler (1932–1957), actress (Milwaukee)
• Bob Uecker (born 1935), actor and sports commentator (Milwaukee)
• James Valcq (1963–), theatre composer (Milwaukee)
• Marc Webb (born 1974), director (Madison)
• Peter Weller (born 1947), actor (Stevens Point)
• Orson Welles (1915–1985), director (Kenosha)
• Shannon Whirry (born 1964), actress (Green Lake)
• Gene Wilder (born 1933), actor (Milwaukee)
• David Zucker (born 1947), director (Milwaukee)
• Jerry Zucker (born 1950), director (Milwaukee)
• Terry Zwigoff (born 1949), director (Appleton)

Television

Kristin Bauer van Straten

Gary Burghoff

Tyne Daly

Kurtwood Smith

Jessica Szohr

Bradley Whitford

• David Ackert (born 1968), actor (La Crosse)
• Andrea Anders (born 1975), actress, Joey, Better Off Ted (Madison, DeForest)
• Bonnie Bartlett (born 1929), Emmy Award-winning actress (Wisconsin Rapids)
• Kristin Bauer van Straten (born 1966), actress (Racine)
• Lamont Bentley (1973–2005), actor, Moesha (Milwaukee)
• Brad Beyer (born 1973), actor, Stanley Richmond on Jericho (Waukesha)
• Peter Bonerz (1938–), actor (Milwaukee)
• Gary Burghoff (born 1943), actor, Radar O'Reilly on M*A*S*H (Delavan)
• Annie Burgstede (born 1983), actress (Waupaca)
• Ellen Corby (1911–1999), actress (Racine)
• Rich Dahm, Emmy Award-winning writer and producer
• Ian Anthony Dale (born 1978), actor, Day Break, Surface (Madison)
• James Daly (1918–1978), actor (Wisconsin Rapids)
• Tyne Daly (born 1946), actress (Madison)
• Nancy Dickerson (1927–1997), NBC News correspondent (Wauwatosa)
• Sean Duffy (born 1971), reality television star, ESPN commentator (Hayward)
• Greg Eagles (born 1970), voice actor, Grim & Evil (Milwaukee)
• John Fiedler (1925–2005), actor, voice of Piglet (Platteville, Shorewood)
• Paul Gigot (born 1955), host and commentator on Journal Editorial Report (Green Bay, DePere)
• Andrea Hall (born 1947), actress (Milwaukee)
• Deidre Hall (born 1947), actress (Milwaukee)
• Joel Hodgson (born 1960), actor, comedian, creator of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Stevens Point, Green Bay)
• Isabella Hofmann (born 1958), actress, Lt. Megan Russert on Homicide: Life on the Street (East Troy)
• Gregory Itzin (born 1948), actor, President Charles Logan on 24 (Burlington)
• Jane Kaczmarek (born 1955), actress (Greendale)
• Laura Kaeppeler (1988–), Miss America 2012 (Kenosha)
• Kathy Kinney (born 1954), actress (Stevens Point)
• Trenni Kusnierek (born 1977), reporter and studio host for the MLB Network (Muskego)
• Allen Ludden (1917–1981), game show host (Mineral Point)
• Terry Meeuwsen (born 1949), Miss America 1973, co-host of The 700 Club (DePere)
• Carol Merrill (born 1941), prize presenter, "Let's Make a Deal", (Frederic)
• Chris Mulkey (born 1948), actor, Bakersfield P.D., Twin Peaks (Viroqua)
• Chris Noth (born 1954), actor, Det. Mike Logan on Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (Madison)
• Sam Page (born 1976), actor, Shark, Point Pleasant (Whitefish Bay)
• Vic Perrin (1916–1989), actor (Menomonee Falls)
• Michael Phillips (born 1961), film critic & co-host of At the Movies (Kenosha, Racine)
• Amy Pietz (born 1969), actor (Milwaukee)
• Charlotte Rae (born 1926), actress (Milwaukee, Shorewood)
• Brad Rowe (born 1970), actor, Wasteland (Milwaukee)
• Tony Shalhoub (born 1953), actor (Green Bay)
• Kurtwood Smith (born 1943), actor, best known for his role of Red Forman on That '70s Show (New Lisbon)
• Tom Snyder (1936–2007), talk show host (Milwaukee)
• Melinda Stolp, The Real World: Austin cast member (Germantown)
• Eric Szmanda (born 1975), actor (Milwaukee)
• Jessica Szohr (born 1985), actress (Menomonee Falls)
• Daniel J. Travanti (born 1940), Emmy Award-winning actor (Kenosha)
• Steve True (1954–), Emmy Award-winning sportscaster (Milwaukee)
• Greta Van Susteren (born 1954), commentator (Appleton)
• J. D. Walsh (born 1974), actor, Smart Guy (Madison)
• Tom Welling (1977–), actor (Janesville)
• Bradley Whitford (born 1959), actor (Madison)
• Oprah Winfrey (1954), Emmy Award-winning talk show host, founder and president of Harpo Productions, co-founder of Oxygen, chairwoman of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network (Milwaukee)
• Tom Wopat (born 1951), actor (Lodi)
• Chip Zien (born 1947), actor (Milwaukee)

Comedians

• Frank Caliendo (born 1974), comedian (Waukesha)
• Randy Chestnut (born 1971), comedian (Baraboo, Madison)
• Chris Farley (1964–1997), comedian (Madison)
• Jackie Mason (born 1936), comedian (Sheboygan)
• Nick Mortensen (born 1977), comedian (Green Bay)
• John McGivern, comedian (Milwaukee)

Music

Liberace

Steve Miller

Les Paul

Justin Vernon

• Naima Adedapo (1984–), finalist on season 10 of American Idol (Milwaukee)
• Carl Allen (born 1961), drummer
• Eric Benét (born 1966), singer (Milwaukee)
• Bunny Berigan (1908–1942), musician (Hilbert, Fox Lake)
• Erin Boheme, jazz singer (Oshkosh)
• Holly Brook (born 1986), singer-songwriter (Mazomanie)
• Felice Bryant (1925–2003), songwriter (Milwaukee)
• Victor DeLorenzo (born 1954), musician, drummer for Violent Femmes (1981–1993, 2002–2006) (Racine, Milwaukee)
• Dave Dudley (1928–2003), country singer (Spencer)
• Howie Epstein (1955–2003), bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (Milwaukee)
• Betty Everett (1939–2001), R&B musician (Beloit)
• Gordon Gano (born 1963), musician, singer for Violent Femmes (Milwaukee)
• Danny Gokey (born 1980), a finalist on season 8 of American Idol (Milwaukee)
• Greg Graffin (born 1964), singer (Racine)
• Jerry Harrison (born 1949), keyboardist and guitarist for Talking Heads (Milwaukee)
• Woody Herman (1913–1987), musician (Milwaukee)
• Hildegarde (1906–2005), cabaret singer (Adell, New Holstein)
• Guy Hoffman (born 1954), musician, drummer for Violent Femmes (1993–2002, 2006) (Milwaukee)
• Andy Hurley (born 1980), drummer for Fall Out Boy (Menomonee Falls)
• Al Jarreau (born 1940), singer (Milwaukee)
• Pee Wee King (1914–2000), musician (Milwaukee, Abrams)
• Liberace (1919–1987), musician (West Allis)
• Jeff Loomis (born 1971), guitarist for Nevermore (Appleton)
• Rico Love (born 1982), rapper (Milwaukee)
• Steve Miller (born 1943), musician (Milwaukee)
• Les Paul (1915–2009), musician, inventor (Waukesha)
• Jim Pekol (born 1961), musician (Wausau)
• Jeff Pilson, musician
• Stevie Rachelle (born 1966), singer for Tuff (Oshkosh)
• Bruce Robb (born 1954), music producer for film/television, former member of 1960s folk rock group The Robbs (Oconomowoc)
• Art Paul Schlosser (born 1960), musician, songwriter, busker (Madison)
• Ben Sidran (born 1943), jazz pianist (Racine)
• Clyde Stubblefield (born 1943), drummer (Madison)
• Daryl Stuermer (born 1952), guitarist (Milwaukee)
• Justin Vernon (born 1981), singer-songwriter of Bon Iver (Eau Claire)
• Butch Vig (born 1957), drummer for Garbage, musician and producer for Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Garbage (Viroqua, Madison)
• Davey von Bohlen (born 1975), singer/guitarist for Cap'n Jazz, The Promise Ring, Vermont, and Maritime (Milwaukee)
• Joseph Philbrick Webster (1819–1875), songwriter and composer (Racine, Elkhorn)
• Jane Wiedlin (born 1958), rhythm guitarist of The Go-Go's (Oconomowoc, Madison)
• Robin Zander (born 1953), lead singer and guitarist of Cheap Trick (Beloit)
• Caustic (band), Jizzcore Artist, (Madison)

History

George Mosse

• Stephen Ambrose (1936–2002), historian (Whitewater)
• William Cronon (born 1954), environmental historian (Madison)
• Lyman Draper (1815–1891), historian and librarian (Madison)
• Harvey Goldberg (1922–1987), historian (Madison)
• George Mosse (1918–1999), social and cultural historian (Madison)
• Gerhard Brandt Naeseth (1913–1994) – founder of the Norwegian-American Genealogical Center & Naeseth Library. (Madison)
• James Breck Perkins (1847–1910), historian and U.S. Congressman (St. Croix Falls)
• David Schoenbaum (born 1935), historian and social scientist (Milwaukee)
• Kenneth M. Stampp (1912–2009), historian (Milwaukee)
• John Toland (1912–2004), Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author (La Crosse)
• Frederick Jackson Turner (1861–1932), historian, known for his "Frontier Thesis" (Portage)
• T. Harry Williams (1909–1979), Pulitzer Prize-winning historian (Hazel Green)

Military

Fred Ascani

James H. Flatley

Amos Fries

Albert W. Grant

Lucius Roy Holbrook

Jay L. Johnson

James Benjamin Lampert

Daniel P. Leaf

William D. Leahy

James J. Lindsay

Arthur MacArthur, Jr.

