The people listed below were all born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with San Francisco, California.

People by field

Artists
 Ansel Adams (1902–1984), photographer
 Arthur Adams (b. 1963), comic book artist known for his work on Longshot and Monkeyman and O'Brien.
 Ruth Asawa (1926-2013), sculptor
 Warren Eugene Brandon (1916–1977), painter                                                                                                    
 Beniamino Benvenuto Bufano (1890–1970), sculptor
 Lenore Chinn (b. 1949), painter
 Larry Gonick (b. 1946), cartoonist
 Jo Hanson (1918-2007), environmental artist and activist
 Ester Hernandez (b. 1944), Chicana artist
 Charles Dorman Robinson (1847–1933), painter
 Richard Serra (b. 1939), minimalist sculptor and video artist
 William Ware Theiss (1930–1992), costume designer
 Beatrice Wood (1893–1998), ceramicist

Entertainers

Dance
 Isadora Duncan (1877–1927), "mother" of modern dance

Directors/filmmakers
 David Butler (1894–1979), film director, actor, writer and producer
 Francis Coppola, film director, writer, producer, winery owner, San Francisco restaurateur
 Sofia Coppola (b. 1971), director
 Delmer Daves (1904-1977), director
 Clint Eastwood (b. 1930), director, actor, producer
 David Fincher (b. 1962), director
 Mervyn LeRoy (1900–1987), director, producer, actor
 George Lucas (b. 1944), director and producer
 Andy Luckey (b. 1965), TV writer, producer, director
 Walter Shenson (1919-2000), film producer
 Jay Ward (1920–1989), creator and producer of animated TV series

Actors

 Dianna Agron (b. 1986), actress
 Gracie Allen (1895–1964), comedian
 Bill Bixby (1934–1993), actor
 Joan Blackman (b. 1938), actress
 Mel Blanc (1908–1989), voiceover actor
 Lisa Bonet (b. 1967), actress
 Benjamin Bratt (b. 1963), actor
 Todd Bridges (b. 1965), actor
 Kari Byron (b. 1974), television personality
 Carol Channing (b. 1921), actress
 Kevin Cheng (b. 1969), actor
 Mandy Cho (b. 1982), actress
 Margaret Cho (b. 1968), comedian
 Jamie Chung (b. 1983), actress
 Darren Criss (b. 1987), actor
 Eric Dane (b. 1972), actor
 Dimitri Diatchenko (b. 1968), actor and musician
 Minnie Dupree (1875–1947), actress
 Barbara Eden (b. 1934), actress
 Kathy Gori (b. 1951), actress
 Danny Glover (b. 1946), actor
 Tom Hanks (b. 1956), actor
 China Kantner (b. 1971), actress
 Bruce Lee (1940–1973)
 Marjorie Lord (b. 1917), actress
 Leslie Mann (b. 1972), actress
 Edna McClure (b. c. 1888), Broadway actress
 Bridgit Mendler, actress and singer
 Vera Michelena (1885-1961), actress, dancer and singer
 Melissa Ng (b. 1972), actress
 Larisa Oleynik (b. 1981), actress
 Rob Schneider (b. 1963), actor
 Liev Schreiber (b. 1967), actor
 Harry Shum, Jr. (b. 1982), actor
 Alicia Silverstone (b. 1976), actress
 David Strathairn (b. 1949), actor
 Isis Taylor (b. 1989), pornographic actress
 Phillip Terry (1909–1993), actor
 Aisha Tyler (b. 1970), actress and TV personality
 Stuart Whitman (b. 1928), actor
 B.D. Wong (b. 1960), actor
 Natalie Wood (1938–1981), actress

