List of people from Utah

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State flag of Utah
Location of Utah in the U.S. map

The following is a list of prominent people who were born in the U.S. state of Utah, live in Utah, or for whom Utah is a significant part of their identity.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.

A[]

  • Maurice Abravanel – music director of the Utah Symphony for over 30 years[1]
  • Maude Adams – Broadway stage actress of late 19th and early 20th centuries, noted for title role in Peter Pan
  • Florence E. Allen – first woman to serve on a state Supreme Court, second to serve as a federal judge
  • Quinn Allman – guitarist for The Used
  • John Amaechi – American-English NBA player for the Utah Jazz (2001–2003), sports broadcaster, political activist
  • Rocky Anderson – former mayor of Salt Lake City
  • David Archuleta – singer-songwriter, runner-up on the seventh season of American Idol
  • Leonard J. Arrington – historian[2]
  • Hal Ashby – director; films include Being There, The Last Detail, Harold and Maude

B[]

  • Simon Bamberger – first Democratic governor of Utah; only Jewish governor of Utah[2]
  • Lee Barnes (1906–1970) – pole vaulter, gold medalist in 1924 Olympics
  • Roseanne Barr – comedian, television actress, writer, talk-show host
  • Earl W. Bascom (1906–1995) – rodeo champion, inventor, artist, sculptor, Utah Sports Hall of Fame inductee
  • Bruce Bastian – computer programmer, co-founder of WordPerfect company, philanthropist, on the board of directors of the Human Rights Campaign
  • Zane Beadles – lineman for the Jacksonville Jaguars
  • Linda Bement (1942–2018) – Miss USA and Miss Universe 1960
  • Robert Foster "Bob" Bennett – Republican United States Senator from Utah
  • Ezra Taft Benson – 13th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1985–1994; United States Secretary of Agriculture
  • Jaime Bergman – actress, model, 1999 Playboy Playmate
  • Arnie Beyeler – first base coach for the Boston Red Sox
  • Don Bluth (born 1937) – animator
  • Frank Borzage – film director and actor
  • Reva Beck Bosone – Utah's first woman member of Congress[1]
  • Elaine Bradley – musician; member of rock band Neon Trees
  • Shawn Bradley – former NBA center, one of the tallest players in NBA history
  • Stewart Bradley – linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles
  • Juanita Brooks – historian and author[2]
  • John Moses Browning (1855–1926) – firearms designer
  • Val Browning (1895–1994) – business magnate, philanthropist, and gun innovator
  • John Buck (born 1980) – catcher for the Miami Marlins
  • Ted Bundy – serial killer who attended the S. J. Quinney College of Law (not born in Utah, but lived there)
  • Nolan Bushnell (born 1943) – video game designer, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's
  • Jerry Buss (1933–2013) – businessman, real estate investor and chemist, owned the Los Angeles Lakers

C[]

  • Ben Cahoon – slotback for the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, member of two Grey Cup championship teams in 2002 and 2009
  • Mario Capecchi (born 1939) – recipient, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 2007
  • Orson Scott Card (born 1951) – science fiction author
  • Neal Cassady – writer; major figure of the Beat Generation of the 1950s and the psychedelic and counterculture movements of the 1960s; inspiration for the character Dean Moriarty in Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road
  • Butch Cassidy (1866 – c. 1908) – outlaw, born Robert LeRoy Parker in Beaver, Utah
  • Nick Clooney (born Nicholas Joseph Clooney, 1934) – journalist, anchorman, and television host; brother of singers Rosemary Clooney and Betty Clooney; father of actor and film director George Clooney
  • Stephen Covey (1932–2012) – author, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
  • Reed Cowan (born 1972) – television news anchor, philanthropist, and documentary filmmaker
  • Melvin A. Cook (1911–2000) – explosives expert, chemist
  • Chris Cooley (born 1982) – NFL tight end
  • Chandler Cox (born 1996) – NFL fullback

D[]

  • Matthew Davis – actor, The Vampire Diaries, What About Brian, Legally Blonde
  • Laraine Day – actress, Foreign Correspondent, Mr. Lucky, The High and the Mighty
  • Jordan Devey – offensive guard for the San Francisco 49ers
  • Paul W. Draper – anthropologist, mentalist, educator
  • Christine M. Durham – Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court since 2002

E[]

  • David Eccles – industrialist
  • Marriner Eccles – banker, economist, Chairman of the Federal Reserve during Roosevelt and Truman Administrations
  • Spencer Eccles – bank executive for First Security and Wells Fargo
  • Lily Eskelsen García – vice president of National Education Association
  • Richard Paul Evans – author, known for novel The Christmas Box
  • Henry Eyring – theoretical chemist who proposed theories on which future Nobel Prize winners based their work