Douglas MacArthur

Charles C. McDonald

Billy Mitchell

Marc Mitscher

Tad J. Oelstrom

Merrill B. Twining

Nathan Farragut Twining

Hoyt Vandenberg

Elmo Zumwalt

• Harold C. Agerholm (1925–1944), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Racine)
• Frank L. Anders (1875–1966), Philippine-American War Medal of Honor recipient (Ripon)
• James Roy Andersen (1904–1945), U.S. Army general (Racine)
• Beauford T. Anderson (1922–1996), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Eagle, Soldiers Grove)
• Mark E. Anderson, U.S. National Guard general (Wisconsin Rapids)
• Peter Anderson (1847–1907), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Lafayette County)
• Fred Ascani (1917–2010), U.S. Air Force Major General (Beloit)
• Margaret H. Bair, U.S. Air National Guard general (Lake Geneva)
• Merton W. Baker (1924–2000), U.S. Air Force Major General (Tomahawk)
• George Barnett (1859–1930), Commandant of the United States Marine Corps (Lancaster, Boscobel)
• Stuart E. Barstad (1929–2009), Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force (Colfax)
• William A. Barstow (1813–1865), Union Army general (Waukesha, Janesville)
• Frank E. Beatty (1853–1926), U.S. Navy admiral (Aztalan)
• Harry Bell (1860–1938), Philippine-American War Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Leslie Allen Bellrichard (1941–1967), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient (Janesville)
• Harold Medberry Bemis (1884–1970), U.S. Navy admiral (Oshkosh)
• Paul M. Blayney, U.S. Coast Guard admiral (Milwaukee, Jefferson)
• Orville Emil Bloch (1915–1983), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Big Falls)
• Robert D. Bohn, U.S. Marine Corps Major General (Neenah)
• Richard Bong (1920–1945), World War II pilot (Superior)
• Frank Matteson Bostwick (1857–1945), U.S. Navy Commodore (Janesville)
• Peter J. Boylan, U.S. Army Major General (Portage)
• John Bradley (1923–1994), Iwo Jima flag-raiser (Antigo)
• Edward S. Bragg (1827–1912), Union Army general (Fond du Lac)
• Oscar Brookin, Spanish-American War Medal of Honor recipient (Byron)
• Deming Bronson (1894–1957), World War I Medal of Honor recipient (Rhinelander)
• Clarence John Brown (1895–1973), U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Plum City)
• F. Taylor Brown (1925–2011), U.S. Navy admiral (Ashland)
• Robert Whitney Burns (1908–1964), U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General (Stanley)
• Elmer J. Burr (1908–1942), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Neenah, Menasha)
• Joseph Cable (1848–1877), American Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient (Madison)
• James J. Carey, U.S. Navy admiral (Green Lake County, Aurora)
• Irving J. Carr (1875–1963), U.S. Army Major General (Chippewa Falls)
• Guy W.S. Castle (1879–1919), Medal of Honor recipient
• Arthur S. Champeny (1893–1979), U.S. Army general (Briggsville)
• Stanley R. Christianson (1925–1950), Korean War Medal of Honor recipient (Mindoro)
• Paul Clemens, U.S. Army general (Superior)
• Gerald W. Clusen, U.S. Navy admiral (Manitowoc)
• Jefferson Coates (1843–1880), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Boscobel)
• James Kelsey Cogswell (1847–1908), U.S. Navy admiral (Milwaukee)
• Robert Grimes Coman (1887–1963), U.S. Navy Commodore (Trempealeau)
• Richard H. Cosgriff (1845–1910), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Hudson, Chippewa Falls)
• James E. Croft (1833–1914), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Janesville)
• Winfield S. Cunningham (1900–1986), U.S. Navy admiral (Rockbridge)
• James B. Currie (1925–2009), U.S. Air Force Major General (Milwaukee)
• William B. Cushing (1842–1874), Navy officer who sank the CSS Albemarle, the USS Cushing was named after him (Delafield)
• Marshall E. Cusic Jr., U.S. Navy admiral (Marshfield)
• Lysander Cutler (1807–1866), Union Army general (Milwaukee)
• Clinton W. Davies (1899–1989), U.S. Air Force general (Racine)
• Frederick Curtice Davis (1915–1941), highly-decorated Navy officer, the USS Frederick C. Davis was named for him (Rock County)
• Leighton I. Davis (1910–1995), U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General (Sparta)
• Charles G. Dawes (1865–1951), U.S. Army general (La Crosse)
• Dirk J. Debbink, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral; Chief of Navy Reserve (Oconomowoc)
• Abraham DeSomer (1884–1974), Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• John Durham (1843–1918), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Malone)
• Herbert W. Ehrgott (1910–1982), U.S. Air Force general (Milwaukee)
• Clarence Ekstrom, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Waupaca)
• Horace Ellis (1843–1867), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Chippewa Falls)
• William Ellis (1834–1875), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Watertown)
• Gerald L. Endl (1915–1944), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Fort Atkinson, Janesville)
• Lucius Fairchild (1831–1896), Union Army general (Madison)
• Peter Fanta, U.S. Navy admiral (Manitowoc)
• Jack K. Farris (1934–), U.S. Air Force Major General (Fennimore)
• Richard W. Fellows (1914–1998), U.S. Air Force general (Algoma)
• Art Fiala (1899–2005), World War I (Kewaunee)
• James H. Flatley (1906–1958), U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Green Bay)
• Lawrence J. Fleming (1922–2006), U.S. Air Force Major General (Green Bay)
• James F. Flock, U.S. Marine Corps Major General (Milwaukee)
• Amos Fries (1873–1963), U.S. Army Major General, Chief of the Chemical Warfare Service (Viroqua)
• Harold A. Fritz (born 1944), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Julius A. Furer (1880–1963), U.S. Navy admiral (Mosel)
• Augustus F. Gearhard (1893–1975) Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force (Milwaukee)
• Theodore W. Goldin (1858–1935), American Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient (Avon, Brodhead, Janesville, King)
• Albert W. Grant (1856–1930), U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Stevens Point)
• Sandra A. Gregory, U.S. Air Force general (Loyal)
• Kenneth E. Gruennert (1922–1942), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Helenville)
• Charles Smith Hamilton (1822–1891), Union Army Major General (Milwaukee)
• Melvin O. Handrich (1919–1950), Korean War Medal of Honor recipient (Manawa)
• Rodney R. Hannula, U.S. National Guard Major General (Saxon)
• William Frederick Hase (1874–1935), U.S. Army Major General (Milwaukee)
• J. Michael Hayes, U.S. Marine Corps general (Milwaukee)
• Philip Hayes (1887–1949), U.S. Army Major General (Portage)
• John Higgins (1899–1973), U.S. Navy admiral (Madison)
• Frank E. Hill (1850–1906), American Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient (Mayfield)
• Benjamin Hilliker, American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Town of Waupaca)
• Harrison Carroll Hobart (1815–1902), Union Army general (Sheboygan, Chilton, Milwaukee)
• Roy Hoffmann, U.S. Navy admiral (Milwaukee)
• Lucius Roy Holbrook (1875–1952), U.S. Army Major General (Arkansaw)
• Willard Ames Holbrook (1860–1932), U.S. Army Major General (Arkansaw)
• David William Hutchison (1908–1982), U.S. Air Force Major General (Mineral Point)
• Einar H. Ingman, Jr. (born 1929), Korean War Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee, Tomahawk)
• Frank B. James (1912–2004), U.S. Air Force general (Delavan)
• John L. Jerstad (1918–1943), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Racine, Milwaukee)
• Jay L. Johnson, Chief of Naval Operations (West Salem)
• John Johnson (1842–1907), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Janesville)
• Marvin John Jensen (1908–1993), U.S. Navy admiral (Sheboygan)
• Stephen E. Johnson, U.S. Navy admiral (Wisconsin Rapids)
• Donald S. Jones (1928–2004), U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Madison)
• Harley Sanford Jones (1902–1997), U.S. Air Force general (Fox Lake)
• Emil C. Kiel (1895–1977), U.S. Air Force general
• Charles King (1844–1933), U.S. Army general (Milwaukee)
• Rufus King (1814–1876), Union Army general (Milwaukee)
• John Baxter Kinne (1877–1954), Philippine-American War Medal of Honor recipient (Beloit)
• Louis Joseph Kirn (1908–1995), U.S. Navy admiral (Milwaukee)
• Russell Klika, combat photographer (Appleton)
• Richard A. Knobloch (1918–2001), U.S. Air Force general (West Allis, Milwaukee)
• Oscar Koch (1897–1970), U.S. Army general, member of the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame (Milwaukee)
• Edmond Konrad, U.S. Navy admiral (Oshkosh)
• James Benjamin Lampert (1914–1978), U.S. Army Lieutenant General
• Thomas B. Larkin (1890–1968), Quartermaster General of the U.S. Army (Louisburg)
• Daniel P. Leaf, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General, Commander of the United States Pacific Command (Shawano)
• William D. Leahy (1875–1959), U.S. Navy Fleet Admiral, first military officer to reach of five-star rank (Ashland)
• James J. LeCleir (1941–), U.S. Air Force Major General (Chippewa Falls)
• Scott D. Legwold, U.S. National Guard general (Eau Claire)
• James J. Lindsay (born 1932), U.S. Army General, first Commander of the United States Special Operations Command (Portage)
• Nathan J. Lindsay (1936–), U.S. Air Force Major General (Monroe)
• Arno H. Luehman (1911–1989), U.S. Air Force Major General (Milwaukee)
• Edward E. Lyon (1871–1931), Philippine-American War Medal of Honor recipient (Hixton)
• Arthur MacArthur, Jr. (1845–1912), Medal of Honor Civil War, "On Wisconsin", father of General Douglas MacArthur (Milwaukee)
• Douglas MacArthur (1880–1964), General of the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Alexander Mackenzie (1844–1921), U.S. Army Chief of Engineers (Postosi)
• Lester J. Maitland (1899–1990), U.S. Army Air Service general (Milwaukee)
• Francis Marshall, U.S. Army general (Darlington)
• Michael A. McAuliffe (1941–), U.S. Air Force general (Ashland)
• Michael J. McCarthy, U.S. Air Force Major General (Niagara)
• John E. McCoy, U.S. Air National Guard general (Janesville, Stoughton)
• Robert Bruce McCoy (1867–1926), U.S. National Guard Major General (Kenosha, Lafayette, Sparta)
• Arthur L. McCullough, U.S. Air Force general (Milwaukee)
• Charles C. McDonald (born 1933), U.S. Air Force General (Barron)
• Edward McGlachlin, Jr., U.S. Army Major General (Fond du Lac, Stevens Point)
• Hugh J. McGrath (1858–1899), Philippine-American War Medal of Honor recipient (Fond du Lac)
• John S. Mills (1906–1996), U.S. Air Force Major General (Appleton)
• Andrew Miller (1916–1944), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Manitowoc, Two Rivers)
• Billy Mitchell (1879–1936), U.S. general, aviation (raised in West Allis)
• Marc Mitscher (1887–1947), World War II admiral (Hillsboro)
• Robert J. Modrzejewski (born 1934), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Daniel B. Moore (1838–1914), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Mifflin)
• Charles E. Mower (1924–1944), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Chippewa Falls)
• Dennis Murphy (1830–1901), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Green Bay)
• Beryl Newman (1911–1998), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Baraboo)
• Richard J. Nolan (1848–1905), American Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• William Nordeen (1936–1988), U.S. Navy officer, killed in terrorist attack (Amery, Centuria)
• Albert O'Connor, American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Lodi)
• Tad J. Oelstrom, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General (Milwaukee)
• Ralph A. Ofstie (1897–1956), U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (Eau Claire)
• Truman O. Olson (1917–1944), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Christiana, Cambridge)
• Andrew P. O'Meara (1907–2005), U.S. Army General, Commander-in-Chief of United States Southern Command and United States Army Europe (West Bend)
• John Birdsell Oren (1909–2006), U.S. Coast Guard admiral (Madison)
• Halbert E. Paine (1826–1905), Union Army general (Milwaukee)
• John Patterson (1838–1922), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Summit, Mauston)
• Ernest Dichmann Peek (1878–1950), U.S. Army Major General (Oshkosh)
• Oscar V. Peterson (1899–1942), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Prentice)
• George F. Pond (1844–1911), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Fairwater)
• James Pond (1838–1903), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Janesville)
• Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. (1924–1950), Korean War Medal of Honor recipient (Hatfield, Merrillan)
• Marcus Robbins (1851–1924), American Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient (Elba)
• Carson Abel Roberts (1905–1983), U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General (Lancaster)
• Marcus W. Robertson (1870–1948), Philippine-American War Medal of Honor recipient (Suamico)
• Davis C. Rohr, U.S. Air Force Major General (Burlington)
• Thomas H. Ruger (1833–1907), Superintendent of the United States Military Academy (Janesville)
• Margaret A. Rykowski, U.S. Navy admiral (Milwaukee)
• Ben L. Salomon, (1914–1944), World War II Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Frederick C. Salomon (1826–1897), Union Army general (Manitowoc)
• Elmer Salzman, U.S. Marine Corps Major General (Kiel)
• Walter Schindler (1897–1991), U.S. Navy Vice Admiral (New Glarus)
• Herman Alfred Schmid (1910–1985), U.S. Air Force general (Milwaukee)
• Carl Schurz (1829–1906), Union Army Major General (Town of Watertown, Milwaukee)
• Richard Severson, U.S. Air Force general (Brooklyn)
• James Shields (1810–1879), Union Army general
• Henry Hastings Sibley (1811–1891), Union Army general
• William Sickles (1844–1938), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Fall River)
• John Otto Siegel (1890–1973), World War I Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Lance Sijan (1942–1968), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Clayton K. Slack (1896–1976), World War I Medal of Honor recipient (Plover)
• Fred R. Sloan, U.S. Air National Guard Major General (Milwaukee)
• John Converse Starkweather (1829–1890), Union Army general (Milwaukee)
• Henry J. Stehling (1918–2001), U.S. Air Force general (Milwaukee)
• Joseph Stika (1889–1976), U.S. Coast Guard Vice Admiral (Milwaukee, Kewaunee)
• Kenneth E. Stumpf (born 1944), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient (Neenah, Milwaukee)
• Jerome A. Sudut (1930–1951), Korean War Medal of Honor recipient (Wausau)
• Dennis B. Sullivan (1927–), U.S. Air Force general (Chippewa Falls)
• Timothy S. Sullivan, U.S. Coast Guard admiral (Milwaukee)
• Woodrow Swancutt (1915–1993), U.S. Air Force Major General (Edgar)
• Eugene L. Tattini, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General (Madison)
• Claude Taugher (1895–1963), World War I Distinguished Service Cross and Navy Cross recipient (Marathon City)
• Thomas Toohey (1835–1918), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Robin G. Tornow (1942–2010), U.S. Air Force general (Monroe)
• Charles Treat, U.S. Army general (Monroe)
• Clement A. Trott, U.S. Army Major General (Milwaukee)
• Edwin M. Truell (1841–1907), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (Mauston)
• Merrill B. Twining (1902–1996), U.S. Marine Corps General (Monroe)
• Nathan C. Twining (1869–1924), U.S. Navy admiral (Boscobel)
• Nathan Farragut Twining (1897–1982), U.S. Air Force general (Monroe)
• William J. Van Ryzin (1914–2002), U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General (Appleton)
• James M. Vande Hey (1916–2009), U.S. Air Force general
• Hoyt Vandenberg (1899–1954), U.S. Air Force general (Milwaukee)
• James R. Van Den Elzen (1931–), U.S. Marine Corps general (Green Bay)
• Alfred Verhulst (1921–1975), U.S. Air Force general (Sheboygan Falls)
• Fred W. Vetter, Jr. (1921–2002), U.S. Air Force general (Milwaukee)
• Lutz Wahl (1869–1928), Adjutant General of the U.S. Army (Milwaukee)
• William Miller Wallace (1844–1924), U.S. Army general (Prairie du Chien)
• Francis A. Waller (1840–1911), American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient (De Soto)
• Cadwallader C. Washburn (1818–1882), Union Army Major General (Mineral Point, La Crosse)
• Waldemar F.A. Wendt (1912–1997), U.S. Navy Admiral, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Naval Forces Europe
• Don S. Wenger (1911–1986), U.S. Air Force Major General (Monroe)
• Leslie J. Westberg (1920–1997), U.S. Air Force general (Menasha)
• Gary George Wetzel (born 1947), Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient (South Milwaukee, Milwaukee)
• Charles White Whittlesey (1884–1921), World War I Medal of Honor recipient, leader of the Lost Battalion (Florence)
• Hugh E. Wild (1918–), U.S. Air Force general (Elmwood)
• Albert H. Wilkening, U.S. Air National Guard Major General
• Donald Erwin Wilson, U.S. Navy admiral (Taylor County)
• Claron A. Windus, Indian Wars Medal of Honor recipient (Janesville)
• Arthur Wolcott Yates, U.S. Army general
• Cassin Young (1894–1942), World War II Medal of Honor recipient
• Frank Albert Young (1876–1941), China Relief Expedition Medal of Honor recipient (Milwaukee)
• Elmo Zumwalt (1920–2000), Chief of Naval Operations (Milwaukee)
• Ralph Wise Zwicker (1903–1991), U.S. Army Major General (Stoughton)