Musicians
 Tony Bennett (b. 1926), singer, signature song "I Left My Heart in San Francisco"
 Mike Bordin (b. 1962), drummer for Faith No More and Ozzy Osbourne
 Paul Bostaph (b. 1964), heavy metal drummer
 Cliff Burton (1962-1986), bass guitarist for thrash metal band Metallica
 Craig Chaquico (b. 1954), rock, jazz and new age guitarist
 Todd Tamanend Clark (b. 1952), poet and composer  
 Greg Errico (b. 1946), drummer for many bands, most notably Sly & the Family Stone
 Maude Fay (1878–1964), operatic dramatic soprano
 Lars Frederiksen, member of band Rancid
 Jerry Garcia (1942–1995), psychedelic and folk-rock guitarist and singer
 Vince Guaraldi (1928–1976), jazz musician and pianist
 Kirk Hammett (b. 1962), lead guitarist for thrash metal band Metallica
 Cindy Herron (b. 1961), R&B singer
 Gary Holt (b. 1964), thrash metal guitarist for Exodus
 Tiffany Hwang (b. 1989), member of pop group Girls' Generation
 Chris Isaak (b. 1956), singer and musician
 Jessica Jung (b. 1989), former member of pop group Girls' Generation
 Krystal Jung (b. 1994), member of pop group f(x)
 Paul Kantner (b. 1941), rock musician and co-founder of the band Jefferson Airplane
 Huey Lewis (b. 1950), rock singer, raised in Marin County.
 Courtney Love (b. 1964), singer and actress
 Dmitri Matheny (b. 1965), jazz flugelhornist
 Johnny Mathis (b. 1935), pop singer
 Chante Moore (b. 1967), R&B and jazz singer
 Kristina Olsen (b. 1957), folk singer-songwriter
 Tim Pagnotta (b. 1977), guitarist
 Rappin' 4-Tay (Anthony Forte) (b. 1968), rapper
 Carlos Santana (b. 1947), rock, blues, and salsa guitarist and singer
 Tupac Shakur (1971-1996), rapping legend, lived in Bay Area
 Deke Sharon (b. 1967), a cappella singer The House Jacks
 Ross Valory (b. 1949), bass player for many bands, most notably Journey
 Martha Wash (b. 1953), R&B, Soul, and pop singer
 Kevin Woo (b. 1991), member of Korean boygroup U-Kiss

Writers
 David Belasco (1853–1931), playwright
 Greg Downs (b. 1971), short-story writer
 Lawrence Ferlinghetti (b, 1919), poet, co-founder of City Lights Bookstore
 Robert Frost (1874–1963), iconic poet
 Adam Gidwitz (born 1982), children's book author
 Clay Meredith Greene (1850-1933), playwright, theatre director, actor
 Dashiell Hammett (1894–1961), author of hard-boiled detective novels
 Daniel Handler (b. 1970), better known as Lemony Snicket
 Shirley Jackson (1916–1965)
 Alan Kaufman (b. 1952), author, poet, editor
 Gus Lee (b. 1946), Asian-American author
 Fritz Reuter Leiber, Jr. (1910–1992), author of science fiction novels
 Daniel Levitin (b. 1957), writer, scientist, musician
 Jack London (1876–1916), writer
 Armistead Maupin (b. 1944), writer
 Carol Anne O'Marie (1933–2009), Roman Catholic nun, mystery writer
 Peter Plate, author
 Gary Snyder (b. 1930), poet
 Joseph Staten, writer (Halo: Contact Harvest)
 Michelle Tea, author, poet, editor
 Walter Tevis (1928–1994), author, The Hustler
 Robert Alfred Theobald (1884–1957), US Navy Rear Admiral, author of The Final Secret of Pearl Harbor
 Naomi Wolf (b. 1962), writer
 Laurence Yep (b. 1948), Asian-American writer
 Helen Zia (b. 1952), writer, journalist, and activist

Athletes

Baseball
The following Major League Baseball players were born in San Francisco:
 Jim Baxes (1928-1996), third baseman
 Ping Bodie (1887–1961), outfielder
 Fred Breining (b. 1955), pitcher for San Francisco Giants (1980–1984)
 Dolph Camilli (1907–1997), first baseman
 Ike Caveney (1894–1949), shortstop
 Gino Cimoli (b. 1929), outfielder
 Joe Corbett (1875–1945), pitcher
 Joe Cronin (1906–1984), infielder, Baseball Hall of Fame
 Frankie Crosetti (1910–2002), shortstop and coach
 Tim Cullen (b. 1942), infielder
 Babe Dahlgren (1912–1996), first baseman
 Joe DeMaestri (b. 1928), shortstop
 Dom DiMaggio (b. 1917), outfielder
 Bob Elliott (1916–1966), player and manager
 Jim Fregosi (1942–2014), player and manager
 Jonny Gomes (b. 1980), outfielder for Boston Red Sox
 Herb Gorman (1924–1953), player in one MLB game
 Harry Heilmann (1894–1951), outfielder, Baseball Hall of Fame
 Keith Hernandez (b. 1953), first baseman
 Jackie Jensen (1927–1982), also in the College Football Hall of Fame
 Eddie Joost (b. 1916), player and manager
 Willie Kamm (1900–1988), third baseman
 George Kelly (1895–1984), first baseman, Baseball Hall of Fame
 Mark Koenig (1904-1993), infielder for 1927 New York Yankees
 Tony Lazzeri (1903–1946), infielder, Baseball Hall of Fame
 Nyjer Morgan (b. 1980), outfielder for Milwaukee Brewers
 Charlie Sweeney (1863–1902), pitcher
 Mike Vail (b. 1951), outfielder
 Tyler Walker (b. 1976), relief pitcher for Washington Nationals
See San Francisco Giants#Baseball Hall of Famers for San Francisco Giants players in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Basketball
 Jason Kidd (b. 1973)
 Tom Meschery (b. 1938)
 Pete Newell (1915-2008), Olympic and USF coach
 Bill Russell (b. 1934), led USF to two NCAA championships
 Phil Smith (1952–2002)
 Phil Woolpert (1915-1987), San Francisco high school and college coach

