# List of people from Fargo, North Dakota

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Fargo, North Dakota.

## Academia

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| Nancy Friese | | 1948 | | painter, printmaker, and educator; faculty at Rhode Island School of Design | born in Fargo | |

## Astronauts

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
| James Buchli | | June 20, 1945 | | United States Marine aviator; NASA astronaut; flew on four Space Shuttle missions | Graduated from Fargo Central High School | |

## Media

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Richard Edlund | Dec 6, 1940 | | Multiple Academy Award-winning visual effects artist for Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, and Ghostbusters | Born in Fargo |
| CariDee English | Sep 23, 1984 | | Winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7 | Born in Fargo |
| William H. Gass | Jul 30, 1924 | Dec 6, 2017 | Writer | Born in Fargo |
| Chuck Klosterman | Jun 5, 1972 | | Author and journalist (Spin, Esquire, ESPN) | Lived in Fargo |
| James Lileks | Aug 9, 1958 | | Writer, journalist, and blogger | Born in Fargo |
| Audra Mari | Jan 8, 1994 | | Model, television host, and beauty pageant titleholder | Attended Davies High School in Fargo |
| Carey McWilliams | Jul 5, 1973 | | Blind marksman and author | Born in Fargo |
| Amber Preston | | | Stand-up comedian | Born in Fargo; 1996 graduate of West Fargo High School |
| Adam Quesnell | | | Stand-up comedian | Lived in Fargo |
| Kristin Rudrüd | May 23, 1955 | | Actress, known for starring in the films Fargo and Pleasantville | Born in Fargo |
| Roxana Saberi | Apr 26, 1977 | | Journalist, 1997 Miss North Dakota | Worked at KVLY-TV |
| Ed Schultz | Jan 27, 1954 | Jul 5, 2018 | Host of The Ed Show, a weekday news talk program, and The Ed Schultz Show, a talk radio show | Worked at KTHI-TV, WDAY-TV, and KFGO in Fargo |
| Ari Shapiro | Sep 30, 1978 | | Reporter (NPR) | Born in Fargo |
| Jon L. Wanzek | May 10, 1964 | | Film producer | Lives in Fargo |

## Musicians and singers

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| The Blenders | | | Vocal quartet | |
| Virginia Bruce | Sep 29, 1910 | Feb 24, 1982 | Singer and actress, starred in such films as Born to Dance and The Great Ziegfeld | Grew up in Fargo |
| Shannon Curfman | Jul 31, 1985 | | Blues guitarist and singer | Born in Fargo |
| Dakota Dave Hull | Apr 19, 1950 | | Acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and music historian | Born in Fargo |
| Jonny Lang | Jan 29, 1981 | | Blues guitarist and singer | Born in Fargo |
| Peter Schickele | Jul 17, 1935 | Jan 16, 2024 | Musical composer (alter ego of PDQ Bach) | |
| Frank Scott | Jul 21, 1921 | Oct 5, 1995 | Musician and arranger with the Lawrence Welk orchestra | Born in Fargo |
| Bobby Vee | Apr 30, 1943 | Oct 24, 2016 | 1960s era pop music singer | Born in Fargo |

## Sports

| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Dan Arnold | | Mar 15, 1996 | | Tight end for the New Orleans Saints 2017–2019, Arizona Cardinals 2019–2020, Carolina Panthers 2021–2021, Jacksonville Jaguars 2021-2022, Philadelphia Eagles 2023-2023; free agent 2023-present | Played football at Shanley High School in Fargo |
| Henry Luke Bolley | | Feb 1, 1865 | Nov 9, 1956 | First North Dakota State University football coach; plant pathologist | Lived and died in Fargo |
| Jim Brandt | | May 19, 1929 | | NFL and CFL player | Born in Fargo |
| Joe Burrow | | Dec 10, 1996 | | Quarterback for the LSU, 2019 Heisman Trophy winner, 2019–2020 College Football National Champion, NFL Pick No.1, quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals | Attended Centennial Elementary School while his father was on the coaching staff for the NDSU Bison |
| Joe Cichy | | May 12, 1948 | | Safety for the North Dakota State Bison football team and inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame | Born in Fargo and played football at Shanley High School in Fargo |
| Chris Coste | | Feb 4, 1973 | | Major League Baseball catcher | Born in Fargo |
| Kyle Emanuel | | Aug 16, 1991 | | NFL linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers 2015–2019 | Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo, host of NDSU Bison Football Pregame Show on KVLY-TV |
| Paul Gaustad | | Feb 3, 1982 | | Center for the Nashville Predators | Born in Fargo |
| Andy Heck | | Jan 1, 1967 | | Offensive line coach and player for the Kansas City Chiefs | Born in Fargo |
| Gary Larsen | | Mar 13, 1942 | | Defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings' Purple People Eaters | Born in Fargo |
| Roger Maris | | Sep 10, 1934 | Dec 14, 1985 | Outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals; American League Most Valuable Player in 1960 and 1961 | Raised in Fargo and graduate of Shanley High School |
| Connor McGovern | | Apr 27, 1993 | | Center for the Denver Broncos 2016–2019, center for the New York Jets 2020–present | Played football at Shanley High School in Fargo |
| John Noah | | Nov 21, 1927 | Sep 3, 2015 | Silver medalist at the 1952 Winter Olympics | Lived and died in Fargo |
| Donny Schatz | | Aug 10, 1977 | | Driver for the World of Outlaws | |
| Easton Stick | | Sep 15, 1995 | | Quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers, No.166 overall NFL draft pick | Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo |
| Erik Swanson | Sep 4, 1993 | | | Relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, formerly played for the Seattle Mariners | |
| William Turner | | Oct 17, 1991 | | NFL guard who is a free agent | Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo |
| Carson Wentz | | Dec 30, 1992 | | Quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, No.2 overall NFL draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl Champion (LII) | Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo |

## Statesmen (religious and political)

| Name | Birth | Death | Known for | Association |
| Doug Burgum | Aug 1, 1956 | | 33rd governor of North Dakota (2016–present); candidate for president in 2024 | Graduate of North Dakota State University, lived in Fargo |
| Ronald N. Davies | Dec 11, 1904 | Apr 18, 1996 | Federal judge for the district of North Dakota (1955–1985) | Lived and died in Fargo |
| Leo Ferdinand Dworschak | Apr 6, 1900 | Nov 5, 1976 | Roman Catholic bishop of Fargo | |
| Aloisius Joseph Muench | Feb 18, 1889 | Feb 15, 1962 | Roman Catholic bishop of Fargo | |
| Ilhan Omar | Oct 4, 1982 | | US congresswoman from Minnesota | Graduated North Dakota State University |
| Collin Peterson | Jun 29, 1944 | | US congressman from Minnesota | Born in Fargo |
| Ed Schafer | Aug 8, 1946 | | 30th governor of North Dakota (1992–2000), 29th United States Secretary of Agriculture under George W. Bush | Lives in Fargo |
| George A. Sinner | May 29, 1928 | Mar 9, 2018 | 29th governor of North Dakota (1985–1992) | Born in Fargo |
| Burleigh F. Spalding | Dec 3, 1853 | Mar 17, 1934 | US congressman | Lived and died in Fargo |
| Evan S. Tyler | Mar 22, 1843 | Aug 24, 1923 | North Dakota state congressman | Lived and died in Fargo |