Nobel laureates

John Bardeen

• Joseph Erlanger (1874–1965), recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1944 (Madison)
• Herbert Spencer Gasser (1888–1963), B.S. 1910, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1944 (Platteville)
• John Bardeen (1908–1991), B.S. 1928 and M.S. 1929, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956 and 1972 (Madison)
• Edward Lawrie Tatum (1909–1975), B.A. 1931, M.S. 1932, Ph.D. 1935, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1958 (Madison)
• Joshua Lederberg (1925–2008), recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1958 (Madison)
• Stanford Moore (1913–1982), Ph.D 1938, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1972 (Madison)
• William P. Murphy (1892–1987), recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1934 (Stoughton)
• John H. van Vleck (1899–1980), A.B. 1920, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1977 (Madison)
• Herbert Simon (1916–2001), B.A. 1936, Ph.D. 1943, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1978 (Milwaukee)
• Theodore Schultz (1902–1998), M.S. 1928, Ph.D. 1930, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1979 (Madison)
• Erwin Neher (born 1944), M.S. 1967, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1991 (Madison)
• Paul D. Boyer (born 1918), M.S. 1941, Ph.D. 1943, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1997 (Madison)
• Günter Blobel (born 1936), Ph.D. 1967, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1999 (Madison)
• Jack Kilby (1923–2005), M.S. 1950, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics for the Integrated Circuit in 2000 (Milwaukee)
• Alan G. MacDiarmid (1927–2007), M.S. 1952, Ph.D. 1953, recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2000 (Madison)

Politicians and activists

• Glory of the Morning The only female chief ever recorded in the oral history of the Ho-Chunk nation.