F[]

  • Philo T. Farnsworth (1906–1971) – inventor of the electronic television
  • John D. Fitzgerald – author of The Great Brain series of children's books and Papa Married a Mormon
  • John F. Fitzpatrick – publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune 1924–1960[2]
  • Harvey Fletcher – physicist, invented the hearing aid and audiometer; called "the father of stereophonic sound"
  • Brandon Flowers – singer for the rock band The Killers[3]
  • Jim Fosgate – inventor of first car amplifier, Dolby Pro Logic II surround sound, founder of Rockford Fosgate electronics
  • Jimmer Fredette – professional basketball player
  • Patrick Fugit (born 1982) – actor, known for lead role of Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous
  • Gene Fullmer (1931–2015) – middleweight boxer and world champion

G[]

  • John W. Gallivan – publisher of The Salt Lake Tribune, 1960–1984
  • Kendall D. Garff – founder of Ken Garff Automotive Group
  • Jake Garn – former U.S. Senator and astronaut, the first member of Congress in space
  • Anthony Geary – actor in several daytime television series
  • John Gilbert – silent film star
  • Tyler Glenn – musician; member of rock band Neon Trees
  • Jared Goldberg (born 1991) – Olympic skier
  • Robert Gore – co-inventor of Gore-Tex fabrics
  • Wilbert L. Gore – co-inventor of Gore-Tex fabrics
  • Heber J. Grant (1856–1945) – 7th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Tom Green – Mormon fundamentalist and practicer of plural marriage
  • Riley Griffiths – actor, known for Super 8

H[]

  • Gregg Hale – guitarist for British band Spiritualized
  • Tracy Hall (1919–2008) – scientist
  • Jacob Hamblin – peace maker with Native Americans
  • Orrin Hatch (born 1934) – long-time U.S. Senator from Utah since 1977
  • Dan Hausel (born 1949) – martial-arts grandmaster, exploration geologist and author
  • Stanley Havili (born 1987) – fullback for the Philadelphia Eagles
  • Colin Haynie (born 2004/2005) — alleged mass shooter
  • Katherine Heigl – actress (Grey's Anatomy, 27 Dresses)
  • Gary R. Herbert (born 1947) – Governor of Utah
  • Jared and Jerusha Hess (born 1979, 1980) – filmmakers (Napoleon Dynamite)
  • Tracy Hickman – writer, co-creator of the D&D campaign setting Dragonlance and associated novels
  • Esther Hicks – inspirational speaker and best-selling author
  • Chelsie Hightower – professional ballroom dancer on So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars
  • Joe Hill – socialist, radical labor activist, and member of the Industrial Workers of the World
  • Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) – 15th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1995–2008
  • Allison Holker – jazz dancer
  • Derek Hough and Julianne Hough – professional ballroom dancers on Dancing with the Stars
  • Jeph Howard (born 1979) – bassist for The Used
  • Jon Huntsman, Jr. (born 1960) – Governor of Utah 2005–2009; ambassador to the People's Republic of China
  • Jon Huntsman, Sr. – businessman, philanthropist, founder of Huntsman Corporation

I[]

  • Brian Ibbott – creator of the Coverville podcast

J[]

  • Daniel C. Jackling – founded the Utah Copper Co. in 1903, starting what became the world's largest open-pit mine[1]
  • Ken Jennings – 74-time Jeopardy! champion
  • Jewel (born Jewel Kilcher, 1974) – singer-songwriter, guitarist, actress, and poet
  • Scott Johnson – creator of Extralife webcomic and podcast network Frogpants Studios
  • Megan Joy – singer, American Idol Season 8 finalist

K[]

  • Thomas Kearns – U.S. Senator from Utah (1901–1905), owned the Silver King Coalition Mine in Park City and the Salt Lake Tribune, Utah's largest newspaper
  • Bryan Kehl – linebacker for the Washington Redskins
  • Brett Keisel – defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers
  • David M. Kennedy (1905–1996) – Treasury Secretary under President Nixon
  • Spencer W. Kimball – 12th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; LDS President who ended the ban on priesthood for African-Americans in 1978[1]
  • John F. Kinney – Chief Justice of the Utah Territory Supreme Court, 1853–1857, and the Territory of Utah's Delegate in the House of Representatives of the 38th Congress
  • Raymond Knight – rodeo organizer, son of mining magnate Jesse Knight
  • Steve Konowalchuk – NHL forward for Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche
  • Paul Kruger – linebacker for Cleveland Browns

