List of people from San Francisco

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 Ford Coppola (b. 1939), movie 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
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* 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 (1921-2019), 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 (1918-2015), actress
* Leslie Mann (b. 1972), actress
* Edna McClure  (1888-1973), Broadway actress
* Bridgit Mendler, (b. 1992), 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 (1928-2020), actor
* B.D. Wong (b. 1960), actor
* Natalie Wood (1938–1981), actress

##### Musicians
* Tony Bennett (1926–2023), 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 (1941–2016), 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 (1919-2021), 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 (1929–2011), outfielder
* Joe Corbett (1875–1945), pitcher
* Joe Cronin (1906–1984), infielder, Baseball Hall of Fame
* 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 (1936–2011), 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
* Toni Breidinger (b. 1999), racing driver and model

### 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 (1928-2009), 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 (1902–1974), jazz reviewer
* William Randolph Hearst (1863–1951), newspaper magnate and publisher
* Lewis Lapham (b. 1935), 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 (1835–1920), 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), 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 (1933–2023), San Francisco's first female mayor (1978–1988) and U.S. Senator (1992–2023)
* Joseph Flores (1900–1981), Governor of Guam
* C.J. Goodell, Associate Justice, California Court of Appeal (1945–1953)
* Peter D. Hannaford (1932–2015), aide to Ronald W. Reagan; author, public relations consultant
* Robert McNamara (1916–2009), former Secretary of Defense
* Gavin Newsom (b. 1967), current 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 (1887–1972), 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 (1930-2018), 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 (1927-2013/2014), 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 (1887-1961), baseball center fielder
* 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 (1907-1997), baseball first baseman
* Carlson, Tucker (b. 1969), political commentator
* Chaquico, Craig (b. 1954), guitarist 
* Cho, Margaret (b. 1968), comedian, actress
* Cimoli, Gino (1929-2011), baseball athlete
* Corbett, Joe (1875-1945), baseball player
* Criss, Darren (b. 1987), singer 
* Cronin, Joe (1906-1984), baseball player
* Crosetti, Frankie (1910–2002), baseball player
* Cullen, Tim (b. 1942), politician 
* Dahlgren, Babe (1912–1996), baseball player
* DeMaestri, Joe (1928-2016), baseball player
* DiMaggio, Dom   (1917-2009), baseball player and the brother of Joe DiMaggio
* 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 (1916-1966), baseball third baseman
* Fee, Ben, (????-????), activist
* Folger, Abigail (1943–1969), heiress
* Forté, Anthony (b. 1988), rapper
* Fregosi, Jim (1942-2014), baseball manager
* Garcia, Jerry (1942–1995), musician
* Getty, Gordon (b. 1934), philanthropist and composer
* Guaraldi, Vince (1928–1976), American football manager & the namesake of the Lombardi Trophy
* Heilmann, Harry (1894-1951), baseball player
* Hernandez, Keith (b. 1953), baseball first baseman
* Herron, Cindy (b. 1961), singer
* Holt, Gary (b. 1964), musician
* Jensen, Jackie  (1927-1992), baseball player 
* Joost, Eddie (1916-2011), professional basketball player
* Kamm, Willie (b. 1950), religiious leader
* Kantner, Paul (b. 1941), musician
* Kelly, George (1905-1967), psychologist
* LaVey, Anton Szandor (1930-1997), founder of the Church of Satan
* Lee, Gus (b. 1946), author
* Levitin, Daniel (b. 1957), psychologist
* Lewis, Huey (b. 1950), American musician and the lead singer of Huey Lewis & The News
* Mann, Leslie (b. 1972), actress
* Prior, Mark (b. 1975), baseball coach
* Mathis, Johnny (b. 1935), singer
* Ng, Melissa (b. 1972), television actress
* Perry, Linda (b. 1965), singer-songwriter
* Santana, Carlos (b. 1947), guitarist
* Shakur, Tupac (1971-1996), rapper
* Sparks, Theresa (b. 1949), engineer
* Sweeney, Charlie (1919-2004), baseball player
* Tan, Amy (b. 1952), author
* Toklas, Alice B. (1877-1967) writer
* Williams, Robin (1951–2014) comedian, actor

## References