Les Aspin

Paul Clement

Wilbur J. Cohen

Charles G. Dawes

Lawrence Eagleburger

Russ Feingold

Timothy O. Howe

Herb Kohl

Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

Mel Laird

Richard D. Lamm

• Glenn A. Abbey (1898–1962), U.S. diplomat (Dodgeville)
• Alva Adams (1850–1922), Governor of Colorado (Iowa County)
• Billy Adams (1861–1954), Governor of Colorado (Blue Mounds)
• J. Frank Aldrich (1853–1933), U.S. Representative from Illinois (Two Rivers)
• William Aldrich (1820–1885), U.S. Representative from Illinois (Fond du Lac)
• William A. Anderson (1873–1954), Mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota (Adams County)
• George R. Andrews (1808–1873), U.S. Representative from New York (Oshkosh)
• Walter Annenberg (1908–2002), U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom (Milwaukee)
• Les Aspin (1938–1995), Congressman and Secretary of Defense (Milwaukee)
• Gerhard A. Bading (1870–1946), U.S. diplomat (Milwaukee)
• John Miller Baer (1886–1970), U.S. Representative from North Dakota (Black Creek)
• Hiram Barber, Jr. (1835–1924), U.S. Representative from Illinois (Horicon, Juneau)
• Thomas M. Barrett (b. 1953), Congressman and Mayor of Milwaukee (Milwaukee)
• William A. Barstow (1813–1865), Governor (Waukesha, Janesville)
• Coles Bashford (1816–1878), Governor, U.S. Congressional Delegate from the Arizona Territory (Oshkosh)
• David L. Bazelon (1909–1993), Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (Superior)
• Charles S. Benton (1810–1882), U.S. Representative from New York (Milwaukee, La Crosse)
• Benjamin P. Birdsall (1858–1917), U.S. Representative from Iowa (Weyauwega)
• John J. Blaine (1875–1934), Governor and U.S. Senator (Wingville)
• C.A. Bottolfsen (1891–1964), Governor of Idaho (Superior)
• Matthias J. Bovee (1793–1872), U.S. Representative from New York (Milwaukee, Eagle)
• Edward S. Bragg (1827–1912), U.S. diplomat (Fond du Lac)
• John A. Bryan (1794–1864), U.S. diplomat (Milwaukee, Menasha)
• James Budd (1851–1908), California Governor (Janesville)
• George Bunn (1865–1918), Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court (Sparta)
• John H. Burke (1894–1951), U.S. Representative from California (Excelsior)
• John R. Burke (1924–1993), U.S. diplomat (Madison)
• Charles C. Butler, Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court (Milwaukee)
• John W. Byrnes (1913–1985), U.S. Representative (Green Bay)
• Thomas Cale (1848–1941), U.S. Congressional Delegate from the Alaska Territory (Fond du Lac)
• John Benton Callis (1828–1898), U.S. Representative from Alabama (Lancaster)
• Lois Capps (1938–), U.S. Representative from California (Ladysmith)
• Milton Robert Carr (1943–), U.S. Representative from Michigan (Janesville)
• Carrie Chapman Catt (1859–1947), feminist (Ripon)
• Eugene W. Chafin (1852–1920), Prohibition Party candidate for President of the United States (East Troy, Waukesha)
• Kathryn F. Clarenbach (1920–1994), first chairwoman of the National Organization for Women (Sparta)
• Paul Clement (1966–), Attorney General of the United States (Town of Cedarburg)
• Cliff Clevenger (1885–1960), U.S. Representative from Ohio (Appleton)
• Wilbur J. Cohen (1913–1987), U.S. Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare (Milwaukee)
• Harmon Sweatland Conger (1816–1882), U.S. Representative from New York (Janesville)
• Willis C. Cook (1874–1942), U.S. diplomat (Gratiot)
• Henry A. Cooper (1850–1931), U.S. Representative (Spring Prairie, Burlington, Racine)
• Michael Copps (1940–), Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission (Milwaukee)
• John W. Cox, Jr. (1947–), U.S. Representative from Illinois (Hazel Green)
• Kenneth H. Dahlberg (1917–), figure in the Watergate scandal, later cleared (Wilson)
• Henry C. A. Damm (1874–1929), U.S. diplomat (Waushara County)
• Joseph E. Davies (1876–1958), U.S. diplomat (Watertown)
• Charles G. Dawes (1865–1951), Vice President of the United States (La Crosse)
• Thomas Cleland Dawson (1865–1912), U.S. diplomat (Hudson)
• Ada Deer (b. 1935), Native American/Menominee activist, former BIA official (Keshena).
• Peter V. Deuster (1831–1904), U.S. diplomat (Milwaukee, Port Washington)
• Bernardine Dohrn (b. 1942), activist (Milwaukee)
• Michael Dombeck, former Chief of the US Forest Service
• F. Ryan Duffy (1888–1979), Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (Fond du Lac)
• Charles Durkee (1805–1870), U.S. Senator, Governor of the Utah Territory (Kenosha)
• Lawrence Eagleburger (1930–2011), Secretary of State (Milwaukee)
• John E. Erickson (1863–1946), U.S. Senator from Montana (Stoughton)
• John J. Esch (1861–1941), U.S. Representative (Norwalk, La Crosse)
• Experience Estabrook (1813–1894), U.S. Congressional Delegate from Nebraska Territory (Geneva)
• Evan Alfred Evans (1876–1948), Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (Spring Green, Baraboo)
• Lucius Fairchild (1831–1896), U.S. diplomat (Madison)
• Thomas E. Fairchild (1912–2007), Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (Milwaukee)
• Jacob Fawcett, Chief Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court (Benton)
• Russ Feingold (born 1953), U.S. Senator and co-author of McCain-Feingold Campaign Reform Act (Janesville, Middleton)
• William R. Finch (1847–1913), U.S. diplomat (Walworth County)
• Albert Fowler (1802–1883), Mayor of Rockford, Illinois (Milwaukee, Wauwatosa)
• Selena Fox (born 1949), Wiccan priestess, religious-rights activist, and founder of Circle Sanctuary and Pagan Spirit Gathering
• James A. Frear (1861–1939), U.S. Representative (Hudson)
• George A. Garrett (1888–1971), U.S. diplomat (La Crosse)
• Hiram Gill (1866–1919), Mayor of Seattle, Washington (Watertown)
• James Gillett (1860–1937), U.S. Representative from California (Viroqua, Sparta)
• Callista Gingrich (born 1966), wife of former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Whitehall)
• Guy D. Goff (1866–1933), U.S. Senator from West Virginia (Milwaukee)
• William Goodell (1792–1878), prominent abolitionist, candidate for President of the United States (Janesville)
• Warren Green (1870–1945), Governor of South Dakota (Jackson County)
• John A. Gronouski (1919–1996), U.S. Postmaster General (Dunbar, Green Bay)
• Richard W. Guenther (1845–1913), U.S. diplomat (Oshkosh)
• Herbert James Hagerman (1871–1935), Governor of the New Mexico Territory (Milwaukee)
• Darwin Hall (1844–1919), U.S. Representative from Minnesota (Wheatland, Grand Rapids)
• John Hammill (1875–1936), Governor of Iowa (Linden)
• Henry C. Hansbrough (1848–1933), U.S. Senator from North Dakota (Baraboo)
• Ole Hanson (1874–1940), Mayor of Seattle, Washington (Racine County)
• Mildred Harnack (1902–1943), resistance fighter in Nazi Germany (Milwaukee)
• Gilbert N. Haugen (1859–1933), U.S. Representative from Iowa (Orfordville)
• Everis A. Hayes (1855–1942), U.S. Representative from California (Waterloo)
• Ned R. Healy (1905–1977), U.S. Representative from California (Milwaukee)
• Charles N. Herreid (1857–1928), Governor of South Dakota (Madison)
• Lorena Hickok (1893–1968), friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, helped Harry Hopkins with fact finding missions during the New Deal (East Troy)
• Fred H. Hildebrandt (1874–1956), U.S. Representative from South Dakota (West Bend, Waupun)
• George H. Hodges (1866–1947), Governor of Kansas (Orion)
• Adoniram J. Holmes (1842–1902), U.S. Representative from Iowa (Palmyra)
• Timothy O. Howe (1816–1883), U.S. Postmaster General (Green Bay)
• Daniel Hugunin, Jr. (1790–1850), U.S. Representative from New York (Kenosha)
• Merlin Hull (1870–1953), U.S. Representative (Black River Falls)
• Paul O. Husting (1866–1917), U.S. Senator (Fond du Lac)
• Edward H. Jenison (1907–1996), U.S. Representative from Illinois (Fond du Lac)
• J. Leroy Johnson (1888–1961), U.S. Representative from California (Wausau)
• Martin N. Johnson (1850–1909), U.S. Senator from North Dakota (Racine County)
• Charles Jonas (1840–1896), U.S. diplomat (Racine)
• Edgar A. Jonas (1885–1965), U.S. Representative from Illinois (Mishicot)
• Francis B. Keene, U.S. diplomat (Milwaukee)
• Oscar Keller (1878–1927), U.S. Representative from Minnesota (Helenville)
• John Edward Kelley (1853–1941), U.S. Representative from South Dakota (Portage)
• George F. Kennan (1904–2005), diplomat (Milwaukee)
• Rufus King (1814–1876), U.S. diplomat (Milwaukee)

Joseph McCarthy

• Jerry Kleczka (1943–), U.S. Representative (Milwaukee)
• Herb Kohl (born 1935), U.S. Senator and sports-franchise owner (Milwaukee)
• Julius Albert Krug (1907–1970), U.S. Secretary of the Interior (Madison)
• Paul John Kvale (1896–1960), U.S. Representative from Minnesota (Orfordville)
• Robert M. La Follette, Sr. (1855–1925), Congressman, Governor and U.S. Senator (Primrose, Madison)
• Robert M. La Follette, Jr. (1895–1953), U.S. Senator (Madison)
• Mel Laird (born 1922), Congressman and Secretary of Defense (Marshfield)
• Richard D. Lamm (1935–), Governor of Colorado, Reform Party candidate for President of the United States (Madison)
• Gilbert L. Laws (1838–1907), U.S. Representative from Nebraska (Richland Center)
• Irvine Lenroot (1869–1949), U.S. Senator (Superior)
• Jerris G. Leonard (1931–2006), Administrator of the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (Milwaukee)
• Francis O. Lindquist (1869–1924), U.S. Representative from Michigan (Marinette)
• Thomas A. Livesley (1863–1947), Mayor of Salem, Oregon (Ironton)
• Thomas A. Loftus (1945–), U.S. diplomat (Stoughton)
• James B. Loken (1940–), Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (Madison)
• Don Lathrop Love (1863–1940), Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska (Janesville)