Boxing
 Abe Attell (b. 1884), world featherweight champion
James J. Corbett
 Andre Ward (b. 1984), 2004 Olympics light heavyweight gold medal winner

Football
 Ed Berry (b. 1963),  NFL defensive back for Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers
 Tom Brady (b. 1977), NFL quarterback for New England Patriots and two-time NFL most valuable player
 Tedy Bruschi (b. 1973), NFL linebacker for New England Patriots
 Al Cowlings (b. 1947), USC and NFL defensive lineman
 Chris Darkins (b. 1974), NFL running back for Green Bay Packers
 Eddie Forrest (1921–2001), NFL offensive lineman for San Francisco 49ers
 Jason Hill (b. 1985), NFL wide receiver for Jacksonville Jaguars
 Mike Holmgren (b. 1948), NFL head coach for Green Bay Packers and president of Cleveland Browns
 James Hundon (b. 1971), NFL player
 Joe Montana (b. 1956), NFL quarterback for San Francisco 49ers, inductee into Pro Football Hall of Fame
 John Nisby (b. 1936), NFL guard with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins; one of the first African American players to play for the Washington Redskins
 Igor Olshansky (b. 1982), NFL defensive end for Dallas Cowboys
 Jerry Rice (b. 1962), NFL wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers, inductee into Pro Football Hall of Fame
 O. J. Simpson (b. 1947), NFL running back with Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers (1985); inductee into Pro Football Hall of Fame; previously, City College of San Francisco and USC running back
 Donald Strickland (b. 1980), current NFL cornerback for the New York Jets
 Eric Wright (b. 1985),  NFL cornerback for Detroit Lions
 Steve Young (b. 1961), NFL quarterback for San Francisco 49ers, inductee into Pro Football Hall of Fame

Golf
 Johnny Miller (b. 1947), professional golfer, TV commentator
 Ken Venturi (1931–2013), professional golfer, TV commentator

Other sports
 Vicki Draves (1924-2010), two-time Olympic gold medalist
 Laird Hamilton (b. 1964), surfer
 Jeremy McGrath (b. 1971), MX rider
 Jonny Moseley (b. 1975), freestyle skiing
 Brooks Orpik (b. 1980), NHL player for the Washington Capitals
 Bill Schaadt (1924-1995), fly fisherman
 Emerson Spencer (1906-1985), Olympic track and field gold medalist
 Al Young (b. 1946), drag racing world champion

Business people
 Albert Abrams (1863?–1924), inventor of medical equipment in the field of Electricity therapy
 Melvin Belli (1907-1996), lawyer known as "The King of Torts", died in San Francisco
 Donald Fisher (b. 1928), co-founder of the Gap clothing company
 Gordon Getty (b. 1934), oil philanthropist and composer
 Jess Jackson (1930–2011), wine entrepreneur and founder of Kendall-Jackson wine company
 Pete McDonough (1872—1947), Bail Bonds Broker, called "the Fountainhead of Corruption" in 1937 police graft investigation
 Morris Meyerfeld Jr. (1855–1935), German-born entrepreneur and theater owner (Orpheum Vaudeville Circuit)
 Gordon E. Moore (b. 1929), co-founder of Intel Corporation, author of Moore's law
 Michael Moritz (b. 1954), venture capitalist at Sequoia Capital
 Craig Newmark (b. 1951), founder of Craigslist
 Charles R. Schwab (b. 1937), businessman, founder of Schwab investment firm
 Theresa Sparks (b. 1949), CEO of multimillion-dollar sex toy company Good Vibrations
 Richard M. Tobin, (1866-1952), president of Hibernia Bank and Minister to the Netherlands