L[]

  • Carnell Lake (born 1967) – former NFL professional football player, football coach
  • Paul Langton – actor
  • Joi Lansing – model, actress
  • Mike Leavitt – former Governor of Utah, Secretary of Health and Human Services
  • Harold B. Lee – 11th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • John D. Lee – early LDS Church leader, the only man convicted in the Mountain Meadows massacre
  • Trevor Lewis – forward for NHL's Los Angeles Kings
  • Don L. Lind – astronaut
  • Mike Lookinland – actor
  • Star Lotulelei – defensive tackle for the Carolina Panthers
  • Brandon Lyon – relief pitcher for MLB's Toronto Blue Jays

M[]

  • Maddox – Internet satirist and author of The Best Page in the Universe and The Alphabet of Manliness
  • Karl Malone – professional basketball player (retired); two-time NBA MVP and Hall of Famer
  • John Willard Marriott – founder of worldwide hotel business Marriott International, Inc.
  • Mark Maryboy – politician and a former Navajo Nation Council Delegate
  • Scott M. Matheson – Governor of Utah
  • Ned Mathews – running back for Detroit Lions and Boston Yanks
  • Bert McCracken – lead singer of the band The Used
  • Roger I. McDonough – Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, 1947–1948 and 1954–1959
  • David O. McKay – 9th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • James B. McKean – congressman, Chief Justice of the Utah Territory Supreme Court, 1870–1875
  • Jim McMahon – NFL football player (retired); businessman; motivational speaker
  • Evan Mecham – 17th Governor of Arizona
  • Kieth Merrill – Academy Award-winning producer and director
  • Johnny Miller – former professional golfer, won 25 PGA Tour events, current golf analyst for NBC Sports
  • Larry H. Miller (1944–2009) – businessman, philanthropist, owner of Utah Jazz basketball team
  • Gerald R. Molen – Academy Award-winning film producer
  • Thomas S. Monson – president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Ted Moss – three-term Democratic senator from Utah[2]
  • Barry Mower – businessperson, owner of Lifetime Products
  • Brandon Mull – best-selling author

N[]

  • Jim Nantz – CBS Sports anchor
  • David Neeleman – co-founder JetBlue
  • Russell M. Nelson – current president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Haloti Ngata – defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens
  • Claude Nowell (1944–2008) – founder of Summum religion and philosophy

O[]

  • Dallin H. Oaks – lawyer, jurist, Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Darcy Olsen – president and chief executive officer of the Goldwater Institute
  • Merlin Olsen (1940–2010) – former NFL football player, actor on Little House on the Prairie and star of NBC's Father Murphy
  • Osmond family – family music group The Osmonds
    • Alan Osmond (born 1949) – singer
    • Donny Osmond (born 1957) – singer, actor, television host
    • Jay Osmond (born 1955) – singer
    • Jimmy Osmond (born 1963) – singer, actor, businessman
    • Marie Osmond (born 1959) – singer, actress, television host
    • Merrill Osmond (born 1953) – singer
    • Wayne Osmond (born 1951) – singer
  • Wayne Owens (1937–2002) – attorney, U.S. Congressman from Utah

P[]

  • Erik Pears (born 1982) – offensive tackle for the San Francisco 49ers
  • Utah Phillips (1935–2008) – folk singer, poet, and labor organizer
  • Dorothy Poynton (1915–1995) – diver, two-time Olympic gold medalist
  • Ivy Baker Priest (1905–1976) – United States Secretary of the Treasury 1953–61
  • Pat Priest (born 1936) – actress, The Munsters

R[]

  • Melba Rae – actress, Search for Tomorrow
  • Natacha Rambova – costume and set designer; Egyptologist
  • Cal Rampton – Utah governor, 1965–1977; won three terms running as a Democrat[1]
  • Carmen Rasmusen (born 1985) – contestant on American Idol 2
  • Dallas Reynolds – offensive lineman for the New York Giants
  • Alma Richards – first Olympic gold medalist from Utah (1912 Stockholm games)
  • Gary Ridgway – serial killer known as the Green River Killer
  • Amanda Righetti – actress, The Mentalist, North Shore, Reunion
  • Mitt Romney – politician, businessman, former Governor of Massachusetts (2003–2007), 2012 Republican nominee for president, and United States Senator from Utah (2019-)
  • Karl Rove – political advisor to President George W. Bush
  • Ron Rydalch – defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears

S[]