Golda Meir

Gaylord Nelson

Steve Preston

Reince Priebus

William Rehnquist

Jeremiah McLain Rusk

Carl Schurz

Tommy Thompson

William Freeman Vilas

Frank Zeidler

• Patrick Joseph Lucey (1918–), U.S. diplomat, Independent candidate for Vice President of the United States (La Crosse, Prairie du Chien)
• William Josiah MacDonald (1873–1946), U.S. Representative from Michigan (Potosi)
• Henry Markham (1840–1923), U.S. Representative from California (Milwaukee)
• John McCarthy (1857–1943), U.S. Representative from Nebraska (Stoughton)
• Joseph McCarthy (1908–1957), U.S. Senator (Grand Chute, Shawano)
• James McCleary (1853–1924), U.S. Representative from Minnesota (Maiden Rock)
• Myron Hawley McCord (1840–1908), U.S. Representative, Governor of the Arizona Territory (Shawano, Merrill)
• George de Rue Meiklejohn (1857–1929), U.S. Representative from Nebraska (Weyauwega)
• Golda Meir (1898–1978), Israeli Prime Minister (Milwaukee)
• Abner J. Mikva (1926–), U.S. Representative from Illinois (Milwaukee)
• John L. Mitchell (1842–1904), Congressman and U.S. Senator (Milwaukee)
• Charles Henry Morgan (1842–1912), U.S. Representative from Missouri (Pewaukee)
• John Morrow (1865–1935), U.S. Representative from New Mexico (Darlington)
• Wayne L. Morse (1900–1974), U.S. Senator from Oregon (Madison)
• Mary Mullarkey (1943–), Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court (New London)
• Robert Daniel Murphy (1894–1978), U.S. diplomat (Milwaukee)
• Philleo Nash (1909–1987), Commissioner of the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs (Wisconsin Rapids)
• Gaylord Nelson (1916–2005), Governor and U.S. Senator (Clear Lake, Madison)
• Knute Nelson (1843–1923), U.S. Senator from Minnesota (Palmyra, Madison)
• Orsen N. Nielsen, U.S. diplomat (Beloit)
• William Nordeen (1936–1988), U.S. diplomat assassinated by the terrorist group Revolutionary Organization 17 November (Amery, Centuria)
• Frank Nye (1852–1935), U.S. Representative from Minnesota (River Falls, Hudson)
• Gerald Nye (1892–1971), U.S. Senator from North Dakota (Hortonville, Wittenberg)
• Dave Obey (1938–), U.S. Representative (Wausau)
• Mike O'Callaghan (1929–2004), Governor of Nevada (La Crosse)
• Kenneth J. O'Connell (1909–2000), Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court (Bayfield)
• Alvin O'Konski (1904–1987), U.S. Representative (Kewaunee, Rhinelander)
• Ole H. Olson (1872–1954), Governor of North Dakota (Mondovi)
• Halbert E. Paine (1826–1905), U.S. Representative (Milwaukee)
• Henry C. Payne (1843–1904), Postmaster General of the United States (Milwaukee)
• James Breck Perkins (1847–1910), U.S. Representative from New York (St. Croix Falls)
• Russell W. Peterson (1916–), Governor of Delaware (Portage)
• Tom Petri (1940–), U.S. Representative (Marinette, Fond du Lac)
• Augustus Herman Pettibone (1825–1918), U.S. Representative from Tennessee (La Crosse)
• Milton Rice Polland (1909–2006), Marshall Islands diplomat (Milwaukee)
• John F. Potter (1817–1899), U.S. diplomat (East Troy)
• Steve Preston (born 1960), SBA administrator, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (Janesville)
• J. A. O. Preus (1883–1961), Governor of Minnesota (Columbia County)
• Reince Priebus, chairman of the Republican National Committee (Kenosha)
• William Proxmire (1915–2005), U.S. Senator (Madison)
• Joseph V. Quarles (1943–1911), U.S. Senator (Kenosha)
• Alexander Randall (1819–1872), U.S. Postmaster General (Waukesha)
• Edwin M. Randall (1822–1895), Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court (Waukesha)
• Louise Goff Reece (1898–1970), U.S. Representative from Tennessee (Milwaukee)
• William Rehnquist (1924–2005), U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice (Milwaukee, Shorewood)
• Paul Samuel Reinsch (1869–1923), U.S. diplomat (Milwaukee)
• Henry S. Reuss (1912–2002), U.S. Representative (Milwaukee)
• James DeNoon Reymert (1821–1896), State legislator and newspaper publisher (Muskego, Norway)
• William A. Richards (1849–1912), Wyoming Governor (Town of Hazel Green)
• Jim Risch (1943–), U.S. Senator from Idaho (Milwaukee)
• Charles R. Robertson (1889–1951), U.S. Representative from North Dakota (Madison)
• Thomas J. B. Robinson (1868–1958), U.S. Representative from Iowa (New Diggings)
• Thomas H. Ruger (1833–1907), Governor of Georgia (Janesville)
• Loret Miller Ruppe (1936–1996), U.S. diplomat (Milwaukee)
• Jeremiah McLain Rusk (1830–1893), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (Viroqua)
• Paul Ryan (1970–), U.S. Representative (Janesville)
• George Myron Sabin (1833–1890), U.S. District Court Judge in Nevada (Madison)
• Elmore Y. Sarles (1859–1929), Governor of North Dakota (Wonewoc)
• Charles R. Savage (1906–1976), U.S. Representative from Washington (La Farge)
• John G. Schmitz (1930–2001), U.S. Representative from California, American Independent Party candidate for President of the United States (Milwaukee)
• Lester Schnare, U.S. diplomat (Mondovi)
• Carl Schurz (1829–1906), U.S. Secretary of the Interior (Watertown, Milwaukee)
• Lewis B. Schwellenbach (1894–1948), U.S. Secretary of Labor (Superior)
• Stuart Nash Scott (1906–1991), U.S. diplomat (Madison)
• Jim Sensenbrenner (1943–), U.S. Representative (Shorewood)
• Carlos D. Shelden (1840–1904), U.S. Representative from Michigan (Walworth)
• James Shields (1810–1879), U.S. Senator from Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri
• Henry Hastings Sibley (1811–1891), U.S. Congressional Delegate, Governor of Minnesota
• Albert Smith (1805–1870), U.S. Representative from New York (Milwaukee)
• Daniel V. Speckhard (1959–), U.S. diplomat (Clintonville)
• William H. Stafford (1869–1957), U.S. Representative (Milwaukee)
• Pete Stark (1931–), U.S. Representative from California (Milwaukee)
• George A. Starkweather (1794–1879), U.S. Representative from New York (Milwaukee)
• Halvor Steenerson (1852–1926), U.S. Representative from Minnesota (Pleasant Springs)
• Janet Dempsey Steiger (1939–2004), Chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission (Oshkosh)
• William Story (1843–1921), Lieutenant Governor of Colorado (Milwaukee)
• William H.H. Stowell (1840–1922), U.S. Representative from Virginia (Appleton)
• Robert C. Strong (1915–1999), U.S. diplomat (Beloit)
• Bart Stupak (born 1952), Michigan Congressman (Milwaukee)
• Clark W. Thompson, U.S. Representative from Texas (La Crosse)
• Tommy Thompson (born 1941), Governor, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and 2008 candidate for President (Elroy)
• Peter G. Torkildsen (1958–), U.S. Representative from Massachusetts (Milwaukee)
• William M. Treloar (1850–1935), U.S. Representative from Missouri (Linden)
• Fran Ulmer (1947–), Lieutenant Governor of Alaska (Horicon)
• Robert Scadden Vessey (1858–1929), Governor of South Dakota (Oshkosh)
• William Freeman Vilas (1840–1908), U.S. Postmaster General and U.S. Secretary of the Interior (Madison)
• Aad J. Vinje (1857–1929), Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. (Superior)
• Davis H. Waite (1825–1901), Governor of Colorado (Princeton)
• Thomas J. Walsh (1859–1933), U.S. Senator and main prosecutor in the Teapot Dome Scandal hearings (Two Rivers)
• William Warner (1840–1916), U.S. Senator from Missouri (Shullsburg, Madison)
• Cadwallader C. Washburn (1818–1882), U.S. Representative (Mineral Point, La Crosse)
• Paul Weyrich (1942–2008), commentator (Racine)
• Alexander Wiley (1884–1967), U.S. Senator (Chippewa Falls)
• Frances Willard (1839–1898), suffragist and temperance activist (Janesville)
• John A. Williams (1835–1900), U.S. District Court Judge in Arkansas (Delafield)
• Gardner R. Withrow (1892–1964), U.S. Representative (La Crosse)
• Leonard G. Wolf (1925–1970), U.S. Representative from Iowa (Mazomanie)
• Frank P. Woods (1868–1944), U.S. Representative from Iowa (Sharon)
• Clement J. Zablocki (1912–1983), U.S. Representative (Milwaukee)
• Frank Zeidler (1912–2006), mayor of Milwaukee, Socialist Party candidate for president in 1976 (Milwaukee)
• Roger H. Zion (1921–), U.S. Representative from Indiana (Milwaukee)

Religion

Stuart E. Barstad

Raymond Leo Burke

Franz Pieper

• Anton Anderledy (1819–1892), Superior General of the Society of Jesus (Green Bay)
• Stuart E. Barstad (1929–2009), Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force (Colfax)
• David Benke (1946–), President of the Atlantic District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (Milwaukee)
• Thea Bowman (1937–1990), noted Roman Catholic nun (La Crosse)
• Fabian Bruskewitz (1935–), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lincoln (Milwaukee)
• Raymond Leo Burke (1948–), Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (Richland Center)
• Solanus Casey (1870–1957), noted Roman Catholic priest, declared Venerable by Blessed John Paul II (Oak Grove)
• W. Patrick Donlin, Supreme Advocate of the Knights of Columbus (Madison)
• Augustus F. Gearhard (1893–1975), Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the U.S. Air Force (Milwaukee)
• Zenas H. Gurley, Sr. (1801–1871), Apostle of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints (Yellowstone)
• Francis J. Haas (1889–1953), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids (Racine)
• Jerome J. Hastrich (1914–1995), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gallup (Milwaukee)
• Carl Christian Hein (1868–1937), President of the American Lutheran Church (Marion)
• Keith K. Hilbig (1942–), General authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Milwaukee)
• Francis Peter Leipzig (1895–1981), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker (Chilton)
• Felix Ley (1909–1972), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Naha (Hewitt)
• Arthur C. Lichtenberger (1900–1968), Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church (Oshkosh)
• Albert Gregory Meyer (1903–1965), Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
• Aloisius Joseph Muench (1889–1962), Roman Catholic Cardinal (Milwaukee)
• Joseph Perry (1948–), Auxiliary Bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago (Mount Calvary, Milwaukee)
• Franz Pieper (1852–1931), President of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (Manitowoc)
• Herman Amberg Preus (1825–1894), President of the Synod of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (Spring Prairie)
• Vincent James Ryan (1884–1951), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bismarck (Arlington)
• Augustine Francis Schinner (1863–1937), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Superior and Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane (Milwaukee)
• Mark Francis Schmitt (1923–), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette (Algoma)
• James Strang (1813–1856), founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) (Voree)
• Hans Gerhard Stub (1849–1931), Bishop of the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America (Muskego)
• Paul Francis Tanner (1905–1994), Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine (Milwaukee)