News/commentary
 Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913), journalist
 Ben Blank (c.1921–2009), television graphics innovator
 Herb Caen (1916-1997), newspaper columnist
 Tucker Carlson (b. 1969), television political commentator
 C.H. Garrigues, jazz reviewer
 William Randolph Hearst (1863–1951), newspaper magnate and publisher
 Lewis Lapham, editor of Harper's
 Kent Ninomiya, journalist
 Lincoln Steffens (1866–1936), journalist

Political figures
See also List of mayors of San Francisco, California
 Jewett W. Adams, fourth Governor of Nevada; resident of San Francisco.
 Luis Antonio Argüello (1784–1830), first governor of Alta California
 Earle D. Baker (1888–1987), Los Angeles City Council member, 1951–59
 George W.C. Baker, Los Angeles City Council member, 1931–35
 Stephen Breyer (b. 1938), United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
 Jerry Brown (b. 1938), current Governor of California, former Governor of California, former Mayor of Oakland, former California Attorney General
 Pat Brown (1905–1996), former Governor of California
 Willie Brown (b. 1934), Mayor of San Francisco, 1996–2004, Speaker of the California State Assembly, 1980–1995
 Christopher Augustine Buckley ("Blind Boss" Buckley, 1845–1922), Democratic Party boss
 Dianne Feinstein (b. 1933), San Francisco's first female mayor (1978–1988) and U.S. Senator since 1992
 Joseph Flores, Governor of Guam
 C.J. Goodell, Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal (1945–1953)
 Peter D. Hannaford (born 1932), former aide to Ronald W. Reagan; author, public relations consultant
 Robert McNamara (1916–2009), former Secretary of Defense
 Gavin Newsom (b. 1967), Lieutenant Governor of California
 José de Jesús Noé (1805–1862), was the last alcalde of Yerba Buena, which became San Francisco after the Mexican-American War.
 Nancy Pelosi (b. 1940), Congresswoman, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
 Caspar Weinberger (1917–2006), former Secretary of Defense

Other
 James Millikin Bevans (1899–1977), US Air Force Major General
 Melrose Bickerstaff, runner-up of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7
 Robert L. Fair (1923–1983), US Army Lieutenant General, Silver Star winner
 Abigail Folger (1943–1969), Folgers coffee heiress
 Richard Gage, architect, 9/11 activist
 Clifford Geertz (1926–2006), anthropologist
 Stephen Herrero, biologist, bear expert
 William Harrington Leahy (1904–1986), US Navy Rear Admiral
 Jim Jones (1931–1978), cult leader
 Julia Morgan (1872–1957), architect
 G. S. Patrick, U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, Navy Cross winner
 Tye Leung Schulze, interpreter and first Chinese-American woman to vote in a US primary election
 William T. Shorey (1859–1919), first black San Francisco sea captain
 Jacob Weisman (b. 1965), publisher of Tachyon Publications
 John W. Young (b. 1930), astronaut
 John C. Young (1912-1987), US Army Colonel, Chinatown leader
 The Zodiac Killer, unidentified serial killer active in the 1960s
 Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. (1920–2000), US Navy Admiral