  • Matt Salmon – U.S. Representative from Arizona
  • Kyle Sampson – former Chief of Staff and Counselor for United States Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
  • Brandon Sanderson – author, selected to complete Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time
  • Cael Sanderson – wrestler from Heber City, Utah, gold medalist in the 2004 Summer Olympics
  • Daniel Schaffer – mentalist[4]
  • Harold Schindler (1929–1998) – Utah historian
  • Dalton Schultz – tight end for the Dallas Cowboys
  • Byron Scott – NBA shooting guard; head coach for the New Jersey Nets, New Orleans Hornets, and Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Brent Scowcroft – National Security Advisor to presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush
  • Ryan Seaman – drummer in the rock band Falling in Reverse
  • Jerry Sloan – basketball player, Hall of Fame head coach for the Utah Jazz; longest-tenured coach in American professional sports
  • Elizabeth Smart – kidnapped as a girl from her bedroom in Salt Lake City in 2002; child safety activist
  • George Albert Smith – 8th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Joseph Fielding Smith – 10th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Lucky Blue Smith (born 1998) – model and drummer
  • Reed Smoot – U.S. Senator, served almost thirty years in Congress, ten as chairman of the Finance Committee[1]
  • Wallace Stegner – historian, novelist, short story writer, and environmentalist
  • Branden Steineckert – former drummer of The Used, drummer for Rancid
  • Stanley Smith Stevens – psychologist; founded Harvard's Psycho-Acoustic Laboratory; credited with Stevens' power law
  • John Stockton – Hall of Fame point guard for the Utah Jazz, holds the NBA records for career assists and steals
  • Picabo Street – champion alpine ski racer with the U.S. Ski Team
  • Xavier Su'a-Filo – guard for the Dallas Cowboys
  • Bruce Summerhays – professional golfer; mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[5]
  • Jane Summerhays – actress
  • George Sutherland – English-born American jurist and political figure; Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, 1922–1938
  • Kelly Sweet – adult contemporary singer
  • May Swenson (1913—1989) – poet
  • Sril Art – artist

T[]

U[]

  • Harvey Unga – running back for the Chicago Bears
  • Brendon Urie – singer-songwriter, frontman of Panic! at the Disco

V[]

  • Craig Venter – biotechnologist, biochemist, geneticist, and entrepreneur
  • Zach Vigil – linebacker for the Miami Dolphins

W[]

  • Wakara – Native American; leader of the Timpanogos tribe
  • Olene S. Walker – governor
  • Tom Wallisch – skier (King of Afterbang)
  • Sam Walton – Wal-Mart founder, served in the military at Ft Douglas
  • John Warnock – co-founder of Adobe Systems Inc.
  • Dallon Weekes – musician, singer-songwriter; bassist of American rock band Panic! at the Disco
  • Mike Weir – professional golfer
  • Rhyan White – Olympic swimmer[6]
  • Willie Wilkin – professional football player
  • Terry Tempest Williams – author, environmentalist
  • Marie Windsor – actress
  • Mary Elizabeth Winstead – actress, Live Free or Die Hard
  • Dave Wolverton – author
  • James Woods – film, stage and television actor
  • David Wright – cyclist, stage winner in all three grand tours, yellow jersey holder, national time trial champion

Y[]

  • Brigham Young – 2nd president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  • Bryan Young – filmmaker and author
  • Loretta Young – film actress and television star
  • Mahonri Young – sculptor and artist
  • Steve Young – Hall of Fame quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, NFL's Most Valuable Player 1992 and 1994

Z[]

  • Charles S. Zane – Chief Justice of the Utah Territory Supreme Court (1884–1888), and of the Utah Supreme Court (1896–1899)
  • Michael D. Zimmerman – sensei; Chief Justice of the Utah Supreme Court, 1994–1998

See also[]

By educational institution affiliation
By governmental office
By location
By occupation
By religious affiliation
  • List of Latter Day Saints

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e f "The 10 Utahns Who Most Influenced Our State in the 20th Century". historytogo.utah.gov.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Runners-up for the Most Influential Utahns of the 20th Century". historytogo.utah.gov.
  3. ^ "The Lady Killer: An Interview with the Killers' Brandon Flowers": Spin, 9 Nov 2004
  4. ^ "A mentalist bends a fork with his mind & guesses the name of Brooke's first kiss!". fox13now.com. December 1, 2016.
  5. ^ Sorensen, Mike (May 17, 2010). "A Grand Adventure". Deseret News. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
  6. ^ "Rhyan White - Bio". SwimSwam. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
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