Science and medicine

Roy Chapman Andrews

Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin

John Benjamin Murphy

• Roy Chapman Andrews (1884–1960), naturalist (Beloit)
• John Bardeen (1908–1991), Nobel Prize-winning physicist (Madison)
• George Harold Brown (1908–1987), developer of color television (Portage)
• Thomas Chrowder Chamberlin (1843–1928), geologist (Beloit)
• John Henry Comstock (1849–1931), entomologist (Janesville)
• Seymour Cray (1925–1996), computer designer (Chippewa Falls)
• John Thomas Curtis (1913–1961), botanist and ecologist, the Bray Curtis dissimilarity is partially named for him (Milwaukee)
• Marshall E. Cusic Jr., Chief of the U.S. Navy Medical Reserve Corps (Marshfield)
• Farrington Daniels (1889–1972), pioneer researcher in Solar energy (Madison)
• Richard Davidson (born 1951), psychologist, pioneer of affective neuroscience (Madison)
• Hector DeLuca, Vitamin D metabolism (Madison)
• Michael Dhuey (born 1958), co-developer of the Macintosh II and the iPod (Milwaukee)
• Olin J. Eggen (1919–1998), astronomer (Orfordville)
• Milton Erickson (1901–1980), founding president of the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis, NLP
• Ernst Guillemin (1898–1970), recipient of the IEEE Medal of Honor (Milwaukee)
• Donald Knuth (born 1938), computer scientist (Milwaukee)
• Donald Laub (1935–), plastic surgeon (Milwaukee)
• Albert Lehninger (1917–1986), biochemist (Madison)
• Aldo Leopold (1887–1948), ecologist (Madison)
• Karl Paul Link (1901–1978), discovered warfarin (named for the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation) (Madison)
• William Shainline Middleton (1890–1975), co-founder and Secretary-Treasurer of the American Board of Internal Medicine (Madison)
• John Muir (1838–1914), environmentalist (Portage)
• John Benjamin Murphy (1857–1916), inventor of Murphy's punch sign, Murphy's sign, and the Murphy drip (Appleton)
• Robert B. Pinter (1937–2001), biomedical engineer (Milwaukee)
• Carl Rogers (1902–1987), psychologist and originator of "client-centered therapy" (Madison)
• Francis G. Slack (1897–1985), physicist (Superior)
• Harry Steenbock (1886–1967), Vitamin D catalyzed by sunlight, D-fortified milk; rickets cured (Charlestown, New Holstein, Madison)
• Jeremiah Burnham Tainter (1836–1920), inventor of the Tainter gate (Prairie du Chien)
• James Thomson (born 1958), first scientist to isolate human embryonic stem cells (Madison)
• Darold Treffert, noted psychiatrist (Fond du Lac)
• Charles R. Van Hise (1857–1918), geologist and academic (Fulton)
• Thorstein Veblen (1857–1929), sociologist, economist, social theorist (Cato)
• Warren Weaver (1894–1978), pioneer of machine translation (Reedsburg)
• Daniel Hale Williams (1858–1931), surgeon (Janesville)
• Joseph Zimmerman (1912–2004), inventor of the answering machine (Kenosha)
• Otto Julius Zobel (1887–1970), inventor of the m-derived filter and the Zobel network (Ripon)

Space exploration

Jim Lovell

• Daniel Brandenstein (born 1943), astronaut (Watertown)
• Leroy Chiao (born 1960), astronaut (Milwaukee)
• Laurel Clark (1961–2003), astronaut (died in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster) (Racine)
• Mark C. Lee (born 1952), astronaut (Viroqua)
• Nathan J. Lindsay (born 1936), astronaut (Monroe)
• Jim Lovell (born 1928), astronaut (Milwaukee)
• Deke Slayton (1924–1993), astronaut (Sparta)
• Eugene L. Tattini, Deputy Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Madison)
• Jeffrey Williams (born 1958), astronaut (Superior, Winter)