Non-native residents
 Maya Angelou, poet
 William Bayer, crime fiction writer
 Ambrose Bierce, journalist and author
 Clark Blaise, Canadian author
 Marian and Vivian Brown (b. 1927), socialites
 Willie Brown, former San Francisco mayor
 Victor Burgin, artist
 Herb Caen, newspaper columnist
 Vanessa Carlton, singer
 Carol Channing, actress and comedian
 Cheerleader Melissa, pro wrestler
 Chris Columbus, film director
 Francis Ford Coppola, film director
 Eleanor Dumont (Madame Moustache), professional card dealer and gambler
 Andrew Smith Hallidie, promoter of the first cable car line
 George Hearst, politician
 Phoebe Hearst, first woman Regent of the University of California
 James Hetfield (b. 1963), singer and rhythm guitarist for thrash metal band Metallica 
 Sargent Johnson, African-American sculptor
 Philip Kaufman, film director
 Jason Kidd, NBA player
 Dorothea Lange, photographer
 CoCo Lee, CantoPop singer and actress
 James Lick, real estate investor
 Charlotte Mailliard Shultz, CVO (b. 1933), philanthropist, socialite
 Cheech Marin, film actor
 Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, activists, first same-sex couple to get a marriage license in San Francisco
 Kirke Mechem, composer
 Midori, author and (kinky) sex educator
 Harvey Milk, former city supervisor of San Francisco
 The Mitchell brothers, Jim and Artie, adult industry pioneers
 Matt Nathanson, singer/musician
 Emperor Norton, Gold Rush entrepreneur, eccentric, egalitarian and original visionary of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
 Gary Payton, NBA player (native of Oakland)
 Linda Perry, lead singer of 4 Non Blondes
 William Chapman Ralston, founder of the Bank of California
 The Residents, Avant-Garde music and visual arts group
 Anne Rice, author
 Tina Root, ex-vocalist of the now defunct darkwave band Switchblade Symphony
 Kevin Rose, founder of digg.com
 Michael Savage, conservative radio personality
 Tabe Slioor, socialite, reporter, photographer
 Danielle Steel, author
 Dale J. Stephens, author
 Robert Louis Stevenson (from 1879–1880)
 Sharon Stone, actress
 Amy Tan (b. 1952), author
 Mark Twain, author
 Lars Ulrich, (b. 1963), drummer for thrash metal band Metallica
 Wayne Wang, film director
 Robert Wartenberg, neurologist
 Oscar Wilde, author and playwright, spent 1882 there
 Cecil Williams, pastor
 Robin Williams, actor
 David Woodard, conductor
 Martin Yan, television chef
 Arthur Wolcott Yates, U.S. Army general

Alphabetical index
 Abrams, Albert (1863?–1924), inventor
 Allen, Gracie (1895–1964), comedian
 Argüello, Luis Antonio (1784–1830)
 Attell, Abe (1884–1970), boxer
 Belasco, David (1853–1931), playwright
 Bixby, Bill (1934–1993), actor
 Blanc, Mel (1908–1989), voiceover actor
 Bodie, Ping
 Bonds, Barry (b. 1964), baseball player
 Bonds, Bobby (1946–2003), baseball player
 Bonet, Lisa (b. 1967), actress
 Bratt, Benjamin (b. 1963), actor
 Breyer, Stephen (b. 1938), jurist
 Brown, Jerry (b. 1938), politician
 Brown, Pat (1905–1996), politician
 Camilli, Dolph
 Carlson, Tucker (b. 1969), political commentator
 Chaquico, Craig (b. 1954)
 Cho, Margaret (b. 1968)
 Cimoli, Gino (b. 1929)
 Corbett, Joe
 Criss, Darren (b. 1987)
 Cronin, Joe
 Crosetti, Frankie (1910–2002)
 Cullen, Tim (b. 1942)
 Dahlgren, Babe (1912–1996)
 DeMaestri, Joe
 DiMaggio, Dom
 Downs, Greg (b. 1971), writer
 Dumont, Eleanor (1834–1879), also known as Madame Moustache, professional card dealer and gambler
 Duncan, Isadora (1877–1927), dancer
 Elliott, Bob
 Fee, Ben, activist
 Folger, Abigail (1943–1969), heiress
 Forté, Anthony (b. 1988)
 Fregosi, Jim
 Garcia, Jerry (1942–1995), musician
 Getty, Gordon (b. 1934), philanthropist and composer
 Guaraldi, Vince (1928–1976)
 Heilmann, Harry
 Hernandez, Keith
 Herron, Cindy (b. 1961)
 Holt, Gary
 Jensen, Jackie
 Joost, Eddie
 Kamm, Willie
 Kantner, Paul (b. 1941)
 Kelly, George
 LaVey, Anton Szandor (b. 1930), founder of the Church of Satan
 Lee, Gus (b. 1946)
 Levitin, Daniel (b. 1957)
 Lewis, Huey (b. 1950)
 Mann, Leslie (b. 1972)
 Prior, Mark (b. 1975)
 Mathis, Johnny (b. 1935)
 Ng, Melissa (b. 1972)
 Perry, Linda (b. 1965)
 Santana, Carlos (b. 1947)
 Shakur, Tupac (b. 1971)
 Sparks, Theresa
 Sweeney, Charlie
 Tan, Amy (b. 1952)
 Toklas, Alice B. (1877-1967)
 Williams, Robin (1951–2014)

References

San Francisco