Sports

Ken Behring

Pat Bowlen

Gabe Carimi

Eddie Cochems

Abner Dalrymple

Doug Free

Eric Heiden

Eric Hinske

Elroy Hirsch

Ed Hochuli

Mark Johnson

Addie Joss

Matt Kenseth

Phil Kessel

Alvin Kraenzlein

Curly Lambeau

Carl Landry

Alphonse Leemans

Craig Ludwig

Rick Neuheisel

Kid Nichols

Danica Patrick

Terry Porter

Tony Romo

Pants Rowland

Lindsay Tarpley

Joe Thomas

Gus Welch

Bob Wickman

• Earl Abell (1892–1956), head coach of the Colgate Raiders and Virginia Cavaliers football teams, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (Portage)
• Ellen Ahrndt (1922–2009), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player (Racine, Brodhead)
• Bill Albright (1929–), football player (Racine)
• Alan Ameche (1933–1988), football player (Kenosha)
• Morrie Arnovich (1910–1959), MLB All Star outfielder
• Ed Aspatore, football player (Fond du Lac)
• Pete Banaszak (born 1944), football player (Crivitz)
• Jimmy Banks (1964–), soccer player (Milwaukee)
• Peter Barrett (1935–2000), Olympic gold medalist (Madison)
• Sam Barry (1892–1950), head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team and USC Trojans men's basketball, baseball, and football teams; member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (Madison)
• Myrt Basing, football player (Appleton)
• Mistie Bass (1983–), basketball player (Janesville)
• Lemoine Batson (1898–1991), Olympic athlete (Eau Claire)
• Ginger Beaumont (1876–1956), baseball player, first player to ever bat in the World Series (Rochester, Honey Creek, Burlington)
• Wayland Becker (1910–1984), football player (Soperton)
• Travis Beckum (born 1987), football player (Milwaukee)
• Ken Behring (born 1928), former Seattle Seahawks owner (Monroe)
• Chuck Belin (1970–), football player (Milwaukee)
• Michael Bennett (born 1978), football player (Milwaukee)
• Tony Bennett (born 1969), head coach of Virginia Cavaliers mens basketball, former player at University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (Green Bay)
• Jason Berken (born 1983), baseball player (Green Bay)
• Dennis Berkholtz (born 1945), Olympic athlete (Appleton)
• George Berry, football player (Milwaukee)
• Rich Bickle (1961–), NASCAR driver (Edgerton)
• Tom Bienemann, football player (Kenosha)
• Dick Bilda, football player (Milwaukee)
• Kelly Bires (born 1984), NASCAR driver (Mauston)
• Rocky Bleier (born 1946), football player, Pittsburgh Steelers (Appleton)
• Bob Blewett (1877–1958), baseball player (Fond du Lac)
• Dick Bosman (1944–), MLB player and assistant coach (Kenosha)
• Pat Bowlen (born 1944), owner of the Denver Broncos (Prairie du Chien)
• Gene Brabender (1941–1996), baseball player (Madison)
• Gil Brandt (1933–), Vice President of Player Personnel of the Dallas Cowboys (Milwaukee)
• Tyrone Braxton (born 1964), football player (Madison)
• Erika Brown (born 1973), national champion curler (Madison)
• J.T. Bruett (1967–), baseball player (Milwaukee)
• Maureen Brunt (born 1982), Olympic medalist, world champion curler (Portage)
• Cub Buck (1892–1966), NFL player and head coach of the Miami Hurricanes football team (Eau Claire)
• Ray Busler, football player (Watertown)
• Brian Butch (1984–), basketball player (Appleton)
• Caron Butler (born 1980), basketball player (Racine)
• Karyn Bye, Olympic gold medalist (River Falls)
• Dave Cahill (1942–), football player (Stanley)
• Mike Cahill (1952–), tennis player (Waukesha, Germantown)
• Jim Caldwell (born 1955), NFL head coach (Beloit)
• Dick Campbell (1935–), football player (Green Bay)
• Gabe Carimi (born 1988), All-American football player
• Bill Carollo (born 1951), NFL referee (Brookfield, Shorewood)
• Kip Carpenter (1979–), Olympic medalist, world champion speed skater (Brookfield)
• Anthony Carter (born 1975), basketball player (Milwaukee)
• Rick Chryst, Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference (Madison)
• Franklin Clarke (1934–), football player (Beloit)
• John Coatta (1929–2000), NFL scout (Madison)
• Eddie Cochems (1877–1953), head coach of the North Dakota State Bison, Clemson Tigers, Saint Louis Billikens, and Maine Black Bears football teams (Sturgeon Bay, Madison)
• Craig Counsell (born 1970), baseball player for the Milwaukee Brewers (Whitefish Bay)
• Lave Cross (1866–1927), baseball player (Milwaukee)
• Press Cruthers (1890–1976), baseball player (Kenosha)
• Abner Dalrymple (1857–1939), baseball player, first player to ever be intentionally walked with the bases loaded (Gratiot)
• Margaret Danhauser (1921–1987), baseball player (Racine)
• Ralph Davis, football player (Seymour)
• Jay DeMerit (born 1979), soccer player (Green Bay)
• John DeMerit (1936–), baseball player (West Bend)
• Dan Devine (1924–2002), NFL head coach, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (Augusta)
• Travis Diener (born 1982), basketball player (Fond du Lac)
• Mary Docter (born 1961), Olympic athlete (Madison)
• Sarah Docter (born 1964), Olympic athlete (Madison)
• John Doehring (1909–1972), football player (Milwaukee)
• Chad Dombrowski (1980–), soccer player (West Allis)
• Tighe Dombrowski (1982–), soccer player (West Allis)
• Gus Dorais (1891–1954), NFL head coach, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (Chippewa Falls)
• Jake Dowell (born 1985), hockey player for the Chicago Blackhawks (Eau Claire)
• Davis Drewiske (born 1984), ice hockey player for the Los Angeles Kings (Hudson)
• Alyson Dudek (born 1990), Olympic athlete (Hales Corners)
• Mike Dunleavy, Jr. (born 1980), basketball player (Mequon)
• Ryne Duren (1929–2011), baseball player (Cazenovia)
• Claude Elliott (1876–1923), baseball player (Pardeeville)
• Brent Emery (1957–), Olympic medalist (Milwaukee)
• Molly Engstrom (born 1983), Olympic medalist (Siren)
• Louise Erickson (born 1929), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player (Arcadia)
• Happy Felsch, baseball player (Milwaukee)
• Bill Fischer (1930–), MLB player and assistant coach (Wausau)
• Clarke Fischer, football player (Milwaukee)
• Jim Fitzgerald (born 1926), basketball team owner (Janesville)
• Stan Fox (1952–2000), Indycar driver (Janesville)
• Tucker Fredricks (born 1984), Olympic athlete, world champion speedskater (Janesville)
• Doug Free (1984–), football player (Manitowoc)
• Lewis R. Freeman (1878–1960), head coach of the USC Trojans football team (Genoa Junction)
• Ted Fritsch (1920–1979), football player and basketball player (Spencer)
• Ted Fritsch, Jr. (1950–), football player (Green Bay)
• Bruce Froemming (1939–), MLB umpire (Milwaukee)
• Reece Gaines (born 1981), basketball player (Madison)
• Jim Gantner (1953–), baseball player (Fond du Lac, Eden)
• Charlie Ganzel (1862–1914), baseball player (Waterford)
• Warren Giese (born 1924), head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks football team (Milwaukee)
• George N. Gillett, Jr. (born 1938), co-owner of Liverpool F.C. and Richard Petty Motorsports, former owner of the Montreal Canadians (Racine)
• Earl Girard (1927–1997), football player (Marinette)
• Ed Glick (1900–1976), football player (Marinette)
• Bud Grant (born 1927), football player & coach, basketball player (Superior, WI)
• Jabari Greer (born 1982), football player (Milwaukee)
• Chris Greisen (born 1976), football player (Berlin)
• Nick Greisen (born 1979), football player (Sturgeon Bay)
• Burleigh Grimes (1893–1985), MLB player and manager, member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame (Emerald)
• Mark Grudzielanek (born 1970), baseball player (Milwaukee)
• Ruth Grulkowski (born 1930), Olympic athlete
• Tim Gullikson (1951–1996), tennis player (La Crosse)
• Tom Gullikson (born 1951), tennis player (La Crosse)
• Jim Haluska (1932–), football player (Racine)
• Morgan Hamm (1982–), Olympic medalist (Waukesha)
• Paul Hamm (1982–), Olympic gold medalist (Waukesha)
• Hal Hanson (1895–1973), NFL player and head coach (La Crosse)
• Pat Harder (1922–1992), football player, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (Milwaukee)
• Devin Harris (born 1983), basketball player (Milwaukee)
• Joe Hauser (1899–1997), baseball player (Milwaukee, Sheboygan)
• Beth Heiden (born 1959), speedskater and cyclist (Madison)
• Eric Heiden (born 1958), athlete, Olympic champion (Madison)
• Phil Hellmuth (born 1964), professional poker player (Madison)
• Arnie Herber (1910–1969), football player (Green Bay)
• Eric Hinske (born 1977), baseball player for the Atlanta Braves (Menasha)
• Elroy Hirsch (1923–2004), football player, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Wausau, Madison)
• Ed Hochuli (born 1950), NFL referee (Milwaukee)
• Aaron Hohlbein (1985–), soccer player (Middleton)
• Larry Hough (born 1944), Olympic medalist (Janesville)
• Mitch Jacoby (1973–), football player (Port Washington)
• Jeff Jagodzinski (born 1963), NFL assistant coach, former head coach of the Boston College Eagles (Milwaukee)
• Dan Jansen (born 1965), speedskater (West Allis)
• Chuck Jaskwhich (1911–1988), head coach of the Ole Miss Rebels men's basketball team (Kenosha)
• Larry Johnson (1909–1972), football player (Odanah)
• Mark Johnson (born 1957), NHL player; gold medalist on the 1980 Winter Olympics Miracle on Ice team (Madison)
• Swede Johnston (1910–2002), football player (Appleton)
• Davy Jones (1880–1972), baseball player (Cambria)
• Whip Jones (1909–2001), founder Aspen Highlands Skiing (Oconomowoc)
• Nicole Joraanstad (born 1980), Olympic athlete, national champion curler (Madison)
• Barbara Jordan (1957–), tennis player (Milwaukee)
• Addie Joss (1880–1911), baseball player, member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame (Woodland)
• Colin Kaepernick (born 1987), football player (Milwaukee)
• Coby Karl (1983–), basketball player (Mequon)
• Karl Kassulke (1941–2008), football player (Milwaukee)
• Bill Kazmaier (born 1953), powerlifter (Burlington)
• Ken Keltner (1916–1991), baseball player (Milwaukee)
• Ken Kennedy (born 1976), professional wrestler (Wisconsin Rapids, Two Rivers, Green Bay)
• Matt Kenseth (born 1972), NASCAR driver (Cambridge)
• Phil Kessel (born 1987), ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs (Madison)
• Walt Kichefski (1916–1992), NFL player and head coach of the Miami Hurricanes football team (Rhinelander)
• Carl Kiekhaefer (1906–1983), NASCAR owner, member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame (Mequon)
• Ed Killian (1876–1928), baseball player (Racine)
• Gordon King (born 1956), football player (Madison)
• Nap Kloza (1903–1962), baseball player and manager (Milwaukee)
• Todd Kluever (born 1978), NASCAR driver (Sun Prairie)
• Gene Knutson (1932–2008), football player (Beloit)
• Herman Koehler, head coach of the Army Black Knights football team
• Phyllis Koehn (1922–2007), baseball player (Madison)
• Ed Konetchy (1885–1947), baseball player (La Crosse)
• Dave Koslo (1920–1975), baseball player (Menasha)
• Alvin Kraenzlein (1876–1928), Olympic champion (Milwaukee)
• Dave Krieg (born 1958), football player (Iola)
• Clint Kriewaldt (born 1976), football player (Shiocton)
• Wayne Kreklow (1957–), basketball player (Neenah)
• Rocky Krsnich (1927–), baseball player (West Allis)
• Tony Kubek (born 1935), baseball player (Milwaukee)
• Harvey Kuenn (1930–1988), baseball player and manager (West Allis)
• Alan Kulwicki (1954–1993), NASCAR driver (Greenfield)
• Garrott Kuzzy (born 1982), Olympic athlete
• Travis Kvapil (born 1976), NASCAR driver (Janesville)
• Maria Lamb (born 1986), Olympic athlete, national champion speedskater (River Falls)
• Curly Lambeau (1898–1965), football player and coach (Green Bay)
• Carl Landry (born 1983), NBA basketball player (Milwaukee)
• Marcus Landry (born 1985), basketball player (Milwaukee)
• Austen Lane (born 1987), football player (Iola)
• Dan Lanphear (1938–), football player (Madison)
• Alphonse Leemans (1912–1979), football player, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Superior)
• Jim Leonhard (born 1982), football player (Ladysmith)
• Reggie "The Crusher" Lisowski (1926–2005), world champion professional wrestler (South Milwaukee, Milwaukee)
• Fred Luderus (1885–1961), baseball player (Milwaukee)
• Craig Ludwig (born 1961), NHL player and assistant coach (Rhinelander)
• D. Wayne Lukas (born 1935), horse trainer (Antigo)
• Rick Majerus (born 1948), NBA assistant coach, head coach of the Saint Louis Billikens men's basketball team (Sheboygan)
• Edgar Manske (1913–2002), football player, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (Nekoosa)
• Wesley Matthews (1986–), basketball player (Madison)
• Greg Mattison (born 1949), NFL assistant coach (Madison)
• John Matuszak (1950–1989), football player (Milwaukee, Oak Creek)
• Debbie McCormick (born 1974), Olympic athlete, world champion curler (Rio, Madison)
• Francis J. McCormick, football player (Antigo)
• Chris McIntosh (born 1977), football player (Pewaukee)
• John McNally (1903–1985), NFL player and head coach, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (New Richmond)
• Jack Mead (1921–), football player (Appleton)
• John Menard, Jr. (1940–), owner of Team Menard (Eau Claire)
• Paul Menard (born 1980), NASCAR driver (Eau Claire)
• Chris Mihm (born 1979), basketball player (Milwaukee)
• Candice Michelle (born 1978), professional wrestler (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
• Damian Miller (born 1969), baseball player (La Crosse)
• Bob Mionske (born 1962), former Olympic and professional bicycle racer (Madison)
• John Morrissey (1856–1884), baseball player (Janesville)
• Tom Morrissey (1860–1941), baseball player (Janesville)
• Bob Morrow (1918–), football player (Madison)
• Dom Moselle (1926–2010), football player (Gile)
• Pat Neshek (born 1980), baseball player (Madison)
• Rick Neuheisel (born 1961), NFL player and assistant coach, head coach of the UCLA Bruins (Madison)
• Kid Nichols (1869–1953), MLB player and manager, member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame (Madison)
• Andy North (born 1950), professional golfer (Thorp, Monona)
• Steve Novak (born 1983), basketball player (Brown Deer)
• Scott O'Brien (born 1957), NFL player and assistant coach (Superior)
• John Offerdahl (1964–), football player (Wisconsin Rapids)
• Leslie Osborne (1983–), soccer player (Milwaukee, Brookfield)
• Jim Otto (born 1938), football player (Wausau)
• Andy Pafko (born 1921), baseball player (Boyceville)
• Karl Pagel (1955–), baseball player (Madison)
• Marvin Panch (1926–), NASCAR driver (Menomonie)
• Danica Patrick (born 1982), Indycar and NASCAR driver (Beloit)
• Joe Pavelski (born 1984), ice hockey player for the San Jose Sharks (Stevens Point, Wisconsin)
• Nick Pearson (born 1979), Olympic athlete, national champion speedskater (Vernon)
• Hal Peck (1917–1995), baseball player (Big Bend)
• Joe Perrault (born 1924), Olympic athlete (Green Bay)
• Ben Peterson, Olympic gold medalist (Cumberland)
• John Peterson (1948–), Olympic gold medalist (Cumberland)
• Phil Pettey (born 1961), NFL player and assistant coach (Kenosha)
• Dick Phillips (1931–1998), MLB player and assistant coach (Racine)
• George Poage (1880–1962), athlete (La Crosse)
• Terry Porter (1963–), NBA player and head coach (Milwaukee)
• Dylan Postl (born 1986), professional wrestler (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)
• Armintie Price (1985–), basketball player (Milwaukee)
• Casey Rabach (born 1977), football player (Sturgeon Bay)
• Brad Radke (born 1972), baseball player (Eau Claire)
• Catherine Raney-Norman (born 1980), Olympic athlete, national champion speedskater (Elm Grove)
• Shane Rawley (1955–), baseball player (Racine)
• Russ Rebholz (1909–2002), football player (Portage)
• Joel Rechlicz (born 1987), hockey player (Milwaukee, Brookfield)
• Hans Reese (1891–1973), Olympic athlete (Madison)
• Tom Regner (1944–), football player (Kenosha)
• Mike Reinfeldt (1953–), NFL player and general manager (Baraboo)
• Lee Remmel (1924–), NFL historian (Shawano)
• Pat Richter (1941–), football player, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (Madison)
• Joe Riggert (1886–1973), baseball player (Janesville)
• Nick Roach (born 1985), football player (Milwaukee)
• Chester J. Roberts, head coach of the Miami Redskins football and men's basketball teams (Birnamwood)
• Andrew Rock (born 1982), track (Marshfield, Stratford)
• Ryan Rohlinger (born 1983), Third baseman for the (San Francisco Giants) (West Bend, Wisconsin)
• Tony Romo (born 1980), football player (Burlington)
• Braggo Roth (1892–1936), baseball player (Burlington)
• Frank Roth (1878–1955), baseball player (Burlington)
• Pants Rowland (1879–1969), baseball manager (Platteville)
• Steve Russ (1972–), football player and assistant coach (Stetsonville)
• Terry Ryan (born 1953), baseball general manager (Janesville)
• Tracy Sachtjen (born 1969), Olympic athlete, world champion curler (Lodi)
• Zeke Sanborn (1899–1991), Olympic gold medalist (Jefferson)
• Jay Sauter (born 1964), NASCAR Driver (Necedah)
• Jim Sauter (born 1943), Former NASCAR driver (Necedah)
• Johnny Sauter (born 1978), NASCAR driver (Necedah)
• Tim Sauter (born 1964), NASCAR driver (Necedah)
• Owen Schmitt (born 1985), football player (Gilman)
• Mike Schneck (1977–), football player (Whitefish Bay)
• Dave Schreiner (1921–1945), football player, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (Lancaster)
• Bill Schroeder (1923–), football player (Sheboygan)
• Bill Schroeder (1971–), football player (Eau Claire)
• Jay Schroeder (1961–), football player (Milwaukee)
• Champ Seibold (1911–1971), football player (Oshkosh)
• Bud Selig (born 1934), baseball commissioner (Milwaukee)
• Rich Seubert (1979–), football player (Stratford)
• John Shinners (1947–), football player (Hartford)
• Al Simmons (1902–1956), baseball player, member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame (Milwaukee)
• Jack Skille (born 1987), hockey player (Madison)
• Shaka Smart (1977–), head coach of the VCU Rams men's basketball team (Madison, Oregon)
• Bill Southworth (1945–), baseball player (Madison)
• Latrell Sprewell (born 1970), basketball player (Milwaukee)
• David Steckel (born 1982), ice hockey player for the Washington Capitals (West Bend)
• Aaron Stecker (born 1975), football player (Green Bay, Ashwaubenon)
• Kevin Stemke (1978–), football player (Green Bay)
• Greg Stiemsma (1985–), basketball player (Randolph)
• Bob Strampe (1950–), baseball player (Janesville)
• Steve Stricker (born 1967), golfer (Edgerton, Madison)
• Eric Studesville (1967–), NFL head coach (Madison)
• Billy Sullivan (1875–1965), baseball player (Oakland)
• Bob Suter (born 1957), member of the 1980 Winter Olympics Miracle on Ice team (Madison)
• Gary Suter (born 1964), NHL player, Olympic medalist (Madison)
• Ryan Suter (born 1985), NHL player, Olympic athlete (Madison)
• Jerry Tagge (1950–), football player (Green Bay)
• Tyree Talton (1976–), football player (Beloit)
• Lindsay Tarpley (born 1983), soccer player, Olympic gold medalist (Madison)
• Claude Taugher (1895–1963), football player (Marathon City)
• Mark Tauscher (born 1977), football player (Marshfield)
• Matt Tegenkamp (1982–), professional distance runner (Madison)
• Doris Tetzlaff (1921–1998), baseball player (Watertown)
• Joe Thomas (1984–), football player (Brookfield)
• Mike Thompson (1971–), football player (Portage)
• Fuzzy Thurston (born 1933), football player (Altoona)
• Dick Trickle (born 1941), racecar driver (Wisconsin Rapids)
• Matt Turk (born 1968), punter for the Houston Texans (Greenfield)
• Bob Uecker (born 1935), actor and sports commentator (Milwaukee)
• Nick Van Exel (born 1971), basketball player (Kenosha)
• Ron Vander Kelen (1939–), football player (Green Bay)
• Gary Varsho (1961–), MLB player and manager (Marshfield)
• Joe Vavra (born 1959), MLB hitting coach (Chippewa Falls)
• Jessie Vetter (born 1985), Olympic athlete, world champion hockey player (Cottage Grove)
• John Wallace (1903–1990), Olympic athlete (Prescott)
• Jarrod Washburn (born 1974), baseball player (La Crosse)
• Kyle Weaver (1986–), basketball player (Beloit)
• Bruce Weber (1956–), head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team (Milwaukee)
• Garrett Weber-Gale (born 1985), US Olympic swimmer (Stevens Point)
• Mike Webster (1952–2002), football player (Tomahawk)
• Lee Weigel (1963–), football player (Marshfield)
• Gus Welch (1892–1970), Olympic athlete, NFL player, head coach of the Washington State Cougars and Virginia Cavaliers football teams, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (Spooner)
• Don Werner (1953–), baseball player (Appleton)
• Charlie Whitehurst (born 1982), football player (Green Bay)
• Mitchell Whitmore (born 1989), Olympic athlete, national champion speedskater (Waukesha)
• Bob Wickman (born 1969), baseball player (Abrams)
• Mark Wilson (1974–), golfer (Menomonee Falls)
• Chris Wimmer (born 1979), NASCAR driver (Wausau)
• Scott Wimmer (born 1976), NASCAR driver (Wausau)
• Joe Wolf (1964–), NBA player and assistant coach (Kohler)
• Jinelle Zaugg-Siergiej (born 1986), Olympic athlete (Eagle River)
• Reed Zuehlke (born 1960), Olympic athlete (Eau Claire)
• Austin Aries (born April 15, 1978) Professional Wrestler (Milwaukee)

Notorious and infamous Wisconsinites

Bernadine Dohrn

Charles J. Guiteau

• Aldrich Ames (born 1941), convicted spy (River Falls)
• Dwight Armstrong (1951–2010), accomplice in the Sterling Hall bombing
• Steven Avery (born 1962), convicted of murder after DNA exoneration from rape conviction
• Lawrencia Bembenek (1958–2010), convicted murderer (Milwaukee)
• Arthur Bremer (born 1950), would-be assassin of George Wallace (Milwaukee)
• Jeffrey Dahmer (1960–1994), serial killer (West Allis)
• Jeane Dixon (1904–1997), psychic
• Bernardine Dohrn (born 1942), co-founder and former leader of the Weather Underground (Whitefish Bay)
• Evelyn Frechette (1907–1969), lover and accomplice of John Dillinger (Neopit, Shawano)
• Ed Gein (1906–1984), murderer (La Crosse County)
• Charles J. Guiteau (1841–1882), Assassin of 20th President James A. Garfield, lived in Ulao, Wisconsin from 1850–1855
• Eugene Hasenfus (born 1941), CIA cargo handler (Marinette)
• Kato Kaelin (born 1959), person of interest, O. J. Simpson criminal trial (Glendale)
• Bridey Murphy, alleged previous life
• Oleg Nikolaenko (born 1987), fugitive, Milwaukee
• Brandon Wilson (born 1978), murderer (Milltown)

Fictional characters

Paul Bunyan

• Characters from the television series Happy Days
• Characters from the television series Laverne and Shirley
• Characters from the television series The Bold and the Beautiful
• Characters from the television series That '70s Show
• Characters from the television series The Young and the Restless
• Larry Appleton (portrayed by Mark Linn-Baker) from the television series Perfect Strangers
• Barbie, a doll manufactured by Mattel, Inc. and a character from a series of novels published by Random House
• Robert Harrison Blake from the short story "The Haunter of the Dark" by H.P. Lovecraft
• Paul Bunyan, mythological lumberjack
• William Cross, the alter ego of the comic book supervillain Crossfire
• Ashley Crawford, the alter ego of the comic book superhero Big Bertha
• Carlisle Cullen, Esme Cullen, and Edward Cullen (portrayed by Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, and Robert Pattinson) from the Twilight series of novels by Stephenie Meyer and The Twilight Saga series of films
• Jack Dawson (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio) from the 1997 film Titanic
• Roz Doyle (portrayed by Peri Gilpin) from the television series Frasier
• Alan Fagan, the fourth alter ego of the comic book supervillain Mister Fear
• Grand Slam, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic book series, and cartoon series
• Jennifer-Lynn Hayden, the alter ego of the comic book superhero Jade
• Craig Hollis, the alter ego of the comic book superhero Mister Immortal
• Conrad Josten, the alter ego of the comic book superhero Smuggler
• Erik Josten, a comic book superhero from Marvel Comics
• Karl Kaufman, the second alter ego of the comic book superhero Phantom Eagle
• Jennifer Keller (portrayed by Jewel Staite) from the television series Stargate Atlantis
• Hannibal King (portrayed by Ryan Reynolds) from Marvel Comics and the 2004 film Blade: Trinity
• Vlad Masters (portrayed by Martin Mull), the alter ego of the supervillain Vlad Plasmius from the television series Danny Phantom
• Donna Moss (portrayed by Janel Moloney) from the television series The West Wing
• Mike Nelson (portrayed by Michael J. Nelson) from the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000
• Pickles the Drummer (portrayed by Brendon Small) from the television series Metalocalypse
• Gwen Raiden (portrayed by Alexa Davalos) from the television series Angel and the comic book seires Angel: After the Fall
• Recondo, a character from the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline, comic book series, and cartoon series
• Todd Rice, the alter ego of the comic book superhero Obsidian
• Samantha Spade (portrayed by Poppy Montgomery) from the television series Without a Trace
• Norbert Sykes, the alter ego of the comic book superhero The Badger
• Albert Tappman from the novel Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
• Martha and Steven Thompson, from the South Park episode "How to Eat with Your Butt" when a practical joke leads them to mistake Kenny for their missing son, Tommy Thompson, who has a butt on his face
• Wendell Vaughn, the alter ego of the comic book superhero Quasar
• Seth Voelker, the alter ego of the comic book supervillain Sidewinder
• Greg Willis, the alter ego of the comic book superhero Gravity
• Sonny Munroe-(Demi Lovato)From the television series Sonny With A Chance.

See also

• List of Milwaukeeans
• List of Madisonians
• List of Kenoshans
• List of Racinians